If you are anything like me, gardening can be a lot of work – and I’m not just talking about the physical aspect. It can be very hard to get anything done at all in the garden when the kids are craving attention.
That said, there’s no better way to spend some time with the kids outside, especially now the warmer days have drawn in. So, if you are struggling to get any gardening done at all, perhaps you could involve them a little more? It’s a healthy, educational activity for them, too, not to mention a lot of fun! Let’s take a look at some of them now.
Wildlife Spotting
Bugs, birds and even small mammals can be spotted in the garden. And most children will be fascinated and enthusiastic to find out what they are, and how they live. Even the most squeamish of children can enjoy looking at insects that they find in the garden, although you may need some help with the catching!
This Bug Safari is a great way of introducing insects and weird little critters to children. The insects will all be kept safely in a see-through pot to prevent any scares, and it comes with a book to help explain what they are looking at. Something like this can help hold their attention while you concentrate on pulling up all those weeds.
Growing Fruit & Veg
Most kids love the idea of growing their own fruit and vegetables. And it might even persuade them to eat more of them, too! Putting aside a little space for their own allotment can give them a sense of ownership in the garden. There is also a lot to be said about the educational aspect of growing their own. There are many places you can buy seeds and plants to get you started.
Websites such as http://www.pomonafruits.co.uk/ are a good base point, but you could also head down to your local garden centre. The easiest things to get started with are tomatoes. Once your child has seen how they grow, you can then think about introducing underground growers. Make sure to watch their little faces light up as they pull out a bunch of carrots! It is so important to teach kids where food comes from, and growing their own is the perfect starting point. And once they have grown, you can take them straight into the kitchen and make some delicious treats for them.
Start A Garden Diary
Garden diaries are a great way to encourage creativity in children. Get them to draw what they see and, if they have started writing, make little notes about everything they find out for the day. There is so much to think about when they are outside that they will never be short of ideas.
Whether it is drawing pictures of the weather or the birds in the sky or even sticking an empty seed packet on a page, they can get so much out of it. To get started, pick up a plain scrapbook from the shops for less than a pint of milk. Help them to decorate it on a rainy day, and when the sun comes out again you will be ready to go. However, bearing in mind this is the U.K., it might be worth weatherproofing the book with a plastic cover!
Rebecca x
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