Friday, March 11, 2011

Gardening with Children

Many schools have planting projects that begin in the spring. Children explore planting seeds and watch them grow and develop. Age appropriate studies help students learn about the biology of plants. Homeschooling parents also often experiment with plants as part of their schooling experience.

Some schools have started vegetable gardens to promote an interest in learning how to grow and utilize crops. These crops are finding themselves in food pantries and on even in the kitchens of the schools themselves.

Parents can support these skills by gardening with children at home. Even children who are reluctant to eat vegetables find more interest when they grow their own. Children have the opportunity to learn skills that will last a lifetime. The group effort of raising food can help the family increase family time, acquire better qualities and options of food, and save money in the process.

When planning the crops look for jobs that are age appropriate for the children in the family. Even young children can find tasks that can help. When thinning crops consider allowing children to take some of these extra plants and plant them in their own pots to grow. Children can experiment with learning to care for these plants without any damage to the main family crop.

This can also be a great time to teach kids about how and why plants grow in certain areas. Recycled planters can be used to provide children with the freedom to experiment with plants without taking up space in the main garden areas.

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