Tips on Indoor Seed Starting for Kids

October 17, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing gardening with kids tips and the topic is indoor seed starting for kids.  First, gardening with kids can be a great experience.  And, it’s a great way to get them outdoors and involved with nature in the spring and summer.  As a result, I made a list of seeds that kids could start inside this winter.  My list is not all inclusive, but I have chosen those that I know are easy to grow and some of kids favorites.

seed starting with kids

 

Zinnias – These beautiful flowers are will grow nice and tall.  They came in a variety of colors that the kids will love.  Zinnias are great for our pollinator friends.  And, they provide a great viewing area for butterflies.  Also, the kids can even cut flowers for a beautiful bouquet for mom or grandma.

 

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Sunflowers – Next, I grow sunflowers every year.  My granddaughter loves to watch them grow.  So, I had sunflowers that grow around 14 feet this summer.  I must admit, they’re are the tallest I’ve ever grown.  I used Grey Stripe and Russian Mammoth seed.  Imagine seeing those little faces peeking at the window every morning to see how high their sunflowers grew over night.  They’re also great for feeding the birds or growing them for a snack. If you have a sunny location where the kids can view them from the window, that’s a bonus too.  Especially, if it’s a rainy day.

Marigolds – Also, Marigolds are easy to grow and there’s a wide variety to choose from.  I love planting them in containers as well as in my vegetable garden.

 

 

seed starting with kids

Tips on starting seeds with kids

 

Lettuce – Also, growing a variety of lettuce can be fun.  There’s Iceberg, Swiss Chard, Buttercrunch, Loose leaf and other varieties kids can try.  Ask if they want to make salads, wraps or use it on sandwiches.  If you grow Swiss Chard, grow the variety that has the beautiful, colorful stems.

Cabbage – My granddaughter loves cabbage.  Who knew, right!  You’ll be surprised at what kids will eat when it’s fun, healthy and seasoned just right.  Cabbage can also be used to make Cole Slaw and Kraut.  Kraut is a favorite in my household with mashed potatoes.

Tomatoes – First, growing a variety of vegetables can be a lesson on both healthy eating and getting to know nature when gardening with kids.  Try a tomato variety that can be grown in containers or on the patio.  The cherry tomatoes are a good option for a snack or fun recipe like pizza.  You can slice the tomato and use as a topping.  Or, grow a variety that good for making sauce, like pizza sauce.  Roma tomatoes are perfect sauce making tomatoes.  And, they don’t get tall.  So, they won’t need to be caged.

 

 

 

seed starting with kids

 

 

Pumpkins – So, what could be more fun than growing your own pumpkins?  How about carving or painting them for Halloween.  You can grow the small variety, or the medium or large pumpkins.  If you want to carve your pumpkins, grow the large variety.  If you want to paint them try the medium size and use the small pumpkins for fall decorating.  Either size is great for fall decorating.

Birdhouse Gourds – In addition to the list above, growing birdhouse gourds is a great project for kids.  You will need some space for this endeavor, the vines will sprawl if you don’t keep them contained.  If you have a trellis, it will be a great backdrop for the vines.  I actually used a small tree branch one year.  It was a just lovely in the garden, and it was fun walking around counting the gourds that had grown on the vines.  Get creative, build a green bean teepee trellis.  You can transplant the seedlings in the garden in the spring and watch it climb the trellis.  Once you have gourds, have the kids paint the birdhouse gourds and turn them into birdhouses.

 

 


 

Last, I hope my seed starting seeds for kids suggestions have excited you and your children.  Indoor Seed Starting for Kids can be a great way to keep the kids occupied this winter into spring.  Most importantly, use a  good seed starting mix, and a sunny spot for the seeds to germinate and grow.

Finally, if you have to transplant your seedlings because they’ve grown too big in the seed starter, consider using biodegradable containers.

 

 

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Garden Bug Activities for Kids

September 21, 2020 by 2 Comments

Today, I’m sharing gardening tips on garden bug activities for kids.  Kids love to explore and go on nature hunts.  First, it’s a great way to introduce them to nature and the garden.  Gardening with kids can be fun, if we make activities fun and creative.  Kids get bored easily, so keeping their attention on a particular activity can be challenging.  Fortunately, I have the solution on how to get them interested in the garden.

 

kids printables

 

 

 

So, a fun activity is to have kids go on a nature hunt in search of garden bugs.  Print our garden bug nature hunt activity and let the fun begin.  The activity lists gardens bugs, which include the lady bug, bumble bee, caterpillar and more.  Grab a clipboard and pencil and send them on their way.

 

 

garden bug activities

 

 

Also, we included a garden bug word search puzzle.  The puzzle includes names of common garden bugs that kids can find in their backyard garden.  Some of the bugs included a grasshopper, ladybug, beetle and more.  Our list of bugs can be found in most gardens across the country.  As a result, it’s a great way for them to become familiar with these garden bugs.

 

 

 

garden bug activity

 

Next, learning about garden bugs can be a great science project lesson for kids as well.  They can learn about our list of bugs and their benefits.  For example, garden bugs act as pollinators for our flower, vegetable and fruit plants.  Without pollinators carrying nectar to flowers on our plants and trees, we would be unable to produce beautiful flowers and delicious produce.

 

 


 

Furthermore, there are approximately 20 – 30 million insects on the planet.  That’s a lot of garden bug activities for kids.   Some are good and some are bad.  Here’s a few bad garden bugs that can do damage to your garden.  Turn these bugs into a science lesson and have the kids research these bad bugs.

  • Mealy Bug
  • Cabbage Worm
  • Green Lacewing
  • Japanese Beetle
  • Cucumber Beetle

 

Last, download the Garden Bug Activities.  Additionally, the activities includes a butterfly coloring page and a list of bad garden bugs.

 

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Nature and Gardening Tips for Kids

February 5, 2018 by 5 Comments

Backyard vegetable gardening should include your children.  Are your children always on their computers, phones, TVs, and other electronic gadgets?  Today’s generation has lost connection with nature.  They are too engrossed in technology.  So, today I’m sharing tips on nature and gardening tips for kids.

Nature offers endless opportunities for children to learn and discover.  Getting them to leave their room and head outdoors is getting more and more difficult.  If you introduce them to backyard gardening they will love it.  

 

gardening activities for kids

 

Most importantly, lecturing them or pressuring them to go outside is not the way to get them interested. Even if you managed to get them outside, learning something beside a park and playground can peak their interest.  So, get them interested in gardening.   Check out our nature and gardening tips for kids:

Digging is fun

If you have kids, you know just how much they enjoy getting dirty.  Let them dig up the soil for the seeds you will be planting.  Hopefully, digging and playing in the dirt will encourage them to go out.  Additionally, they will explore the numerous hidden wonders in your garden. Work with them to get them more interested. Not only will they be able to dig, play, and have fun, you will have help planting your seeds.  Make sure they only dig in designated areas.

 

Let them plant seeds

If you have an area in your yard that needs to be seeded or re-seeded, let them grow grass from seed.  Allow them to see and become involved in the stages of growth.  Becoming involved in nature can be educational, but also interesting and fun.

 

 

Gardening Ideas for Kids

 

 

 

Plant their favorite fruits

Also, if you have space in your garden plant fruit trees.  For example, plant a mango or an apple tree.  However, if the space is limited plant strawberries or blueberries.  Having their favorite fruit growing in the garden will encourage your kids to want to nurture the plant and later devour the fruits. Kids will love to pick their own fruits from the plant.  Additionally, it will encourage a healthier diet.

 

Plant their favorite vegetables

We know how picky our kids can be when it comes to eating vegetables.  Have them plant and grow their own vegetables.  It’s also a good way to encourage them to eat nutritious vegetables.  As a result, help them grow cherry tomatoes or carrots.  Your children will love harvesting full-grown carrots from the garden.

 

Plant a stunning butterfly garden

Planting a butterfly garden is a wonderful way to get your kids to leave their electronic gadgets too.  Planting a butterfly garden is a great way to introduce your children to butterflies.  They will love seeing different colors and species of butterflies.   Plants that attract butterflies are:  milkweed plant, butterfly bush, calendula, and the daylily.

 

Create a secret hideout

If you have a large garden with lots of greenery, shrubs, and trees, you can create a secret hideout for your kids.  C You can create a place where the kids can hang out and play or just a digging spot where they can store their explored treasures and other things.  Get creative.

Tell your children stories about your involvement in gardening, hiking etc.   Additionally, you can plan picnics and hikes with the family.  Also, teach them new and interesting things about their environment.  So, if you want your kids to love nature, you need to love it yourself too.  We hope that you found our nature and gardening tips for kids beneficial.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Fun Springtime Garden Projects for Kids

April 12, 2017 by Leave a Comment
 
garden projects for kids
Kids absolutely love to dig in the dirt, help in the garden, and experience life growing around them.  Helping mom and dad in the backyard offers kids fresh air, exercise, learning experiences, and family bonding.  It’s a win-win situation, and what’s not to love about that? With a little bit of patience and some planning, even parents who are novices in the garden can enjoy this wonderful backyard experience with their kids.  Check out my other gardening tips.  If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve got the perfect garden projects for kids:

Plant Garden Bulbs Together:

Beautify your landscaping with beautiful blooming flowers, Hostas and elephant ears this year. Let your child help select the plant bulbs and plan out your soon-to-be gorgeous garden beds. Spring and fall are the standard planting times for bulbs. Let the kiddos help you dig the holes, insert the bulbs the right way, and measure the distance apart with a ruler. Your kids will be thrilled with what blooms the following season and feel so proud of their accomplishment.

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Build a Kid-Size Garden

First, give your child the gift of their own garden. And by gift, we mean the pleasure and learning they’ll get from it because it truly is a gift to them. You can buy a ready to build raised garden bed at a big box home store, build a DIY version with leftover wood, or give your child an area of your regular garden and fence it off.

Furthermore, let them pick a few veggies to plant and let them be responsible for the planting and watering (with your guidance, of course). When a child sees their fruits and veggies go from seeds to the dinner table, they’ll feel so proud! Studies show that garden projects for kids is a great way to teach them to grow their own food.  Most importantly, kids are more apt to eat what they grown.  So go ahead and plant the rainbow!

Plant a Butterfly Garden

Also, this fun idea is probably the easiest and reaps the most benefits. Pick an area of your yard or use a big container planter and fill with rich, black soil. Pick up an inexpensive packet of Butterfly Garden Seeds. Let your child sprinkle the seeds on the dirt and water. Watch all the different varieties of flowers bloom and attract butterflies and humming birds.

Start a Worm Composter

So, your first thought might be “oh yuck” but your kids and garden will love your worm composter. You can buy a pre-made composter or build your own DIY version for around $5. It’s very easy to make and only requires a bit of drilling holes and setting up the bin.

Vermicomposting requires worm compost bedding and compost worms (can be ordered online). They will need to be watered and fed which your kids can be responsible for. The compost created by the worms makes your garden grow like crazy and healthy too. Your kids will be more fascinated by the worms.

Add Bug Repellant Plants Around Play Areas

Next, pick up a few Citronella or Lemongrass from your local garden store to use by your children’s play areas. Both Citronella and Lemongrass repel mosquitoes and flies, which are both a nuisance to kids playing. Using a few containers you have around the garage, fill with dirt and fill with the Citronella or Lemongrass plants and water. Place around the outer edges of your kids’ swing set and sandbox.

Make Homemade Stepping Stones

Last, this project may be a little messy, but it’s so much fun for the whole family!  So, the difficulty of this project will depend on the age of the children. Find rocks on your property or a nearby park to make your stepping stones.  Give them a good washing with soap and water and then paint them with non-washable paint.

Another fun garden project for kids is googly eye balls glued on to make “pet rocks.”  This is a great craft to do as a family.

A more advanced approach is making your own stepping stones with Plaster of Paris.  Just mix the Plaster of Paris with water in an old bucket, and pour into molds.  Also, fun molds are available at art supply stores or you can use simple disposable aluminum baking pans. While the Plaster of Paris is still wet, you can etch in names, add gem stones or other finds, and paint when dried. Stepping stones also make great gifts for grandparents and friends.

Last, Max Warehouse is your one stop shop for all your home and garden needs, home organization and improvement, auto, lawn care and everything in between.  We have great products for your garden projects for kids too. Whether your project is large or small, they have your back!  Free shipping over $50.

Finally, we hope that you enjoyed our garden projects for kids, and will select a few to implement in your garden this spring.

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Backyard Gardening With Kids Tips

March 17, 2017 by

Today, I’m sharing parenting tips on gardening with kids and why it is important.  Gardening is a great way to introduce them to nature.  It’s also a great way to give them a life skill; growing their own food.  Gardening can be done in small spaces, vertical, in raised bed, containers and on plots.  I suggest containers/pots for the kids, especially if you’re just starting to garden with them. 

 

 

gardening with kids

 

 

 

Gardening With Kids Tips:  

 

Start with simple tasks with your kids or grandkids.  When kids are excited about something, they look forward to the event or activity.  First, get them excited about gardening:  

Garden Boots – I purchased a pair of Lighting McQueen rain boots for my grandson and he loved to wear them when he was watering my vegetable garden.
Purchase a Watering Can – They make adorable watering cans specifically for children.  They’re easy for them to grip and pour the water.
Gardening Gloves – Covering their hands while digging in dirt is a good idea.  I’m a Master Gardener, and I wear them regularly.
Small Pots/Containers – Give them pots and containers that they can relate to.  Giving a child a 10 gallon flower pot can be overwhelming.  This can apply to raised beds and garden plots too.  

 

 


 


 

 

 

 

I think it’s important for children to understand the land and how to grow your own food.  We never know where the economy will take us, so we need to teach our children how to survive.  Furthermore, we need to teach them how to save where they can.

 

 

gardening with kids

 

 

So, here’s additional tips on how gardening with kids provides benefits:

 

  • They learn how to plant flowers and vegetables.
  • Children learn about nature when gardening.
  • Children learn how food is grown.
  • They learn how to nurture the food that their family will eat.
  • Harvesting vegetables for the family gives them a feeling of importance.
  • The learn about flowers and their beauty as well as purpose.
  • Gardening allows them to watch the birds, rabbits, squirrels and more.

 

 

 

gardening with kids

 

 

 

Another fun activity with kids is picking berries.  If you don’t have a patch in your backyard, plant one.  Until than check out your local farmer’s market.  I suggest an early morning trip to the strawberry fields, it can get hot quickly in the wide open fields.  My grandson loved picking strawberries.  He knew that I was going to turn those red berries into strawberry jam.  Besides jam, we also used the berries for ice cream and funnel cake toppings.  Fresh berries are so good!

 

I hope my tips on gardening with kids has motivated you to spend some time in the backyard with you kids or grandchildren during a small garden project this summer.  Planting carrots, flowers or a pizza garden are great ways to get your children involved.  

 

 

 

 

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Preschool Garden Vegetable Printables

April 4, 2015 by

Today, I’m sharing parenting tips on preschool garden vegetable printables for kids.  I found these kids coloring pages at  www.vegetable-gardening-online.com.  So, I thought I would share them with my readers. These vegetable coloring pages are a fun way to expose children to gardening.  Furthermore, you can discuss the importance of vegetables in our diet.

 

It’s also a great way to start a conversation about backyard vegetable gardening  with your children too.  They can become familiar with growing their own food.  Getting children involved in gardening teaches them to nurture and to become self-sufficient. Furthermore, children should learn to be responsible at an early age.  Responsibility will become a life lesson.

 

preschool coloring pages

teaching children about vegetablesteaching children about vegetables
teaching children about vegetables

Teaching children to become self-sufficient is imperative.  One of the best ways to become self-sufficient is to grow your own fruit and vegetables.  So, start small and build you garden over time.  First, try planting kaleidoscope carrots to peak your child’s interest.  Orange can be boring so add a little color.  Plant kaleidoscope carrots that are yellow, purple, orange, red and sometimes white.

 

Another interesting project is to plant colored popcorn.   Popcorn is a favorite on movie night. Husk the corn after it has dried and store for movie night. Furthermore, tomatoes come in different colors too.  I plant red, yellow, orange and purple tomatoes.  Get creative and make it a family event.  Children often like what you like.  If you introduce them to things early, it will stick with them.


My grandchildren love gardening.  I introduced them to gardening by allowing them to water my garden.  I allowed them to pick peppers and green beans.  Soon they wanted to plant their own vegetables.

 

Furthermore, allow your children to explore seed catalogues.  They can check out different varieties of plants and flowers. For example, sunflower are big deal at my house. We plant Russian Mammoth, Lemon Queen, and Autumn beauty for a colorful summer display. The Mexican Sunflower is small and could be a variable option for children. Don’t leave pumpkins off you list.  Remember they do require lots of space though.

 

I plan to let my granddaughter color these preschool garden vegetable printables.   So, grab a box of crayons and print these tomato, green beans, carrot and corn printables, and let your kids go to work too.

 

Last, stay tuned for our April Showers posts this month.  We’ll be sharing more activities for kids, craft roundups and other ideas for those rainy days.  You can download the preschool garden vegetable printables here.  You may also like: Kids Gardening Crafts
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Gardening With Your Child

April 18, 2014 by
My grandfather had a garden when I was growing up.  And, I remember how different the vegetables tasted from the store brought veggies today. So, I planted a vegetable garden.  My father was an avid flower gardener, so I guess gardening is in my blood.  Today, I’m sharing parenting tips on backyard gardening with your child. 

 

gardening with your child

 


 I decided to involve my grandson when he was little.  He lives near the beach, so backyard gardening isn’t a common theme in that area. When he visits in the summer he loves to help me with my garden.  He enjoys playing in the dirt and watering my plants.  I believe that children need to be exposed to different cultures and experiences.

Most importantly, he is learning.  Here’s a few reasons to garden with your child:

They learn about growing vegetables and flowers – My grandson loves it so much when he hears the back door open, he is on my heels.  In the photo below, he’s picking peppers.  Hot peppers are big in my family.  We love them on everything.  My grandson loves hot peppers on his nachos.  He’s a kid after his grandmother’s heart.  I pickle hot peppers and freeze Belle peppers so we have a fresh supply all year.

It’s a great way to learn responsibility –  Give them chores once you get them outside.  Have them rack leaves retrieve the hand rack or shovel.  He loves it so much when he hears the back door open, he is on my heels.  In the photo above, he’s picking peppers.  Hot peppers are big in my family, we love them on everything.  Xavier loves hot peppers on his nachos, he’s a kid after his grandmother’s heart.  I pickle hot peppers, so we have a fresh supply all year and freeze Belle peppers for cooking.

gardening with children


Next, he’s learning the importance of watering plants, weeding and waiting to reap the benefit.  How do you like his garden boots?  They’re Disney cars.  He loves splashing in the water after he makes puddles in the yard.  I can’t say that he’s learned to love everything he’s nurturing in the vegetable garden, but he’s having fun helping everything grow.

 


 

My grandchildren do love carrots, corn, cucumbers and tomatoes.  I use them in pasta salads, and the tomatoes for sauce for spaghetti and pizza which they both love.  I also can tomatoes for chili and soup in the winter.  Yum!

gardening with children

 

I’m a petunia lover too, so I make sure they’re the star on my deck in the summer.  Xavier was 2 when I started involving him in my gardening.  I thought I would share this picture of him sucking his binky and watering my plants.  It’s one of my favorite pictures of him.  I purchased a little watering can, rake and shovel for him too.  He remembers watering the plants, and now wants to water them each summer.  My granddaughter is old now, hopefully she will take an interest as well.

 

 


 

gardenng with children

 

 

Gardening with your child doesn’t have to be expensive.  I start most of my vegetables and flowers from seed that I save.  I also purchase plants off the clearance rack at Walmart or Lowes.  The planter above is filled with Walmart clearance items. I purchased the planter from the Dollar Store.

Most importantly, if you don’t have a yard use your balcony or patio to grow a few plants.  Get your child involved. Better yet, let them plant a few flowers or vegetables of their own.  It teaches them responsibility and also gets them involved in nature. Try a perennial, they come back each year.

Next, when you expose children to different experiences, they will be open to different cultures, music, foods and other experiences as an adults. Their formative years are in our hands.  So, add gardening with your child an activity that you can do together.  They may not model everything that we do in their adult years, but they will have the memories and experience.  Last, you can’t place a price tag on that.
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