Fun Kid-Friendly Garden Ideas For Tons Of Gardening Fun!
Gardening is a fun solo hobby for anyone, but when you bring your kids into it will turn into a fun experience for the whole family.
We’ll cover what the best and easiest flowers and vegetables are for kids to grow, discuss seeds and seedlings, what age is best for kids to start gardening, and some of the great benefits that kids will get from growing a garden.
We’ve also got some cool garden theme suggestions that will get your child excited about their fun little garden!
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In This Article
- Why Build A Garden With Kids?
- What Can You Grow In A Garden For Kids?
- Easy to Grow Flower Seeds For Kids
- Fun & Easy Vegetables For Kids To Grow In Garden
- Growing Plants From Seeds
- Buying Seedlings For Your Kids’ Garden
- What Is A Good Age For Kids To Start Gardening?
- Benefits Of Gardening For Children
- Choosing A Theme For Your Kids Garden
Why Build A Garden With Kids?
Teaching kids how to grow and nurture a garden is a great way to combine their natural love of the outdoors and of play to create a fun learning experience.
Kids love to play outside and discover the world around them. Not to mention, a lot of kids love getting messy, digging in the dirt, or making mudpies!
So, instead of making mudpies that you can’t actually eat, why not build a garden and grow foods that you can?
Building a garden with kids doesn’t have to be an elaborate undertaking. It can be as simple as a small corner of your main garden if you have one. It could even be a window box with some herbs or a patio pot with a cherry tomato plant. Whatever tickles your fancy!
If you don’t have room for a big garden you can upcycle an old sandbox, wheelbarrow, wine barrel, or bird bath. On an even smaller scale, you can grow herbs and flowers in an old pair of workboots, galvanized pails, or old watering cans. There are a kajillion fun and quirky ideas on Pinterest for these small container gardens that kids will love!
If you want to make it super simple, a ready-to-go paint and plant flower kit might be for you!
What Can You Grow In A Garden For Kids?
Do you want to grow flowers or vegetables in your kid-friendly garden? How about some of each?
With a little planning and effort your children will be able to enjoy a successful garden and gain valuable knowledge in the process. To ensure success, it’s important to pick plants that are easy to grow for beginners no matter their age.
Not all of us have a green thumb but that’s ok! Hit the easy button on this one and set yourself up for success. Choose flowers, fruits, or vegetables that are simple to grow.
Let your child help you pick out which veggies they want to plant. Say for instance you have a kid (like ours) who is not a huge vegetable fan. If you start off with spinach or kale, which are very easy to grow, their first thought might be “are you going to make me eat that??”
If you say yes, that could put them off the whole idea of making a garden. So instead, just tell them you’ll be eating all the spinach, or perhaps just plant regular lettuce instead.
Remember, kids love making important decisions so let them in on the process from the beginning.
Having your children help pick out the foods you will be growing in their little garden will no doubt help keep their interest in the garden project.
Easy to Grow Flower Seeds For Kids
One huge advantage of growing from seeds is that it is very budget-friendly, plus the flowers may reseed themselves basically giving you free plants next season!
Annuals have a one-year life cycle and some develop seed pods that can be plucked off for next year, eg. poppies, petunias, impatiens, morning glory, nasturtiums, and columbines.
Tip: Bigger seeds are much easier for little hands to handle!
The flowers listed below grow fast and will keep your child’s interest longer. These plants grow like crazy and produce fruits (or seeds, in the case of the sunflowers) fairly quickly and consistently throughout the growing season. They are also very hearty and low-maintenance!
- Sunflowers
- Marigold
- Morning Glory
- Zinnia
- Nasturtium
- Impatiens
- Geranium (Crane’s Bill)
- Nigella (Love in a Mist)
- Sweet Peas
- Aquilegia
- Eschscholzia (California Poppy)
- Pansies
A Few Sunflower Growing Tips
Sunflower seeds are a great option for kids to plant. They can easily be grown in pots or small flower beds. Not only do sunflowers provide bright and colorful flowers but they basically just take care of themselves. They are an amazing choice since they require minimal attention from little kid gardeners.
They will also bring bees and birds to your garden. These pollinators are an integral part of the gardening process.
Some types, such as the Mongolian Giant Sunflower, can grow up to 14 feet tall, pretty impressive!
Their sturdy stalks can even be used as handles for little hands to carry their plants around during the growing process!
Whether you start them in pots, windowboxes, or directly into the flower bed, when the seeds germinate, sunflowers will need lots of direct sunlight to thrive.
If you choose to sow the seeds straight into the ground, do so in a sunny, sheltered spot and watch them grow like mad!
Just make sure you provide the stems with supports to grow the tallest sunflowers around.
Planting them next to a tall privacy fence will help support and shelter them from strong wind as well.
Fun & Easy Vegetables For Kids To Grow In Garden
Choosing the best vegetable seeds for children to plant is essential for a successful garden. Easy-to-grow vegetables like radishes, lettuce, and carrots are great choices as they are fast-growing and don’t require too much care or attention.
Pole beans and snap peas are also great starters for children as they grow heartily and quickly. When you harvest them, they will grow more beans, allowing you to have a supply throughout the growing season.
Zucchini is a perfect option too! They grow quickly and are hearty plants that can endure some rough handling from little hands. Carrots and pumpkins all fall into this category as well.
- Pole Beans
- Snap Peas
- Zucchini
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Potatoes
- Lettuce
- Radishes
- Carrots
- Pumpkins
Growing Plants From Seeds
If you are starting from seeds, teaching kids how to plant, water, and germinate the seeds is an important first step. Kids get to watch as the first baby seedlings appear and this will get them wondering how that happened and what comes next. It’s the perfect time to teach them a little about the science of germination!
While it depends on the gardening zone you live in, most will begin garden preparations in February if you are going to start with seeds. Let your children pick what they want to grow and get the seeds started indoors.
Starting from seeds lets you and your child follow the entire lifecycle from seed to sprout to flower and finally the fruit.
The type of soil also plays an important role in determining which vegetables will thrive in your garden; sandy loam soil is ideal for most vegetables as it provides good drainage and aeration while still retaining moisture.
Showing your kiddos how to get the soil just right and what to start the seeds off in is another rewarding experience.
You can easily start with seedling starters from any big box store now but you can also create your own DIY starter kits. This is a great project for those bored little ones during Spring Break right before the planting season starts.
With the right seeds, soil, and garden tools, even pint-sized gardeners can plant and grow a successful crop in their own backyard garden. Think of how proud they will be!
Buying Seedlings For Your Kids’ Garden
Buying seedlings from your local farmer’s market or nursery is another way to get started on building your kids’ garden. When helping your little one pick out seedlings, find hearty-looking ones that are not yet flowering. This will ensure you get the most from your plants.
You can explain how to make sure your soil is just right for growing plants and pick up the necessary additives so your garden will continue nourishing your plants.
The staff at garden centers are usually very helpful if you have any questions or need recommendations at all. If you’re not sure where to start, ask for help!
Seedlings are the easiest way to jumpstart your garden because someone else babied the seedlings for you. Kids and other garden helpers usually find it easier to handle transplants.
What Is A Good Age For Kids To Start Gardening?
I recommend starting your children around kindergarten age. This is a great age to get kids started and interested in gardening.
While kids of all ages are welcome to help with gardening, there are some basic skills that are important to have (or learn) before digging in.
Around age 5 or 6, kids are willing to help and are absorbing all of the knowledge they can. They also have better fine motor skills to handle seedlings without demolishing them. School-age children usually have better listening skills and are more capable of following instructions.
Of course, you can start out with toddlers or preschoolers if you like and they can learn along the way. It just might be a tad more challenging.
Allow your kids to help with pulling weeds and adding mulch to the soil also. As kids, some of us loved getting our hands dirty – our kids are no different!
When it is time to transplant the sprouts outside, let them in on that fun, too. Teach them how big of a hole to dig and how to water a seedling for the best results.
Benefits Of Gardening For Children
Gardening with kids can be an incredibly rewarding experience for both parents and children. It’s a fun activity that can help build relationships between parents and children while teaching important life skills.
- Helps foster a connection to nature
- Develops an appreciation for nature
- Shows the science of how things grow.
- Teaches them a life skill they will keep forever
- Helps teach kids about healthy food choices and may get them to try new fruits and vegetables
- Teaches the importance of taking care of the environment and introduces the concept of sustainability.
- Gives children an opportunity to develop their creativity and imagination
- Provides fresh air and physical activity
- Digging in the earth can be emotionally calming and even therapeutic
- Gives kids a sense of pride in accomplishment
- Facilitates family bonding
- Makes special memories for you and your child to keep and cherish
Children, like adults, love to see the fruits of their labor. Allowing your children in on the process gives them something to feel proud about and maybe even to show off.
This is a great time to bond and connect with your children while teaching them a life skill they will keep with them forever. Your children will cherish the moments you spend together in the garden, even after they’re grown and have kids of their own.
Choosing A Theme For Your Kids Garden
With creative garden themes, kids can get even more excited about gardening and make it a fun activity.
Fairy gardens, gnome gardens, and flower fairy gardens are some of the most popular garden themes for kids. These themes offer a unique way to personalize your child’s garden and make it look magical.
With these creative garden themes, you can create an environment that encourages learning about nature in a fun and imaginative way!
- Whimsical fairy garden
- Gnome and toadstool theme
- Stepping stone garden
- Rock garden with succulents
- Clay pot garden
- Boot garden
- Herb garden with painted rock markers
- Butterfly and bee theme
- Woodland animals
- DIY art garden
- Alphabet garden
- Mini dinosaur garden
- Birdhouse garden
Get your garden supplies and your kids ready to plant because gardening season is nearly here! What’s your favorite thing about playing in the garden?
My sister, who is the real green thumb in the family, calls it dirt therapy! How about you? I’d love to hear your thoughts and learn about the kind of kids’ garden you are planning so let me know in the comments. 🙂
Happy digging!
Until next time, K.
Kelly Blakely is the founder and creative force behind Just Our View From Here. As a first-time mom over 40, she brings a fresh perspective to parenting and family life on her blog. Kelly also explores a wide range of lifestyle topics in her writing, including fashion, beauty, self-care, and well-being.
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Resources
Simply Smart Gardening: Seeds Vs. Seedings What’s Best To Plant & Why
Instructables.com: Harvesting Flowers For Next Year’s Garden
Prudentpennypincher.com: 100 DIY Art Garden Ideas
The Micro Gardener: Garden Theme Ideas For Kids
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