How to Sprout Little Gardeners

Gardening season is right around the corner! For many gardeners, it is hard to contain the excitement. Now is the perfect time to start planning, and this is an ideal activity to do with your children.

Step 1: Choose Your Location

First things first: where will the garden go? Allow your children to help select an area. You want a sunny location close to a water source. A helpful approach is to identify a few good spots and then give your child the option to choose from among them. Giving children real choices within a prepared environment is a cornerstone of the Montessori approach.

Step 2: Choose Your Garden Layout

Will it be a tilled area in the ground, a raised bed, or containers? For those with limited space, a vertical garden is an excellent option, particularly suitable for apartments or condos. No matter where you live, anyone can have a garden. Get creative!

Some cities also have community gardens, which make gardening accessible to almost anyone and benefit the environment as well as the health and wellbeing of the community. Your local Parks and Recreation Department may be able to provide information on nearby options.

Step 3: Select Your Seeds

Now that you have chosen your location and layout, select the seeds you will plant. Some easy crops for first-time gardeners are squash, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, onions, and beans. You may also want to include flowers for herbal teas and plants that benefit pollinators.

Order seed catalogs from your local seed vendor or visit their website. Invite your children to participate in selecting seeds. This activity is relaxing, allows for free exploration, and is a wonderful science activity that naturally includes discussions about your climate and how it affects planting times. Gardening teaches children where their food comes from and helps them reconnect with the natural world.

Step 4: Plant and Prepare

After selecting your seeds, you may start them inside if you do not wish to wait for the last frost, or wait until the danger of frost has passed and plant them directly into the garden. Some families use milk jugs as small greenhouses for starting seeds indoors.

Create a watering schedule together. This is a great opportunity for older children to research how to set up a drip line watering system, combining practical problem-solving with real-world science.

Make sure to label your garden. If your child enjoys arts and crafts, this is a wonderful opportunity for creativity. Popsicle sticks, painted rocks, and paint sticks all make excellent markers. Just make sure whatever you choose can withstand the weather.

Step 5: Tend, Observe, and Extend

Once your seeds start sprouting, this is a great time for older children to research what each group of plants needs. Tomatoes, for example, need support so they do not break. Allow your child to figure out what to use: tomato cages, stakes, and cattle panels are all good options. Some plants, like squash, will need to climb.

There are many extension lessons that gardening naturally offers, making it a perfect addition to learning at home across every subject.

We would love to see your child's garden! Tag @shillerlearning on social media and share your growing season with us.

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