Gardening with Children Makes Sense
Dr. Connie Jo Smith
Introduction
Young children learn through their senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. While
there are many experiences that tap into the senses and enhance children’s learning,
gardening is an excellent example. To engage your child in gardening activities, you do
not have to dedicate all of your time, have a large garden space, or spend a fortune.
You can take small steps instead. And best of all, garden time with your child will not
only enhance their learning in many areas, but can be a fun time that builds family
memories to last a lifetime.
Sight
Using their sight, children can see that soil does
not always look the same in different locations or
at various depths. For a small fee, County
Extension Agents will test a soil sample to guide
gardeners in soil improvement and safety.
Examining dirt samples, seeds, foliage, blooms,
etc. under a magnifying glass or microscope may
help children understand how there is often more
than they can see with their eyes alone. While
digging in the ground children may find and
observe earth worms and other critters. Help your
child learn to watch out for ants and other
potential dangers.
Examining gardening tools helps children
compare and contrast, as well as select
appropriate tools for specific tasks. Using real
tools, instead of plastic play ones, will help them
see more details and minimize frustration since
toy tools do not work well. For small garden jobs,
hand tools may work fine. Gardening tools like
trowels and cultivators have different visual characteristics. Gloves, a watering can, a
yard stick, rubber boots, and other items may also contribute to the garden work.
Children can learn about colors, shapes, sizes, and the beauty of growing things.
Learning occurs through measuring the growth of a plant as they see it grow; counting
the leaves, blooms, or fruit; drawing or photographing the plants; and looking at
photographs or watching a video of them engaged in gardening activities.
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A garden walk following the rain lets children see beaded water on foliage, changing the
visual image. Checking out the garden at night provides an opportunity to see night
flowering blooms, such as Evening Primrose and Moonflower. Solar lights or a flashlight
can lead the way offering a totally different visual opportunity.
Garden art and accessories, such as chimes, gazing globes and other ornaments,
statues, signs, trellises, scare crows, solar lighting, and water features can add to the
visual impact. Gazing globes allow children to learn about reflections. Furniture, arches,
structures, and paths are larger investments, but contribute to the visual experience.
Hearing
Incorporating hearing experiences into gardening may take a bit more attention and
planning, but can be well worth it. While in the garden, listen for nature sounds like birds
chirping and bees buzzing. Encourage your child to listen and share sounds with you.
Tall grasses and tree branches may create a swoosh sound when the wind blows, but
you have to be listening to hear these – even more than the bird and insect sounds.
Some plants have seed pods or shells that can be shaken or popped, making tiny
sounds. Snap peas, beans, bluebonnet, and touch-me-nots are a few examples of
plants with seeds that give an auditory experience.
One of the easier ways to incorporate sound is through accessories, such as chimes.
Chimes placed near a garden provide sound to associate with the experience. Hung
inside near plants and an air vent or open window can offer a similar sensation for
children. Simple water features can create soothing sounds that add to the garden
scene. Even temporary water from a sprinkler or water hose gives a splash.
Studies from years ago indicated that the vibrations from classical music may have a
positive impact on plants, resulting in faster growth and a longer life. Although firm
scientific evidence is lacking in this area, it is still a great way to involve children in
listening and selecting music to play for their garden. Going a step further, you could
help your child record a message to their plants, encouraging them to grow and be
healthy. Children reap the benefit of listening to high quality music, learning to use a
little technology, and practicing nurturing.
Touch
Gardening may create more opportunity for touch than any of the other five senses.
Digging in the dirt can be big fun for children and adults alike. Getting their hands dirty
has great appeal to most children. Tool handles may have a different feel to explore
while learning how to dig and rake in the dirt. A bonus for digging and raking is the
exercise and physical activity. A wide range of mulch, such as grass clippings, leaves,
pine needles, wood chips, and straw, can offer tactical experiences and show children
that there are many possible ways to control weeds.
117 Jones Jaggers Hall 1906 College Heights Blvd #11098 Bowling Green, KY 42101-1098
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Playing in water is another big draw and water is essential at initial planting time, as well
as ongoing. Water may feel differently on the hands when pouring from a watering can,
being sprayed from a bottle for misting plants, or squirting from the sprinkler. Picking up
and feeling the seeds as they place them in the dirt helps children build small muscles
in fingers, which will be needed for writing. Making comparisons between bulbs and
seeds can be about the feel of each and not just the size and shape.
Touching different kinds of foliage will provide a variety of textures to discuss, which will
help build vocabulary. Encourage your child to describe what they feel and give them
possible words that may fit their experience, like fuzzy, wooly, prickly, sticky, hairy, silky,
waxy, rough, and smooth. Examples of outside plants that may offer more tactile
experiences are Sun Flowers, Pampas Grass, Lambs’ Ear, Silver Sage, Coneflower,
Maidenhair Fern, and Thyme. Inside plants with texture to explore include African
Violets, Purple Passion, or Velvet Plant, Shamrock, and Aloe Vera.
Smell
Most smells associated with the garden are positive. Trees, shrubs, and flowers offer a
wide range of fragrances all year long. But if smelling flowers is an experience you want
for your child, planning will be necessary because all plants do not offer aromas. A few
outdoor plants to include for their scents are: Lavender, Lily of the Valley, Carnations,
Sweet Alyssum, and Snapdragons. Remind your child to watch for bees and insects
when they lean close to smell flowers. Many evening and night time bloomers, such as
Evening Primrose, Moonflower, and Night Gladiolus offer fragrances. Indoor plants to
help the home smell good are Scented Geraniums, Gardenias, and Orange Jasmine.
Herbs may be grown inside or outside and produce a full complement of scents. A few
to try growing for the fragrance are: Pineapple Mint, Cilantro, Rosemary, Basil, and
Lemon Balm. Instead of sniffing herbs, the scent may be more evident by rubbing
foliage or crushing a leaf between fingers to smell.
Children may get joy using herbs they have grown in cooking or to make potpourri. They
may also find it pleasurable to cut flowers and make an arrangement to display in the
house or to give to friends and relatives. Finding ways to extend the pleasant aromas in
the outside garden to indoors maximizes their experience and can help them build pride
in their work.
All scents in the garden are not pleasant. A few flowers produce a stink, but fortunately
those are rare and it is highly unlikely that they would be acquired without knowing it.
Some mulch has an unpleasant odor and manure is a great fertilizer for vegetables, but
not an agreeable fragrance.
117 Jones Jaggers Hall 1906 College Heights Blvd #11098 Bowling Green, KY 42101-1098
270-745-2216 or 800-621-5908 Fax: 270-745-7089
Email: ccrr.expert@wku.edu
Web: http://www.wku.edu/ccrr-wku/
Taste
Adding fruits and vegetables to the garden is
a wonderful way to incorporate taste.
Selecting plants that grow fast, like lettuce,
radishes, snow peas, and cherry tomatoes
will help keep children interested in the
garden. Carrots, potatoes, zucchini, and
broccoli are other additions to consider.
Spices such as onion, garlic, and ginger are
root plants and offer distinct flavors for
children to try growing and tasting. Sprouting
beans can be a quick success. Strawberries
in the ground or a planter can delight children
when they are ready to pick. Sunflowers and
pumpkins take up a lot of space but are
delightful for children to see grow. The herb
and spice garden can be used to enhance
many meals, giving long term pleasure.
It can be exciting for children to pick produce
and immediately eat straight from the garden.
Without dampening their high spirits, keep a
water hose close by and have your child wash
food first. Avoid the use of pesticides or other chemicals on plants that will be eaten and
all plants children will be tending.
Many flowers are edible and have been consumed for years. Flavors from flowers vary
and may taste sweet, sour, bitter, tangy, peppery, or like citrus. The part of the flower
that is edible depends upon the specific flower. Including flowers on the menu can be
exciting and add a creative flair. Who would not want to see flower petals in their ice
cubes? Examples of flowers that have edible parts include nasturtiums, daylilies,
marigolds, and dandelions. However, many flowers such as the oleander are highly
poisonous. Some flower families include both edible and poisonous verities, making it
challenging to ensure safety. Young children also have a difficult time distinguishing
between why they can eat one flower and not another or one berry and not another so
close supervision is critical.
Small Steps
Gardening can be a big job and the thoughts of beginning such a project on top of other
responsibilities can seem overwhelming. But gardening does not have to be a gigantic
project. Start small before discarding the idea. There are many small steps to engage
children in gardening activities that can make a big impact.
117 Jones Jaggers Hall 1906 College Heights Blvd #11098 Bowling Green, KY 42101-1098
270-745-2216 or 800-621-5908 Fax: 270-745-7089
Email: ccrr.expert@wku.edu
Web: http://www.wku.edu/ccrr-wku/
Take advantage of community opportunities to learn about soil, garden tools, plants,
and produce. Short walking or hiking trips provide the opportunity to examine dirt and
compare how it looks in different places. Bring home a spoonful of dirt in a baggie from
different locations so it can be compared. Provide a magnifying glass for your child to
take a close look. Keep an eye out for construction sites where earth layers may be
visible and obtain permission to peek at the dirt that is lower in the ground. Science
museums may have displays that show the layers of the earth.
Visit a store that sells garden supplies to let your child see the tools, gloves,
wheelbarrows, soil bags, seeds, flowers, vegetable bedding plants, and other garden
related items. Pick up catalogs that include gardening pictures for your child to browse.
Go with your child to a farmers market, road side produce stand, or a friend’s farm to
look at all of the vegetables, fruits, and flowers. High schools, colleges, and universities
frequently have green houses where visitors can see plants for sale at a reasonable
price. A field trip to public parks, botanical gardens, or atriums can provide the chance
to examine and enjoy plants. Visiting orchards and berry patches to pick is a
tremendous experience that resembles having your own garden.
If you decide to create a garden with your child, remember that there are many choices.
Plants can be grown in a plot of land, raised beds, pots, vases, terrariums, window
boxes, pie plates, sponges, and even plastic bags. Costs can be minimized by using
pits and seeds from food the family eats, vegetable tops from the pantry, or obtaining
plants and seeds from friends with gardens.
Outside gardens will be more exciting to children if they have a small space of their own
instead of a shared one. A border of rocks, bricks or string on stakes can identify each
child’s space if it is within a larger garden area. Even a large pot sitting in a family
garden space or on a patio can be dedicated to a child. Learning to make decisions and
providing ongoing care will contribute to their work ethic and pride in a job well done.
You may have to provide guidance and encouragement, as well as help a little now and
then but be sure it remains their garden and try not to take all the fun out of it by turning
it into an undesirable chore.
Use resources such as the Poison Hot Line (1-800-222-1222) to obtain lists of
poisonous plants to avoid. Consult your local County Extension Agent for information
about soil contamination and other gardening safety concerns.
If outside gardening is not for your family, try some indoor experiences. Herbs in pots
can be satisfying since they grow fast, produce a fragrance, and can be used in food.
Friends who have an herb garden are likely to thin out plants that can be a start for your
child’s indoor herb garden.
An avocado pit can be grown in a clear plastic cup using tooth picks to keep the top of it
out of the water. Seeds from oranges, grapefruits, lemons and other fruits can be
planted in soil immediately upon removal from the fruit. Cutting the top off of a pineapple
117 Jones Jaggers Hall 1906 College Heights Blvd #11098 Bowling Green, KY 42101-1098
270-745-2216 or 800-621-5908 Fax: 270-745-7089
Email: ccrr.expert@wku.edu
Web: http://www.wku.edu/ccrr-wku/
and putting an inch in a pie plate with a little water. For a longer term project, transplant
it into moist soil when roots develop. A carrot top planted with about one inch of carrot in
a pot of soil will grow leaves that look like a fern. Most of these plantings will result in
house plants but are not likely to produce editable produce.
Terrariums, glass or plastic containers with lids to keep the soil moist for the plants, can
include plants collected from the yard or woods, or existing house plants. Frequently
people add small rocks or wood pieces to decorate the scene. These self contained
gardens require a specific set up to ensure drainage and the right amount of moisture,
so consult a library book or conduct an Internet search for details. An advantage is that
watering is not often required and children can see everything going on, but the
disadvantage is that children like to water plants and not much goes on.
Sponge gardens can be a quick and fun way for children to see seeds sprout. Begin
with a natural sponge and soak it, add seeds to the holes, and hang it where there is
sunshine. Keep the sponge moist. It can be misted or the end can be in a shallow pan
of water. Lettuce seeds, radishes, or beans are options. Seeds can also be sprouted by
placing seeds between two wet napkins and inserting the napkin into a plastic bag. Help
your child check daily progress on the sponge and napkin sprout experiment. Action is
likely to happen fast. Sprouts can be eaten or transplanted into soil for a longer term
project.
Make Memories
Gardening taps into all senses and supports children as they develop intellectually,
socially, emotionally, and physically. Working with soil and plants can facilitate a love of
nature and respect for the environment. The sense of accomplishment as the garden
grows can be a tremendous asset to building children’s self confidence. An increased
number of children are obese and gardening can be good exercise that focuses on
health and safety habits. But even better than all of that, gardening with your child can
be fun for both of you and it will create memories that can be enjoyed forever more.
Adding homemade garden art and accessories is a wonderful way to engage your child
in creative activities, keep them interested in gardening, and build memories. Making a
scarecrow, decorating pots, creating personalized garden stepping stones, or designing
garden sculptures from recycled material are a few examples of making the garden or
yard your very own creation.
Extend the gardening time by encouraging your child to pick flowers and make an
arrangement for indoors. You can both enjoy a centerpiece on the table during meals or
an arrangement at the door so you see it every day as you come and go. Remember
that it is the process, and not the final arrangement that is most important. Examples of
flowers that are great for picking include: Cosmos, Snapdragon, Salvia, Zinnia, Coleus,
and Celosia. If you do not have an outside flower garden your child can look for
Dandelions, Violets, and other wild flowers that can be picked and arranged for a
117 Jones Jaggers Hall 1906 College Heights Blvd #11098 Bowling Green, KY 42101-1098
270-745-2216 or 800-621-5908 Fax: 270-745-7089
Email: ccrr.expert@wku.edu
Web: http://www.wku.edu/ccrr-wku/
display. Picked flowers also make great gifts for friends, teachers, and family members
and help your child learn about sharing and giving.
Taking lots of pictures of the garden related activities will not only document the
progress of plants and garden art, but the accomplishments each of you are making in
your respective garden spaces. Pictures also record the quality time you have together
and can be referred to over the years. A written or oral journal of your garden
experiences can serve as a scientific tracking of plant care and growth, and of you and
your child’s journey. You can write what your child says and your child can illustrate it or
you can add photographs. Alternatively, you can help your child add periodic oral
antidotes about the experience using a video recorder or audio recorder. Most smart
phones have a way to record and web cams are another inexpensive way to video your
child. Some camcorders, like Flip Videos, are available for under $100. Photographs
and video clips can be displayed in your home, shared by email and Facebook, or given
as gifts to family members who will treasure them. The time spent with your child
engaged in gardening activities will be a memorable investment in your relationship for
both of you. So, what are you waiting for?
Resources
Developmentally Appropriate Gardening for Young Children by Vicki Stoecklin
http://www.whitehutchinson.com/children/articles/gardening.shtml
Eartheasy: Solutions for Sustainable Living
http://eartheasy.com/grow_gardening_children.htm
Edible Flowers by Sandra Bastin (1979). Cooperative Extension Service, College of
Agriculture, University of Kentucky
http://www.ca.uky.edu/HES/fcs/factshts/FN-SSB.025.PDF
Making a Terrarium http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/4be/4be15po/4be15po.pdf
National Gardening Association http://www.kidsgardening.org
Outback Patio http://www.outbackpatio.com/infogardenart.html
Poison Hot Line (1-800-222-1222)
Copyright © 2009 WKU Child Care Resource and Referral
Funded in part by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services through the University of Kentucky Research Foundation.
Equal Education and Employment Opportunities.
117 Jones Jaggers Hall 1906 College Heights Blvd #11098 Bowling Green, KY 42101-1098
270-745-2216 or 800-621-5908 Fax: 270-745-7089
Email: ccrr.expert@wku.edu
Web: http://www.wku.edu/ccrr-wku/
117 Jones Jaggers Hall 1906 College Heights Blvd #11098 Bowling Green, KY 42101-1098
270-745-2216 or 800-621-5908 Fax: 270-745-7089
Email: ccrr.expert@wku.edu
Web: http://www.wku.edu/ccrr-wku/