Gardening with Young Kids
See why gardening is so good for under-fives + Vegepod shares 5 top tips for summer plantings.
BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE
Gardening is great on so many levels, and it’s not just a pastime for time-rich retirees and keen beans like Costa Georgiadis!
Instead, gardening is something we can all get into, and if you have an under-five, it’s an especially beneficial thing to do.
The mental and physical upsides of gardening are endless for little people, and to learn more about the benefits (and get some recommendations for kid-friendly crops), we’ve spoken with Melanie Athan, a qualified Horticulturalist at Vegepod.
Melanie explains that the usual benefits of gardening are often magnified for young children, because they’re at a stage where they’re actively exploring, discovering and developing.
Getting busy in an outdoorsy growing area is great for your pre-schoolers’ physical health, and Melanie says, “From a learning aspect, encouraging young children to get their hands stuck into the garden is proven to develop their fine motor skills, encourage play and creativity, and assist in sharing science concepts from an early age.”
Digging, unpotting, watering and picking are all brilliant ways to work the little muscles in your child’s hands and fingers, and things like kid-sized tools, scarecrows, fairy gardens and grass heads make things extra fun.
Gardening also opens the door to learn about the life cycle of plants, different eco systems, and the influence of other living things, like birds, bees and caterpillars.
Melanie explains that, “Getting involved in gardening is a simple gateway to learn respect for the natural environment,” and looking after different plants takes care and responsibility.
Growing your own food also provides opportunities to talk about healthy nutrition with your under-five and familiarise them with ‘suspicious’ foods, like green broccoli or strong-tasting herbs.
Melanie says, “When under-fives grow their own herbs and veggies, they are able to try and harvest new foods they might not have tasted before. They learn that these foods come from the ground, instead of a supermarket. And using this produce at home provides a great opportunity to cook and eat together as a family unit, while saving a little money on groceries.”
With all these benefits at your fingertips (or should we say, thumbs?), it’s good to know that there are a few crops you can easily get started with.
January is a fantastic time for growing food, and whether you have a large garden or a small windowsill, there are lots of tasty, vibrant and interesting edibles you can put in the ground, then on your plate!
Gardening centres make things easy by stocking seed packets, seedlings and more mature plants; and Melanie says the following five edibles are especially good to grow with under-fives:
1. Dwarf tomatoes
Melanie describes tomatoes as, “The hero of the backyard veggie patch,” and says, “Home-grown tommies taste a million times better than supermarket-bought ones!”
She recommends dwarf tomato varieties that grow pretty fast and will only get up to about 60cm high, and says, “Young kids always love harvesting and eating these sweet little fruits.”
2. Basil
Speaking of sweet, Melanie says sweet basil is always a favourite in the summer garden, because it smells incredible and can be used for homemade pizzas and pastas all season long.
She recommends that you, “Pinch the leaves off from the top to encourage new bushy growth, and plant your sweet basil with tomatoes for the perfect Italian flavour combo.”
3. Lettuce
Melanie also recommends growing lettuce with your little one, because, “It’s quick and easy to grow from seed, and is an absolute winner for a regular harvest.”
She says, “The leaves can be easily picked by pre-schoolers for a nightly salad, and bits of lettuce make a fresh and tasty addition to lunch boxes too.”
4. Marigolds
Marigolds might not seem tasty, but Melanie assures us that they are the perfect flower to mix in with your other veggies, because they are edible and also decorative.
She explains that, “Marigolds come in shades of orange, yellow and red, and they’re perfect companions for basil and tomatoes while in the soil, because they act as a natural pest deterrent.”
She says, “Young children enjoy picking the flowers, and edible flower ice cubes are a great way to brighten up summer drinks, made by sprinkling a few marigold petals into an ice tray, topping with water, then freezing until solid.”
5. Radishes
Melanie says, “The joy of pulling up radishes never gets old,” and this colourful, crisp root vegetable is super easy to grow – preferably from seed.
Radishes don’t take long to mature, which means your child can be pulling them sooner; and as long as you choose a variety with a milder flavour, they’ll go down a treat on your kiddo’s summer sandwiches.
All of these goodies can be grown in a garden bed, and if you’re short on space or worried about things like bad weather and hungry caterpillars, a Vegepod is a great alternative.
If you’re not familiar with the Vegepod, then basically, it’s a self-contained and self-watering growing capsule!
It has a mesh canopy to keep damaging rain, wind and critters out, and the Vegepod is a good option if you’re busy with work and parenting, because it’s low maintenance and comes in three sizes to fit in your big backyard or cosy corner.
You can learn more about the Vegepod here, and however you garden, and whatever you grow, we hope you have some very fruitful experiences with your under-five!
