In a medium that is hands-on and does not have to be censored, a garden can nurture the innate curiosity and creativity in your child or the child in you as an adult. It can keep you and your child learning and curious and possibly sow the seeds of a lifelong hobby, interest, or even career.  

A child’s garden doesn’t have to be large; in fact, small is good, so it isn’t overwhelming or intimidating.  As the child’s interests grow, the size of the garden can grow also.  Child-sized garden tools help master the chores in the garden, making them more like fun than work. Spoons”‘borrowed” from the kitchen are good for small hands to use for digging.

Getting started

A small plot of dirt or potting soil, plastic pots, creative containers or even recycles like old boots and a variety of seeds are the basics – nothing elaborate or expensive.  Fast-sprouting, quick-growing plants are best for younger children because they provide almost instant gratification and maintain their interest  Sunflowers, radishes, marigolds, lettuce, gourds, beans, and nasturtiums are good for first-time, eager gardeners and are almost fail-proof. 

Fun ideas

Easy-to-grow tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelons, pumpkins, and zinnias all have both jumbo and pixie sizes.  Children can practice measuring and weighing pumpkins, watermelons and tomatoes during their growth cycles, while the prolific zucchini is especially noted for its length. There are many contests for the biggest specimen of these plants where young gardeners can show off the fruits of their labor.  At the other extreme are the miniatures -patio or bite size tomatoes, “baby” basketball-sized watermelons, and mini pumpkins that just fit a small hand.

Some plants boast nontraditional colors like orange or purple tomatoes and ghostly white or gray pumpkins.  Melons, pumpkins, squash, and cucumbers are excellent for “tattoos” or autographs.  Just gently scratch your name or a design in the fruit when it is small.  As it grows, the “tattoo” or signature will grow and expand with the plant.

The fast-growing sunflower can become a yardstick to compare a child’s height with the sunflower’s growth. When the sunflower head is just taller than the child, mark his or her height on the stem with a bright ribbon.  Watch as the ribbon grows higher and higher as the sunflower eventually towers above the child.  Sunflower heads also make interesting autumn decorations and good bird feeders to invite birds to your yard in the autumn and winter. 

Every child needs a magical, enchanted place to daydream, imagine, and make-believe.  A towering teepee of beans, nasturtiums or any fast-growing, climbing plants provides a perfect child’s retreat.  A simple frame can be made with six bamboo poles or even broom sticks approximately six feet long. 

Plant the base firmly in the soil in the shape of a “C.”  The opening will be the door.  Tie together at the top with rope or old nylon hose.  Plant beans, nasturtiums, morning glories, or other vining plants at the base of each pole.  For an “indoor – outdoor” carpet, plant shade-loving grass seed inside the teepee and you have a shady retreat perfect for picnics, games, tea parties, reading, or even a camouflage fort.

Simple activities from the “good old days” like a garden scavenger hunt, fashioning flower dolls from hollyhock blossoms, crafting miniature boats from pea pods, or making seed collages and pressing flowers encourage creativity while making pleasant memories for the future.

 ” A lifetime is too short to learn all that the garden has to teach.” ~ Suzanne Frutig Bales