Fun Gardening Activities for Kids: Inspire Young Green Thumbs

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In today's fast-paced digital world, finding opportunities for kids to connect with nature is more important than ever!

Gardening is a great way for kids to learn about their natural environment and where their food comes from. From upcycling old yoghurt pots to making sunflower people, here are some fun hands-on gardening activities that will spark your mini human's creativity and curiosity.

Photo by Filip Urban on Unsplash

Best Family Gardening Activities

Upcycled Herb Gardens

Transforming old plastic containers, or yoghurt pots, into herb gardens is an easy and fun way to introduce the kids to gardening. Not only does it teach them about growing plants, but is also a great sensory activity to keep them interested. Let your kids choose their favourite herbs to plant, such as basil, mint, or parsley. Choose to start from scratch with herb seeds or buy herb plants, easy to find in your local supermarket. Plus, you only need three things to get started: 

- Old plastic containers 
- Herb seeds or plants
- Potting soil

Instructions: 

• Fill your containers with potting soil, leaving some space at the top for planting your herbs.

2. Plant Your Herbs:

• Choose the herbs you want to grow!
• If you're using herb plants, gently remove them from their nursery pots and plant them in your containers.
• If you're starting with seeds, carefully follow the instructions on the seed packets.

3. Arrange Your Herb Garden:

• Pop your containers in a location that receives a decent amount of sunlight for your herbs to thrive. 

Photo by Sandie Clarke on Unsplash

4. Caring for Your Herbs:

• Remind the kids to water the herbs regularly, making sure not to overwater or underwater them. 

6. Enjoy Your Upcycled Herb Garden:

• Once your herbs start growing, enjoy using them in your culinary creations! 

Sunflower Pot People

Let the kids get creative with sunflower pot people! In just a few steps, the kids will be able to make their quirky characters. 

Materials Needed:

Terra cotta pots, Acrylic paints, Paintbrushes, Potting soil, Sunflower seeds, Optional: small accessories for embellishments (e.g., buttons, beads, ribbon)

Instructions:

1. Prepare Your Pot:

• Clean your pot thoroughly and let it dry completely.

• This will be the 'body' of the sunflower people.

2. Paint the Pot:

• Get the kids to draw their ideas on paper first before moving on to the pot!

• Paint the 'body' of the sunflower person by using acrylic paint. 

• Put them in a suit or dress them to the 9's. 

• Let the paint dry completely.

3. Plant Sunflower Seeds:

• Fill the pot with potting soil.

• Plant sunflower seeds in the soil, carefully following the instructions on the seed packet.

• Water the soil lightly.

4. Display Your Sunflower Pot Person:

• Once the paint is dry and your seeds are planted, find a sunny spot in your garden to display the kids sunflower pot people.

• Make sure to water the sunflower seeds regularly and watch as your sunflower person grows (maybe taller than the kids!)

Little Helpers in the Garden

Involving kids in "big-person" gardening tasks fosters a sense of responsibility and accomplishment. Whether it's sowing seeds, watering plants, or harvesting vegetables, let them participate in every stage of the gardening process (always supervised - of course!). Watch their excitement as they watch sunflowers grow taller or get to use their herbs in their dinner.

Gardening offers endless opportunities for children to learn, explore, and connect with the natural world. These hands-on activities not only teach valuable gardening skills but also nurture creative and curiosity for little minds. So grab your shovels, seeds, and watering cans, and get started on a gardening adventure with your mini humans today.

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