Gardening is a great hands-on activity to do with preschoolers during the warmer weather. Who doesn't like getting their hands a little dirty and ultimately being rewarded with fresh fruit and vegetables?
No matter if it's a small container garden by the playground or a plot in the schoolyard, gardening is a wonderful way to keep kids engaged while teaching responsibility and fundamental biology skills.
To make the most of the experience and to help ensure success, consider these smart tips for gardening with preschoolers:
Tip 1: Select easy-to-grow plants
Some tried-and-true favorites for kids are cherry tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, beans, herbs and carrots. These plants tend to be easier to grow, which will enhance the preschoolers' excitement. Just make sure to research the right crops for your regional climate so each thrives as expected.
Tip 2: Decide between seeds or starter plants
Depending on location and growth season, you'll want to choose between seeds or starter plants. Planting seeds can be fun for kids, whether that be directly in the garden or in containers that can be transferred. If you're a little late in the suggested planting schedule or just want a jump start so you can enjoy produce more quickly, opt for starter plants. These small established plants are garden-ready and available at most nurseries. The educational drawback to starter plants is kids don't get to experience the full plant life cycle.
Tip 3: Get organized
The best way to streamline the planting process when it involves rambunctious preschoolers is to get organized before the fun begins. Set up stations kids can rotate through to experience the entire platning process. For example, one section might include potting soil, the next sorting and planting the seeds, and finally adding a plant marker and watering.
Tip 4: Don't worry about looks
Kids don't necessarily care about perfectly straight rows of plants. You can help kids keep a tidy garden, but ultimately it won't look like the images in a professional gardening magazine. What's more, don't worry if kids get a little messy. They love to use their hands, so dirty nails will result. Soap and water are always there afterward! You might even set up a final station with a bin filled with soapy warm water for little ones to wash hands in.
Tip 5: Provide TLC and journal observations
Preschoolers can learn a lot about responsibility by regularly tending to a garden. Make a daily trip with your crew to tend to the plants. While there, talk about your observations. What is different? Has anything grown? By how much? Are there any bugs, worms or butterflies? Then, when you head back to the classroom, have kids color a picture of their observations in a garden journal.
Tip 6: Learn about foods, harvest and enjoy!
As plants begin to make produce, it can be a great opportunity to talk about food and nutrition. Chat about when a vegetable is ready to be picked, what vitamins it has and how your body uses it to make energy. When it's time to harvest, let kids help pluck and wash the produce. Then at snack time, cut up your bounty and enjoy together. You'll be surprised how eager kids are to try fresh foods when they've been involved in the growing process.
Gardening is a great hands-on activity to do with preschoolers during the warmer weather. Who doesn't like getting their hands a little dirty and ultimately being rewarded with fresh fruit and vegetables?