Did you know that gardening with your children is a great way to spend time with them, and also get exercise? Even if you have a small yard, there are plenty of ways to involve children in garden activities. Working together, you can prepare the soil, pick out plants, and poke seeds in the ground. Children can benefit from taking care of their plants, or even an entire section of the garden!

It’s important to think of the ages of your children before you launch into any gardening project. For children under the age of five, two to three plants are likely to be all they need to care for. Older children can accept responsibility for more plants, but remember, large gardens can invite unwanted weeds. Design your garden for a size that is manageable to everyone in the family. Stress the importance of ownership and responsibility, and have everyone lend a hand if the weeds get out of control.

Many vegetables and herbs are easy to grow and have the added benefit of being edible at the end of the growing season. There are many varieties that are great choices for children gardeners. If you are looking to use perennials or annual plants in the garden, use plants with unique textures or fragrances that attract children.

An important thing to remember is the use of chemicals in the garden, for the safety of both children and pets. Chemicals can be very dangerous if not applied correctly, and if your garden is a high-traffic area, non-chemical options for pests and diseases are a better solution. If chemicals are needed, be sure to read the label carefully. Do not use the chemical unless it is specified for the plant and pest you are spraying. Misuse of chemicals can be fatal so use with extreme caution. Have children and pets stay a great distance from the garden, and do not let them re-enter the garden until the time limit as specified on the chemical label. Also, be sure to keep all chemicals out of children’s reach, and have them clearly identified.

Non-chemical options for pests include hand-picking the pests off the plants. Turn this into a game for the children and have them guess how many insects they can pick off; then count the actual number versus their estimate. If you have aphids on your plants, have a child play “fireman” and squirt them off with the garden hose—water “displacement” is a great solution to aphid populations.

Many retail stores sell gardening tools and gloves designed for children. Look for them while shopping this spring.

The purpose of gardening with your child is mutual enjoyment and a way to spend time together. Do not allow gardening to become a chore; gardening should be a positive learning experience. Try to help your child with garden activities, as opposed to doing the work for them (unless the work can only be performed by an adult). Allow them to make decisions about their plants, even if the results are unfortunate. In addition, studies have shown that children are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables that they grew and are fresh from the garden.

If the garden is full of flowers, teach children how to properly cut flowers and help them with simple arrangements. Sharp scissors or pruning shears work best for snipping off flower blossoms, but be sure to supervise children, or have them hold the shears with you, to prevent injury. Encourage creativity with flower arrangements, and teach children how it’s important for flowers to drink water, just like people. Use canning jars or even old tin cans to hold the arrangements. Children will be so proud to display the flowers in your home!

These kid-friendly plants are easy to grow, add color, fragrance and texture to the garden:

Vegetables
Tomatoes
Peppers
Carrots
Pumpkins
Gourds
Beans

Perennials:
Chocolate flower (Berlandiera lyrata)
Chocolate flower exudes a chocolaty fragrance early in the morning.
Beebalm (Monarda didyma)
Beebalm attracts winged creatures, like bees, butterflies and hummingbirds and also has a fruity smell of a child’s favorite cereal.
Lamb’s Ear (Stacys byzantina)
Lamb’s ear leaves are soft and fuzzy—a favorite “touch and feel” plant for both children and adults.
Pig Squeak (Berginia)
Pig sqeak foliage is thick and somewhat rubbery. The name “Pig Squeak” came from noise the rubbing foliage makes.
Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii)
Catmint may draw neighborhood felines, but don’t pass it up! It is a tough, fragrant plant for the garden. Catmint also attracts bees and butterflies.
Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum tectorum)
These mat-forming plants are unique because of their texture and size. Hen and chicks are easy to transplant from the “chicks.”

Annuals:
Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus)
Did you know that plants can talk? Simply remove a snapdragon flower and pinch behind the flower to make the “lips” open and close!
Pansy (Viola x wittrockiana)
Pansies are one of the first flowers to bloom in early spring. Promote flower development, and to create a project for your children, pick off blooms and dry them. Then use them on notecards to create hand-made gifts!
Celosia (Celosia cristata)
There are two types of celosia—the feather (plume) type and also the brain-like type. Both flowers have vibrant colors and add texture to the garden.
Strawflower (Helichyrsum bracteatum)
Do you know of another flower with dried flowers growing on a stem? This is an excellent cut flower for flower arrangements.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers are easy to grow—look for types that grow very large! Sunflower heads can also be used to feed the birds when the flower fades.
Polka-dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)
A friendly plant in the garden, polka-dot plant adds unusual foliage with it’s pink or green leaves spotted with white dots.

If your child finds a plant that he or she wants to grow, it might be a good idea to check to see if it is toxic by going to Colorado State University’s Poisonous Plant website http://www.vth.colostate.edu/poisonous_plants/

Gardening with children is an easy and fun way to teach children life-long skills. Plus, it’s a way for adults to see things through child’s eyes, notice small details and even “stop and smell the flowers.” Whether your garden is big or small, allow children to be a part of the active garden, plus their little fingers are great for grasping those tough-to-pull weeds!

The authors have received training through Colorado State University Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and is a Master Gardener volunteer for Larimer County.

Gardening and Insect Fact Sheets are available on-line by clicking HERE.

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This page updated:  June 22, 2006