Getting Kids Interested In The Garden

My 4 year old is in reception and this half term their topic has been ‘In The Garden.’ Until now, he mainly considered the garden as a place to run around and play which is of course really good for children! But there is also a wealth of opportunities for learning and getting kids interested in the garden.

Yesterday he came home from school with a bean stalk which he had planted in school, and he wanted to transfer it to our garden. He was telling me all about what the bean stalk needs to grow taller – sunlight and water.

There are so many different ideas you could do with children to grow things in the garden:

• Growing Sunflowers
• Growing vegetables – in the past we have grown some pepper and tomatoes in pots in the garden
• You could even get an allotment or consider helping out in a community allotment if you notice your child has a real interest in it!
• If you don’t have much garden space, the easiest one is to start with growing cress seeds in a pot on your window sill

You can look here to learn more about growing seeds with children

There is so much to talk about with them about the different flowers or vegetables which grow – the different colours, shapes, sizes, or tastes of fruit and vegetables that are grown. If you grow vegetables perhaps it will help get them enthusiastic to eat them up too! This is something I would love to do more of with the kids, its lovely to see how proud they are when they make something.

Plants are not the only area to explore in the garden – what about all the wildlife, birds and mini beasts! Even in cities or towns, there will be plenty of life to discover in the garden. My boys are a little bit squeamish about worms, slugs or snails (I think they have got that from me – sorry boys! I should have kept my discomfort to myself and let them experience these things to learn! ) but they are comfortable enough with ladybirds, butterflies or the local cats which some times come into the garden, and very keen on birds.

There are things you could do to encourage more wild life into your garden, so that you can observe them with the children. I remember growing up we had large lavender bushes in the gardens which really attracted so many butterflies, and lavender is great too with its strong smell and colour all adding to the sensory experience for the children in the garden! To attract birds you could think of getting a bird bath and putting out bird food. For some expert advice on encouraging birds, have a look here.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post

In The Playroom

Website | + posts

Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.

• In The Playroom

  https://intheplayroom.co.uk/author/firawla/

  Handprint Campfire Craft
• In The Playroom

  https://intheplayroom.co.uk/author/firawla/

  What Size Shoes Do 1 Year Olds Wear? Guide to Toddler Shoe Sizing
• In The Playroom

  https://intheplayroom.co.uk/author/firawla/

  How to Draw a Cactus for Kids
• In The Playroom

  https://intheplayroom.co.uk/author/firawla/

  Preschool Sports Camp Printable Pack