Kids in the Garden

Kids in the garden gain analytical skills,
will build environmental stewardship
and may find a life-long hobby!

As a parent, I have always encouraged my kids to spend time in the garden with me. It's how I grew up too. I'll never forget the taste of a warm, ripe berry directly from grandma's garden. Brushing the dirt from a just pulled carrot, or the wonder of pulling up new potatoes was amazing.

I am grateful too that my grandparents taught me to harvest and preserve garden goods too. It's something I have even begin teaching my own children. My son LOVES to make his yearly specialty - Pepper jelly! He even won an award at the local fair for his jelly.

"When I go into the garden with a spade, and dig a bed, I feel such an exhilaration and health that I discover that I have been defrauding myself all this time in letting others do for me what I should have done with my own hands." 

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Beyond the simple pleasure derived from kids in the garden, there are many benefits from having kids in the garden. Gardening provides a positive bonding experiences, increases their respect and love of nature and perhaps creates a lifelong love. Kids in the garden get the following benefits too:

• They build positive social and interpersonal skills 
• Get a better understanding of healthy eating and nutrition 
• Better understand the farm to fork concept 
• Create environmental stewardship attitudes 

I love the time they are with me, but I have also read that gardening could improve the reasoning and analytical skills of my kids. Will there be enough light? How much space will each plant need? What grows well together? How much water will be needed? And so much more!

A couple years ago, my children surprised me with planting part of the garden. I didn't think their garden would thrive but they grew amazing veggies for me. My son has even decided to take on the gardening merit badge in Boy Scouts!

So what will YOU plant this year? Will you get your kids in the garden?