Getting kids involved in your gardening efforts can teach them lessons that last a lifetime. Your little one will learn a lot more than merely how to tell if a tomato is ripe on the vine or about the names of flowers. Those lessons aren't the only benefits either. Read on to discover why your little ones should be planting with you instead of sitting inside.
Think Long-Term
The Old Farmer's Almanac states that pruning a dormant plant makes recovery easier, which is essential for the plants that will bloom next year. Lessons like this encourage long-term thinking. When kids can think about long-term results, they start to think about long-term goals.
Learn About Science
Children learn through everyday life as much as they do in school. Gardening gives a great opportunity for children to learn about the life cycle of plants and landscapes. When children learn about the two factors that impact soil erosion, which are how much bare soil is exposed and how long it's exposed, they learn about how soil erosion impact landscapes.
Improve Mood
When children do things they enjoy, they have a positive attitude that spills into every area of their life. Kids will be more positive about things they were previously throwing tantrums about. According to the Society of American Florists, over 70% of people in the United States appreciate flowers. Your children can join this population!
Limit Screen Time
When children are occupied with gardening, they have less time to sit in front of a screen all day. Children's obesity is rising, and more little ones are glued to their phones or tablets. Help encourage healthy habits by getting them outside.
Enjoy More Family Time
Parents that work all day typically have children in school all day. Then, the evenings are packed with homework and making dinner. Gardening together allows the entire family to spend time regularly doing something together. It will automatically be on the schedule, either weekly or daily, regardless of how busy the rest of your life is.
Encourage Healthy Eating
Growing fruits and vegetables together is a wonderful way to promote healthy eating with the entire family. This opens the door to discussing the importance of nutrition with children. Your little ones will love that they are contributing to the family eating healthily by helping grow fruits and vegetables!
Build Self-Confidence
Children develop positive self-esteem over time, as they accomplish things and realize they are good at them. Gardening will show children that they are good at something and encourage them to do more new things. As this cycle continues, your kids will get one boost in their self-esteem after another.
Start a Life-Long Hobby
Children that enjoy gardening are more likely to have it as a hobby when they are older, such as when they are teenagers. Teenagers who have hobbies will always have something to do instead of complaining that they are bored daily. This also helps them find friends that they have something in common.
Teach Responsibility
When children participate in a family gardening project, they have to take responsibility for the plants under their care. Not watering a plant means the plant will die. When children take on this responsibility, it encourages them to be responsible in every area of their life, including school and work. Teaching responsibility at a young age lays the foundation for children to be well-functioning adults.
Help Children Learn to Plan
Gardening involves planning. Children can learn how to plan where to plant each plant. They'll enjoy helping organize a garden according to which plants can be close together. Then, they can help with long-term planning, such as which plants need to be planted yearly. Learning to plan will help children be more organized in their lives.
Children can reap many benefits from gardening with the rest of the family, regardless of age. Start a garden in your family's backyard today!
