Winter is finally starting to melt away, and we can feel the warmth of the sun in our pink cheeks. Springtime is a season of renewal, and with the cold weather and snow melting away, everything is brand new. Children’s gardens are a beautiful touch to any yard or patio, and they can be done simply or extravagantly.
A children’s garden not only teaches children about how to grow a living thing, but it also teaches responsibility and tenderness to plants, creatures, and each other. Daily Mom is here to show you why creating an enchanting children’s garden is the perfect springtime activity for you and your family this season!
Read More: Everything You Need To Know About Edible Gardens
A Children’s Garden Teaches Tenderness And Patience
Beyond the tilling and digging, gardening requires someone who is strong enough to use a shovel, but gentle enough to coax a wilting plant to hang in there. Teaching children tenderness and how to be gentle with young or delicate plants is an excellent exercise for their fine motor skills as well as their interpersonal and social development.
Growing a garden also teaches patience to children. While it may be a fun idea to grow your own strawberries, it can take two to three seasons to get a good fruit off of your plant if you live in certain zones. While you are waiting for your delicious, home-grown strawberries, you will have to care for the plant by watering it, minimizing threatening exposure, and removing the flowers so the plant can focus on growth.
Read More: Seasonal Guide To Planting Your Vegetable Garden
For the beginner gardener, succulents are excellent plants that will help you start your gardening journey. They don’t require a strict watering schedule, a certain amount of soil, and aren’t terribly sensitive to their sunlight. In fact, you can grow beautiful succulents inside. Here is a great resource if you decide to start your gardening journey with indoor succulents.
Children’s Gardens Inspire Creativity
In order to have a family or children’s garden, someone has decisions to make. When that certain someone is making their decision, they must decide the following:
- Where will it receive the best sunlight? (Consider morning/evening light, Daylight Savings Time, etc)
- What are we going to plant? (Plants may be seasonal according to your zone! Check your dates!)
- How big is our garden? Will it be raised beds or in the ground?
- What shape will it be?
- What/Who can access our garden? (think critters)
This is a fun way to start mapping out your garden. Check out this great resource for planning out your children’s garden. Your children will get to help measure the location, check the calendar for planting dates, and if you are building raised beds, this is a great math tool for learning!
Read More: The Best Flowers For Spring Gardens
A Children’s Garden Is A Safe Haven
Children need a space where they are represented and comforted. What better space could there be than their own garden? Once all of the planning has taken place and the seeds are in the soil, children can find special things they love to decorate their garden area and make it truly theirs. Entering a garden they had a hand in creating and work to sustain each week gives children a sense of ownership and pride. It can become a place that is their safe haven, something that is truly theirs and exists because of their creativity and desire to make beautiful things in their world.
Here are some fun DIY ways to help personalize your children’s garden:
- Personalized garden stones
- DIY Garden Signs
- DIY Garden Trellis
- DIY Miniature Fairy House For The Garden
Working with your child as they learn the value of patience, planning, and care is an opportunity to receive a precious gift that comes only once in our lifetime. As you sit and watch your children’s imagination come to life while they plan their children’s garden, you get to experience first-hand the magic of childhood participating in real creation. This is the most enchanting way to spend a lovely spring season!
WANT TO READ MORE?
Check out this article on How To: Build A Raised Bed Vegetable Garden.
