KIDS AND SEEDS
One of the easiest activities to involve your children in is planting seeds. Children inherently love to get messy, have exploratory minds and enjoy discovering new things.
Gardening encourages creativity, fine motor skills, understanding basic biology and ecology, and more. The beauty in gardening is that there is no “right or wrong” per se. Planting seeds is about trial and error (unless you are a google ninja and must know exactly how things must go before you start).
You also don’t have to spend a whole lot of money on fancy gardening tools to start and maintain a garden with your children. Toilet paper rolls, empty cereal boxes, milk containers and other cardboard items make excellent and sustainable starter seed containers. Children can do this chore, almost independently, over the course of a few days/weeks. So start saving them up!
After you’ve collected your recyclable materials, it’s time to plant. Here are some basic steps:
gather seeds that you want to plant. you can either purchase seed packets at your local farmer’s market or grocer. alternatively, you can save seeds from what you eat…or do both options.
make sure you have the appropriate containers, soil/compost, water, gardening tools, planting area with ample sun and shade.
plant seeds according to instructions on seed packet. If you are planting directly from the fruit or vegetable, research how to plant it and follow instructions carefully. Some fresh-from-the-source seeds grow better after cleaning and drying out first, others, you can throw right into the dirt.
label your plants and document progress (for example: jot notes in a small journal, bullet notes on a chalk board, take polaroid or digital photos, etc.) documentation will allow you to tweak things next time for optimum results.
after you’ve cared for your garden for weeks/months, enjoy the “fruits of your labor”! this is a perfect time not only to harvest, but to share with friends and family, try new recipes or enjoy your fruits, veggies and herbs in any way you wish.
Enjoy your gardening journey and make sure to let us know how you’re doing by visiting s2e facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/speak2earth/ and posting a pic or sharing your experience. Peace, love and gardening!