Gardening with a toddler.. how to and why to do it!
Our toddler absolutely loves being outside and enjoying nature. We encourage this as often as possible. In the early spring we bring nature to our toddler through gardening prep! Of course, there is a great deal of practicing and mess with a 20 month old but it’s an exciting and engaging experience for everyone. If you’re thinking about including your toddler in your gardening excursions this year I highly recommend.
Gardening is a life skill for our toddlers on so many levels. Physical skills such as fine motor skills and gross motor skills. Emotional skills such as patience, pride and understanding. Gardening fosters appreciation for working towards a goal and seeing the fruits of their labor. In addition to all those amazing benefits, you all can add the healthy options of home grown produce. Being outdoors and understanding how big and beautiful the world is helps toddlers feel grounded and limitless!
Time with my toddler is always a priority for me and gardening is a good time together. You can bond together as you practice life skills. As you are spending time gardening with your toddler remember it is never going to be perfect and they are still learning cause and effect!
Gardening provides new and sensory focused, opportunities for toddlers to develop both fine and gross motor movements. They are able to practice these through small movements with planting seeds, moving dirt and placing items where they belong. ,
Our toddlers can quickly see cause and effect with plants! Treating them well they will thrive. Treating them poorly they will not.
2. Seeds for plants that thrive in your climate
3. Carafe of water (or a misting bottle)
3. Pots or planters to transfer once ready
4. A Space with enough sun and shade for the perfect mixture for what your plants need.
5. Gloves (for you and toddler)
What to do:
- Prep your garden starter kit and tray per the instructions.
- Set out appropriate amount of seeds for your toddler to plant in the starter discs.
- Demonstrate how to place seeds in the starter discs and encourage your toddler to do so.
- Once they have the seeds planted demonstrate how to, and encourage your toddler to try, and put the appropriate water in the base of the tray.
- Place the lid on and place in a sunny area.
- Check the water levels, daily, with your toddler.
- Watch the magic happen!
What to do next:
- Plan a place to move and transplant your growing seedlings.
- Once your seedlings are mature enough to plant transfer them from tray to garden space with your toddler.
- Loosen the dirt for your toddler.
- Have your toddlers put on gloves and move the dirt and plant their seedlings.
- Water their new seedlings!
- Watch for their plants to start producing.
- Discuss the life cycle of plants
- Have a plan to use all your produce. Discuss the importance of not wasting.
- Talk about composting (Try it out!)
One Reply to “Gardening with a toddler.. how to and why to do it!”