Gardening for Kids - A Fun Summer Activity!

Here is a summer activity for your kids that can last the entire summer.  Helping the kids grow their own garden is fun and they will be able to reap the benefits before school starts again by harvesting their own vegetables. And it's something you can do together throughout the season!

Growing radish plants (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This activity will require some pre-planning and most likely should be started before school is out, but you can still start now if you buy plants that are already sprouted.  It is fun, however, for kids to to germinate the seeds indoors themselves if there is time.

Beans, radishes, and carrots are all easy and fairly quick vegetables to grow.  Strawberries are a popular alternative to vegetables and are also considered an easy plant to take care of, although they may take a year or so from planting to bear fruit.  Have the children make home-made row markers for their vegetable garden using paper and Popsicle sticks.  You can have the pictures laminated or do-it-yourself with some clear packing tape to protect them from rain.

Make the garden the child’s responsibility. If there is already a garden plot in your yard give them a section to call their own.  Most children can be in charge of their own weeding and watering.  This is another good activity that fosters independence and will give the children a sense of accomplishment come the end of the summer – eating vegetables that they grew themselves in their own backyard.

If fruit and vegetables do not interest your child, try a different kind of plant.  Growing sunflowers is very rewarding.  They can grow up to 8-12 feet tall and the seeds are edible.  Or, go to the garden center together and let them pick out a small plant or seeds that they want to take care of for the summer or maybe for longer if they pick a perennial plant.