young children are naturally curious and want to understand everything they experience. The best learning takes place when they are able to take part in activities with a more knowledgeable person – whether a sibling, parent, carer or grandparent. Gardening provides a perfect opportunity for just such a learning experience.
Children enjoy being outdoors and the majority of girls and boys enjoy handling and playing with soil and water. Growing things provides a unique opportunity to bring these interests together.
It also provides an opportunity for children to broaden their experience. Many children are unaware that fruit and vegetables grow, as they are more used to them arriving in bags from the supermarket or local shop or market. Growing them at home can go some way towards addressing this. There is something especially rewarding too about eating something that you have grown yourself.
It isn’t necessary to have a garden in order to grow things. A fairly sunny windowsill, patio or balcony is often sufficient. However, what you decide to grow will depend on the space available. Some plants such as beansprouts and cress can be grown in a small container without the need for any soil. Strawberries and some types of bean can be grown easily in hanging baskets or small containers.
Some plants are well suited to young children who have difficulty waiting for something to happen. Maize, beans and peas will all germinate in a couple of days and if grown inside a transparent container (plastic bag or old soft drinks bottle) it will be possible to see the roots and first leaves appearing after a few days. Exposing the growing parts in this way provides opportunities to talk about what the different parts do and what is taking place. Once big enough, they can be transplanted into pots to grow to maturity.
There is no need either for expensive containers, yoghourt pots, old margarine tubs and soft drink bottles can be provided with drainage holes and filled with soil. In addition to providing free plant pots this also introduces the idea of recycling materials.
Like all living things, plants need looking after and young children will enjoy watering (not too much) and taking care of them. They can be helped to understand the importance of having sunlight, food and protection from pests. Discovering that a snail or caterpillar has eaten your carefully tended plants will be challenging for a young child but is still an important issue to talk about.
Growing both edible plants and flowers can provide a rich source for learning, Different plants have different needs. Some will need staking, some can survive with less water than others and all are vulnerable to pests. Exploring the question of what plants eat can be supported by creating a compost heap if there is space – yet another way of raising awareness of recycling and sustainability.
Through growing plants, young children will also begin to develop an understanding of the seasons. Many plants, including most vegetables, have a growing season and usually require planting in the spring when the air and soil are warming up and have produced their flowers or fruit before the winter. Where there is the opportunity to grow larger plants (shrubs and trees) they will become aware of buds opening, becoming full leaves and then changing colour and falling off before the winter.
Plants require patience. It takes time for them to produce flowers and fruit but eating strawberries or peas that they have grown themselves can help children to understand that some things are worth the wait.
