By Joanne Owens

Joanne Owens is a mentor and educator who specialises in working with young children. She is passionate about fostering open-ended, independent learning, and helping children develop skills that will serve them well throughout their lives. 

Growing your own fruit and vegetables at home is a great activity. Not only does it allow you to get fresh produce straight into your kitchen, but it also teaches us about the effort it takes to grow a single crop, and stops us from taking our food for granted. 

It’s also a simple way to get kids interested in fruit and vegetables. Often children want quick, sugary snacks rather than something that is healthy – but tasting a strawberry picked fresh off the plant may just sway them. It’s also a good chance for them to reap the benefits of being outdoors, as well as improving their motor skills as they learn to handle plants and tools with care.

Give them their own spot in the garden

Kids of all ages love to have a space to make their own, and the same goes for gardening. Whether you can give them a whole raised bed or just simply a few pots, let them organise it how they wish. Ask them about their favourite vegetables and flowers, and see if you can help them grow them – good starting plants are sunflowers, potatoes, strawberries and peas.

There’s no reason that you can’t give a helping hand, but especially for older children, try to allow them to take the lead on keeping this space watered and tidy – you can ask if they need any watering or weeding done, or do gardening jobs in your own space to prompt them.

Personalise your pots

Lots of fruit and vegetables can easily be grown in pots – not only does this remove the risk of them spreading out of control, but it allows you to take them with you if you move home or want to change their position in the garden. It also has the added benefit of allowing kids to personalise their containers. 

Buy a pack of white or terracotta flower pots and let your children’s imaginations run wild with weatherproof paint and marker pens. If you’re feeling adventurous, you could even try to make some cress heads out of old yoghurt pots, eggshells or a pair of tights. Let your kids get creative and bring a touch of personality to your garden – it’s sure to encourage them to get outdoors.

Make it part of a shared routine

Children often love spending quality time with their friends and family, and it can be hard to give them dedicated time just for play as they grow. So, make gardening part of your routine together, whether that’s a daily thing, or once a week. 

Having this time set aside to focus on learning about the garden together will not only keep your crops in good condition, but will make the whole family feel more connected, and become something fun that you all look forward to. It’s not the amount of time that matters, but simply the act of sharing an experience.

By Joanne Owens

Joanne Owens is a mentor and educator who specialises in working with young children. She is passionate about fostering open-ended, independent learning, and helping children develop skills that will serve them well throughout their lives. Joanne works closely with parents, teachers, and other caregivers to create nurturing and supportive learning environments that encourage exploration and discovery. She also has experience in resolving disputes and addressing issues that arise with young children. In addition to her work with children, Joanne is an accomplished writer and is currently collaborating with the Six Degree Media team on academic projects that promote high-quality education for all students. Her ultimate goal is to make a positive impact on the lives of young children and to inspire them to reach their full potential.