The future of our society relies on the kids of today. At an early age, it’s essential to teach them the significance of sustainable living through gardening. When it’s difficult to grab their interest in gardening, you can create fun activities to spark their curious minds.
Getting out in the garden is a great way to bond with your kids. Apart from being physically active, gardening teaches kids about sharing, organising, creativity and responsibility. Beyond that, it helps them connect with nature and local wildlife.
As many children are into gadgets, letting your kids play a part in your garden provides a place for them to think, relax and recharge. No matter how big or small your garden is, there are plenty of activities that they can learn while enjoying.
At holidays and weekdays, you can grab your shovel and trowel with your kids. On that, here are the fun garden activities for kids of all ages.
Make a Worm Composting Bin
As early as it is, teach your kids on the importance of composting. If you don’t have ample space in your garden, you can do composting using worm bins. The generated compost from this activity is useful for supplying your plants with the nutrients they need.
Fill half of your container with newspaper strips and moisten it. Opt for red wiggler worms for your bin as earthworms from your outdoors don’t like to live inside the containers. Add food scraps into it, but never include dairy products, oil and meat.
Let kids participate in checking the bin regularly. Ensure that the container is not overly wet and not dry while placing an extra newspaper for bedding. As the castings build up after several months, only scoop the organic material and add it to the soil around your plants.
Planting a Family Tree
It’s beyond amazing to plant trees with kids. Let the kids participate in taking care of and watering the trees in your garden. Such activity will create memories and deep connections between trees and kids as time goes by.
DIY Hydroponics
Kids usually see plants growing on your flower beds and garden. But the non-traditional way of planting like hydroponics can capture kid’s attention and make them excited about gardening. As prefabricated hydroponic units are pricey, you can opt to do-it-your own activity that is ideal for creating active participation for the kids.
Cut the one-fourth top part of a soda bottle and invert the top of the bottle into the bottom. After that, place 2-3 seeds of lettuce in a small square of cotton balls or rockwool diluted with hydroponics solution. Once the lettuce seeds start to germinate, transfer it to your bottle filled with nutrient solution.
Wrap the plastic with aluminium foil or any dark plastic to discourage algae growth. Let your kids help you change the solution every two weeks or so. With such activity, kids will enjoy gardening more than ever.
Creating a Butterfly Garden
Butterflies always amaze everyone with its beauty, especially kids. Encourage children to create a garden consisting of a colourful array of nectar-producing plants. With the right planting materials, your garden will attract butterflies and offer plants to feed the caterpillar stage of their life cycle.
The best way to attract butterflies in your area is by selecting native plants. Also, make sure you planted flowers consisting of colours such as purple, red and yellow that inevitably draws in more butterflies. With this fun activity, it’s an opportunity to teach children about the life cycle of butterflies and understand each stage of growth in great detail.
Build Homemade Bird Feeders
Another fun and exciting activity you can do with kids is feeding the chirping creatures in your garden. Winter is the toughest period of the year for wild birds, so it’s the best time to create a bird feeder. Providing food for birds is an excellent activity for your kids in helping your local wildlife.
Kids need adult supervision upon creating a bird feeder. First, melt the lard in the saucepan and add the bird seeds. Next, punch a hole in a yoghurt cup, place a long thread in the middle and then put the mixed ingredients in it.
After putting it in the freezer overnight, the mixture is already set. You can cut away the pot and get ready to tie your bird feeder outdoors. On that, more birds will visit your garden providing a view that kids would enjoy.
Paint Stones for Decoration
Painting stones for your garden is possible for kids of all ages. Any kiddie paint will work fine in this activity. Try creating character figures in stones or applying colours in rocks. As you place the artworks of your kids to decorate the garden, it will make them proud and happy, which encourages them to enjoy and visit the area more often.
Make Your Vegetable Garden
One of the best adventures you want the kids to try is to grow food and vegetables in your garden. With this activity, children will love vegetables more as they understand the difficulty of cultivating it themselves. As children get involved in making a vegetable garden, they will feel the joy of reaping the real rewards of their effort.
Burying Time Capsule in Your Garden
There are many fun activities that kids can enjoy in your garden, but burying a time capsule is the most unique. Let your kids find special toys and objects they want to open in the next decades to come. Creating the time capsule is very special as it will let your kids reminisce good childhood memories once they get older.
Conclusion
Gardening can help kids develop lifelong values. Aside from the idea that gardening is fun, they must learn different things at the same time. Beyond learning and values, it guides kids to preserve and conserve the environment for a brighter future.
At Trees Down Under, we can help you setup and maintain your garden space that your kids will enjoy. Our expert team also offers tree removal and tree pruning services to keep your garden safe for your kids and family. After all the fun activities, we can collect and dispose of your green wastes to keep your outdoors spotless.
Call us today at 0475 463 597 for a free estimate. Trees Down Under provides garden maintenance to make your dream garden perfectly vibrant and safe. We are the perfect answer to all your garden needs.
