Grow a Garden with your Kids and Nurture More than Just Produce

Aside from that fact that growing your own vegetables can be eco-chic as well as a cost saver when done right, it's a tasty and valuable way to instill in your kids some old-school values like hard work where you literally reap what you sow. 

And I've found it to also be a great way to get my kids to try often overlooked produce.

Teaching my kids about growing our own food has been more than educational and rewarding - it's been fun.  Sharing my garden hobby with them has brought about a much anticipated annual tradition and an awesome, relaxing way to bond. 

It's a great thrill to watch my kids eat off the vine or try a new vegetable -- just because they grew it.  Sweet peas that would otherwise get overlooked become a raw treat.  Tomatoes which seem to be hit or miss in most meals take on a whole new flavor when plucked right off the plant after sitting in the sun all day (in fact, few ever make it to the table).  Zucchini meets much more enthusiasm after the kids have watched them grow for weeks -- though mine quickly decided they didn't like it.  Nonetheless, they were willing to try it!

Although I sometimes get a tad particular in what I allow the kids to help with -- short attention spans often mean squashed strawberries, and I really do need to know where those corn kernels were planted -- there is no shortage of tasks they can tackle in the garden.

The very process of getting a garden plot ready is a big job and can quickly become a project of art or science -- heck, toss in a little math, even.  Small kids are great at helping with removing rocks or raking flat a dirt pile. Projects to create plant markers are a big hit; you can repurpose those large rocks that don't seem to be carrying their weight -- just clean and paint them.

If your kids don't seem to be doing anything task-oriented, don't negate the value of this experience.  The very nature of their digging in the dirt is teaching them about textures and giving them a sensory experience.  Time spent outdoors creating a love for the garden will one day shape itself into a more organized hobby.

This time of year is especially great.  The rainy days can be helpful in ensuring new plants are watered (read: they won't die), and the ground is especially pliable for small hands.  Kids will learn about the process of growing a plant from seed, or seedling, and be able to cultivate it into a mid-day snack or dinner salad.

When the plants start to flourish in the upcoming weeks and months, getting your kids in the garden and narrating the growth process will further spark their interest.  Be careful that you don't have little hands looking for an early harvest.  They will quickly find that green strawberries are hard and green tomatoes just don't taste as good.

Of course, all plants should be considered for their nutrition and any harmful, or potential choking hazards should be an extra point of concern with your youngest helpers.  Our holly bush, bright with red berries, is far away from the edible garden and our children are aware of its risks.  They are equally aware that the yard mushrooms are not the same as store-bought ones.  If in doubt, only plant items that are highly recognizable or easily contained.  You will not find me planting edible mushrooms.

I love that my kids ask about checking the strawberries or point out the buds of the tomato plants.  I love that they are conscientious of the need to water the plants in the summer (with supervision) and recognize when a plant looks a little "sad."  I love their eagerness and interest in sticking seeds in a pot of dirt, just to see what might come up, and yes, they do eat their cilantro.  Digging in the dirt for potatoes and carrots is also a fun and friendly kid job.

You'll be surprised at their curiosity and interest and proud when they suggest you pick something from the yard to eat with dinner.  It's a true test of patience and perseverance that brings about a tasty reward.