Gardening for Kids

Photograph of girl gardeningDid you know that you can grow celery, radishes and even pineapple in your own kitchen? As we wrap up spring and dive into summer, you might be looking for fun and educational activities to keep those young minds engaged. As the old adage goes “Make hay while the sun shines!” Or, in our case, make celery!

Worried about your green thumb? Don’t be. Gardening can be as simple as planting the tops or bottoms of plants in a small container and watching the magic happen. Gardening is a great way for children and adults to come together and learn something new. Here are some simple ways you can get the plants rolling.

  • Grow celery
    Place the bottom of a bunch of celery in a small dish with about an inch of water. Within a few days you should see some sprouts! Full instructions here.
  • Grow radishes, carrots, turnips, beets or pineapples
    Cut off the top of the fruit or vegetable, and leave about two inches of the fruit. Remove the leaves. Place in a container of soil, fruit side down. Once the plant has taken root, transfer to a larger pot. Full instructions here.
  • Turn an egg shell into a planting container
    Save half an egg shell, and poke a hole in the bottom with a needle. Cover the needle hole with a coffee filter, and fill the egg shell ¾ of the way full with soil. Then plant oat or wheat grass seeds in the soil. Spray with water to keep moist. For egg-stra fun, draw a face on your egg with marker, and the grass will look like hair! Full instructions here.

Find these titles at your local branch for more information about starting your own garden:

The Book of Gardening Projects for Kids” by Whitney Cohen

Grow Your Own Pizza! Gardening Plans and Recipes for Kids” by Constance Hardesty

Indoor Gardens: A Kid’s Guide to Gardening” by Alex Kuskowski

Happy planting!

Photo credit: Helping Dad via photopin (license)