Gardening with Children

Teaching your child with plants

By Priscila 

Winter was slipping away, and I wanted to teach my child about what happens in spring, so I gave her a little lily to look after. My daughter was quite keen to have a plant, but before getting it, I explained the responsibility that will come with it. She agreed to take it.

We are new to gardening, so we researched what lilies like and how often they need to be watered. Then, with all that information, we wrote about how we can look after it. It has been more than a month since we got the lily and fortunately is still alive and growing!

Even though my kid is only three, she is responsible enough to move her lily to the sunlight and then at night to its bed. When she comes back from nursery she talks to it and sings to it. When she sees that the plant needs water, she waters it and sometimes she has funny conversations with her lily.

If you are a parent looking for activities for your kids, keep in mind this option. You can teach them not only to look after a living thing, but also to have respect for nature and be patient with every process. You cannot just jump steps to make your plant flourish. As it is with most good things in life, it takes effort and commitment.