Gardening with a Toddler
Gardening with a toddler can be a rewarding and joyful experience, one that I plan to have with my daughter this year. Not only does it introduce them to the wonders of nature, but it also helps develop their motor skills, patience, and curiosity about the world around them. While it may require extra patience and planning, gardening with your little one can be a special bonding activity the two of you can do together. Here’s my thoughts on how you can make gardening with a toddler both fun and educational. This is my first year of gardening with my daughter as a toddler so I will continue to write about our progress and what works and what doesn’t!
Choose the Right Plants
Toddlers are naturally curious and love to touch, smell, and sometimes taste everything in their environment. Selecting safe, easy-to-grow plants ensures a positive experience. Consider:
- Sunflowers – Fast-growing and visually stimulating.
- Cherry tomatoes – Fun to pick and eat straight from the plant. I have a few seed starts going for fun and unique colored cherry style tomatoes I hope to entice her loving tomatoes even though I don’t care for them.
- Strawberries – Sweet and rewarding for little hands to harvest. I plant everbearing so they are smaller but they have a longer production season.
- Carrots – Great for digging and pulling out of the soil. I’ve got some purple carrot seeds that I hope she will love to pick!
- Herbs like basil and mint – Fragrant and easy to care for. I love mint and have lots of it growing in my garden.
Create a Toddler-Friendly Gardening Space
A dedicated space for your toddler to dig, plant, and explore will make gardening more enjoyable for both of you. Think about:
- Raised beds or small pots for easy access.
- A designated digging area to encourage free exploration. Think sandbox!
- Child-sized tools that have no sharp points to make participation easier and safer.
- A mud pit they can get dirty in.
- Fake vegetables and a basket so they can collect their own crops when the real ones aren’t ready yet.
- A child sized garden bench to teach how to clean veggies and store their very own garden tools.
- Provide a bug catching kit so they can look at things like ladybugs up close.
Keep Tasks Simple and Engaging
Toddlers have short attention spans, so keep gardening tasks simple and interactive. Some activities they will enjoy include:
- Digging holes – Let them use a small shovel or their hands.
- Planting seeds – Demonstrate how to place seeds in the soil.
- Watering plants – A small watering can makes this task fun and manageable.
- Harvesting produce – Picking fruits and vegetables is a great way to see the rewards of their work.
Teach Through Play
Gardening is a great way to begin teaching the importance of where foods come from and what plant varieties are. You can:
- Talk about how plants need sun, water, and soil to grow.
- Observe insects and discuss their roles in the garden.
- Sing songs about gardening or read books related to plants and nature. If you can find a “bath book” about plants that is perfect – waterproof and tear proof!
Be Patient and Embrace the Mess
Gardening with a toddler is not about perfection. They will spill soil, overwater plants, and possibly pull up seedlings—but that’s all part of the learning process! Encourage their curiosity and enjoy the experience together. Just remember to plant enough of your favorites so some plants can survive your kids!
Celebrate Small Successes
Whether it’s a tiny sprout breaking through the soil or the first ripe strawberry, celebrate every milestone with excitement. This helps build their confidence and love for gardening. My daughter loves coming with me to check on the growth of the seeds I’ve started inside every day! She doesn’t understand what they are yet but this is her beginning to learn and get excited about what she sees.
My Final Thoughts
Gardening with a toddler can be an enriching and fulfilling experience that fosters a lifelong love for nature. With the right plants, tools, and attitude, you can create lasting memories while teaching your little one valuable life skills. So grab your gloves, get outside, and start planting together! Feel free to add a comment or send me a message if you have any great ideas I should know about! 