Kids can learn a lot from gardening. They can acquire new skills, have fun, and most of all, develop self-reliance. As a grandparent, you can teach them important values such as patience. Yes, it can be a bit challenging to get your grandkids to join, but just try. Kids are naturally curious, and if you know ways on how to get their attention, then that’s an added bonus. Also, you might need to prepare some age-appropriate tasks since you have to assign a few to your grandkids. In this way, there will be no time for them to lose interest.
Outdoor gardening tools and herbs, close-up.
Grandparents can seize this opportunity to teach kids essential skills and values such as:
- Cooperation – especially if they will share tasks with their siblings or cousins.
- Creativity – looking for new ways to grow food or designing a garden with flowers.
- Science – teach the kids the importance and essence of nurturing a plant.
- Self-confidence – when kids see the result of their gardening, they’ll see that what they do has an impact. It promotes their self-esteem, and it lets them know that they can truly contribute.
- Patience – since they’re waiting for the first sprout or first veggie harvest, they’ll become more patient and understanding.
- Responsibility – to ensure that their plants are watered every day.
- Love of Nature – the chance for the kids to learn and appreciate the value of nature.
Gardening is another wonderful way to stop grandkids from being bored. It is a fun activity that seems a handful at first. But if you gently insist and assigned them with a few tasks, they will soon change their minds and become avid little gardeners.
How grandparents can help their grandkids motivated
I know kids nowadays are hard to please. With all the modern technologies such as cell phones, mobile games, and the internet, it’s hard to get their attention. But don’t surrender. Continue to look for ways on how to get their attention. Here’re a few suggestions.
- Encourage kids to dig in. You will have no trouble in convincing younger kids to garden especially if it involves dirt, but it doesn’t mean older kids will be excused.
- You can ask the older children to plan or design the garden plot. Give them bigger responsibilities; they’ll love it.
- You can also use age-appropriate tools. If your grandkids are below eight years old, you can choose lightweight tools that are easy to use and safe.
- Kids love scarecrows, and nothing could get their attention more by asking them to help in creating one.
- You can also get your grandkids to visit other botanical gardens or neighboring gardens for ideas.
There are a lot of activities and tasks you can assign to your grandkids. Depending on their abilities and age, you can assign these three for starters:
- Watering the garden- let them use a water hose or a watering pot so kids can water the plants easier.
- Weeding and planting. Of course, show them how it’s done and explain in simple terms, then ask them to do it.
- Harvesting! Kids will feel the satisfaction of harvesting their food.
These are just some of the activities and tasks a grandparent can assign to their kids. Not only will they have fun, but they’ll also learn the importance of being patient and how much we depend on a healthy environment.
