If you are a gardener yourself and wish to teach your child about gardening, then allowing your child to watch you do what you love is an excellent starting point. If your child sees the happiness that gardening brings and you can make it fun, then this will peak interest and will drum up enjoyment and a desire to learn in him or her.
It is also helpful if you let your child play a role in the gardening process. Consider your child’s age level, and then let him help where applicable. This shows your child the work and responsibility that goes into gardening but, he also will be able to witness the rewards reaped from it, whether it be beautiful flowers or tasty vegetables. This will cultivate good feelings about gardening and a sense of achievement in your child.
Teaching your child about gardening helps her to understand the cycle of nature and the importance of it to life. Do not just let your child help you in the garden but allow her to do some gardening on her own. Find a small area where your child can grow a plant of her choice. This is a form of interactive learning where your child not only can be the one to plant the seeds but can also put in the time, effort and work that is required to nurture and grow the plant. This is a learning experience that can prove to be very meaningful.
Allow your child an opportunity to be a part of the experience of growing. You might want to introduce your child to a selection of different flowers or vegetables and then help him to decide what he wishes to grow. Explain the growing process to your child and emphasize the fact that just as people require certain things to grow strong and healthy, so do plants. Tell your child that plants need to be watered on a regular basis and they also require sunlight.
Let your child touch and smell the various plants in your garden in order to become familiar with each one of them. This is the only way your child can figure out what plants are most appealing to her. Most importantly, be as encouraging and supportive as you can be to your gardening protégé!
