How to get your Children involved in the Garden
Give them their own area for digging & planting / Quality tools are important / Toy machines are fun!
Most children love to play outdoors, but how do you get your kids into gardening? You might think it comes easy for a professional gardener, but when the weekend arrives, getting out in your own garden is often low on the priority list.
It might be tempting to wait for a glorious sunny day, however quite often the most fun can be had in the mud and rain… my boy loves splashing in puddles and digging is much easier in soft ground!
Give Children Their Own Garden
Building a raised bed, or even just boarding off a small area of the garden especially for your child can really peak their interest throughout the year. As a young boy, I had my own veg patch where I’d grow strawberries which tasted delicious. If you don’t have space for this, just creating a small area for digging and playing in the mud can be a great way to get their hands dirty. If they begin to show an interest, then growing vegetables from seed is a great way to get them started in their horticultural journey.
Proper Gardening Tools for Kids
Gardening tools for children are easy to find in most garden centres and DIY shops. You can also buy tools online from specialists like Gardening for Kids. Plastic rakes, hoes, trowels and forks are easy to find, often branded with Disney or Marvel Superhero graphics. However, tools made for kids are limited in use and don’t seem to last – in our garden they are usually relegated to the sand pit where they have an easier life.
The best digging spade that I’ve found for children, is the Roughneck Square Head Micro Shovel, available at Screwfix, Wickes and Amazon for around £12-15. It is designed for adults so will last forever and it has foot treads on top of the blade for proper digging activities!
Garden Toy Machinery
Most, if not all garden machinery is dangerous, so it’s probably best not to get young children to walk in between you and the lawn mower as you push it around the garden (like my father did with me!).
Most children, especially boys, are fascinated by bright coloured machines that make loud noises. To divert their attention from your dangerous kit, you can purchase ‘pretend’ machinery from Stihl or Husqvarna. The Stihl range includes the MS500i chainsaw which is available at Sam Turners in Yorkshire for around £30-35 and has two noises for tickover or cutting plus a moving rubber chain. For £60-£70 Husqvarna do a backpack leaf blower that shoots out bubbles!
The ultimate kids garden vehicle, if you have room, is a John Deere Gator by Peg Perego. We bought one from Ripon Farm Services and it has lasted well – our neighbour has one that has spent it’s entire life outside and it’s still going strong! I would avoid the cheaper options available on Amazon as we tried one first and although great to start with, it didn’t last. My only tip with the Gator would be to purchase a 2nd battery.
Summary
A fun selection of tools and machines could be the secret to success when it comes to getting children to spend more time in the garden. However, simply explaining what you’re doing and engaging children with the task at hand can be a great way to peak their interest – even if they just run off and jump in the nearest puddle!
Services by Spruce Gardens include: