Spring has finally sprung in Michigan! After months of cold, gray, wet weather, we’re suddenly enjoying sunshine, flowering trees, and green grass. It seems like an absolute miracle every year when the trees reawaken and life literally bursts forth overnight.
As we walked through our neighborhood last weekend, my daughter and I noticed lots of people digging in their gardens, working on their landscaping, or planting flowers in pots. Unfortunately, these activities were all being done by adults. For the most part, parents weren’t involving their kids in the process of planting.
One of my favorite parts of spring is helping my kids appreciate the beautiful world God has created, and spring planting and gardening is a great way for that to happen. Kids are naturally curious about the world, and digging in the dirt is always fun! Consider one of these projects to get your kids excited about the changing seasons and the beautiful gifts God has given us.
- Plant an herb garden – When we moved out of our home last year, we couldn’t take our herbs with us, so I had my girls help me plant a new, portable herb garden. In a very large pot, we planted basil, parsley, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. My 12-year old soon became familiar with the look and smell of each herb and was interested in learning how to use them. This type of ownership helps kids be more adventurous eaters and enthusiastic cooks.
- Plant a fairy garden – We visited a plant nursery a few days ago, and my kids were thrilled to see a wide selection of plants and accessories for their fairy gardens. Fairy gardens are the perfect introduction to gardening, especially for very young children, because they combine live plants with little houses and furniture that kids can arrange and rearrange.
- Plant a succulent arrangement – Kids love succulents because they have such a different look and feel from traditional flowers and plants. Our local grocery store has a good selection of succulents, and my kids almost always want to stop and look at them. Allow your child to choose a few different succulents to plant in a unique container. You can have fun adding moss, rocks, and sand around the plants for a beautiful finished look.
- Visit a nursery – If you’re not quite ready to actually plant something, take your kids on a field trip to a local nursery. Have them each identify their favorite flower, see if they can find a plant that prefers shade, and look through the vegetable plants. Ask one of the workers to tell them some fun facts about plants. Seeing so many beautiful flowers and plants in one place stirs our desire to create beauty.
Spring is the perfect time to enjoy things like baseball, ice cream, and kite flying! But don’t forget the value and beauty of introducing your kids to gardening during this season. Simple planting projects done now can help foster a lifelong love of nature.
Blessings,
April Huard
