Kids & Company Blog

A Step-By-Step Guide to Starting a Child-Friendly Garden

If you’re looking for more ways to spend time outdoors with your children this spring, why not grab a trowel and some seeds and start a garden together? It’s a hands-on project that’s fun, a little messy, and full of discovery.

Gardening with children offers a wide range of benefits that go far beyond planting. It helps children connect with nature, understand life cycles, and learn responsibility by caring for plants. Along the way, they build patience, develop problem-solving skills, and gain a sense of environmental stewardship. Gardening can also increase nutrition awareness by showing them where their food comes from, all while creating meaningful, hands-on learning moments. Best of all, children are often more excited to eat the fruits and veggies they’ve helped grow themselves! Being involved in the process makes trying (and enjoying) healthy foods fun and rewarding, turning picky eaters into curious tasters.

 

Starting a Child-Friendly Garden: A Step-by-Step Guide 

 1. Pick a theme: (involve the children in planning)

The first step is also the most fun, planning! Let your child be part of the design team. When children feel ownership, they’re more excited to help. Let your child help choose a garden theme based on their interests. A themed garden gives your child something to connect to and gets them involved in the whole process. Here are some ideas!

• Butterfly Garden – Plant milkweed and lavender to attract butterflies to your garden
• Pollinator Garden – Great for bees and budding eco-warriors.
• Rainbow Garden – Choose plants and flowers in every colour of the rainbow!
• Pizza Garden – Tomatoes, basil, onions, arugula and peppers = pizza night from the ground up!
• Book Garden – Plant flowers or veggies from their favourite storybooks.

Encourage your child to draw a map or design of what they imagine their garden will look like!

 

2. Choose your seedlings (easy plants for children to grow)

When it comes to children and seeds, bigger is better. Little hands can easily handle larger seeds like sunflowers, peas, and beans. You'll also want fast growers so they can see progress quickly, nothing motivates like a sprout!

Child-friendly plants include:

• Sunflowers

• Strawberries

• Lettuce

• Basil (perfect for your pizza garden!)

• Marigolds

• Green beans

• Cherry tomatoes

• Radishes

These plants are known for their vibrant colours, quick growth, and success rates, perfect for first-time gardeners.

3. Find the perfect spot 

There are many ways to create a garden, pick which option works best for your home! No matter your home or yard size, there’s a garden setup that will work for you. Some great options include:

• Container Gardens: cups, pots, buckets, baskets 
• Raised Beds: These are a fantastic choice for keeping things organized and easy to maintain. At many of our Kids & Company locations, we use Veradek Outdoor planters! they work beautifully in both small and large spaces.
• In-Ground Gardens

When picking your spot, remember that plants need:

Sun (at least 6 hours a day for most veggies),

Water (a nearby hose or watering can station), and

Soil (loose and nutrient-rich).

As long as your garden spot meets these three criteria, you should be all set!

 

4. Use child-sized tools 

Choose tools and supplies that are safe and long-lasting for your children to use. Look for garden tools made just for children; lightweight, colourful, and easy to grip. A small trowel, watering can, gloves, and a mini rake are all you really need. 

Safety tip: Teach your child to always carry tools with the pointed end down, just like the pros!

 

5. Incorporate fun activities 

Gardening is a process, and sprinkling in creative activities keeps it exciting from seed to harvest. Here are a few favourites:

Paint garden markers: Use popsicle sticks, painted stones, or even old spoons to label each plant with names or fun drawings. Find rock painting and more in our Kidco at Home Spring Activity Guide HERE!

Make a wildlife journal: Encourage your child to draw or write about what they see. For example, point out worms, birds, butterflies, and changes in the plants.

Create a garden playlist: Have your children’s favourite music playing while you dig and water your garden 

Bug hunts & scavenger hunts: Turn weeding and watering days into mini adventures.

These activities don’t just make gardening fun, but they also help reinforce STEAM learning (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math), which we at Kids & Company incorporate in our classrooms. Through observing nature, tracking growth, asking questions, and getting creative, children naturally explore science and math concepts, artistic expression, and problem-solving skills, all while playing outdoors.

 

6. Have them help with watering 

Designate a watering schedule and stick to it together. Let your child take the lead, whether that means pouring from a watering can or pushing the hose button. This task will help foster responsibility and allow your child to feel like they are helping grow their seedlings! Additionally, talk about how different plants have different water needs, and what over- or under-watering might look like. It’s a gentle, real-life lesson in balance and responsibility.

 

7. Celebrate the harvest 

When you see the first little strawberry turning red or a sunflower starting to bloom, celebrate! Take lots of pictures, pick your veggies together, or plan a special meal using your harvest. Nothing beats the pride on a child’s face when they eat something they helped grow, it’s a beautiful reminder of the value of patience, teamwork, and care.

Starting a child-friendly garden is more than just planting seeds, it’s about growing memories, curiosity, and a love for the outdoors. With a bit of planning, the right plants, and plenty of hands-on fun, you and your child can enjoy a beautiful garden that flourishes all summer long. So grab your trowel, roll up your sleeves, and let the gardening adventure begin! 

Posted on: Friday May 2nd, 2025

Posted by: Kids & Company