There is something so lovely about watching your children grow their own produce, give it a go and then help them cook something wonderful!
I’ve written a few times on the blog about getting kids involved in growing their own fruit and veg – or even plants. It’s a brilliant way to explain the science behind growing, but it’s also a really good way to get kids off the screens and into the garden, without too much input from you.
Here are a few tips:
- Get something exciting for them to grow!
Would you want to get up off your comfy butt and put down the ipad mid way through your favourite youtube tutorial for a bit of water cress? No, neither would I and neither would your kids. Go for something exciting like these wonderful edible flowers or super cool, wacky veggies from In the Koop.
- Get messy and gross.
Do you remember mud pies? I remember mud pies. So SO much fun. Is there anything better than getting all that squishy, yucky soil underneath your finger nails, secure in the knowledge that your parents are totally not going to be able to remove it for the better part of the holidays? No there isn’t, so get kids involved in the planting of the flowers or fruit/veg. Get them mixing their own soil, talk about compost and maybe (if you are brave) get them a little bin and make a compost heap.
- Let your kids have gardener’s kit, they will look and feel the part.
You can find some truly wonderful garden kits nowadays, and they contain everything from mini spades and forks, a pad to kneel on, a basket and even in some cases a gardener’s book or flask. The sky is the limit, but I love this one especially.
- Plan what you are going to do with the fruit or veg, let them select recipes and buy the ingredients.
It makes it so much more exciting, so much more fun, if you have something that you have grown all cooked up and ready on the dining room table. Don’t you remember the sense of pride in telling your parents that the art work you have made is here or the food you cooked in food tech classes has been brought home for sampling? Well this is exactly the same thing. Plant your products, nurture them and then when they are getting nearly ready to use, start making a plan – maybe even a scrapbook.
I hope these tips inspire you to get out and plant somethings in your garden with the kids, if not, then I hope you shove the kids into the garden to plant themselves… and cook you dinner one night!
Harriet x
