Usher in Spring with gardening activities for kids

Spring has officially sprung, and the plants are in full bloom! With the newfound sunshine after the rain this year, your kids are probably yearning to get their hands dirty in the garden. Nurturing your child’s green thumb is easier than ever with the wide array of 100+ gardening activities for kids in the Education.com Learning Library. Below are some of our favorite ways to get kids gardening!

Plant pets

You’ve heard about pet rocks, but what about a pet plant? To create their pet’s head, simply fill a pair of pantyhose with soil and grass seeds. Then, decorate with googly eyes, a nose, and a smile. Watch the grass grow and bring their pet to life! Your child will love playing “barber” as the green hair sprouts.

Kokedama

‘Kokedama’ is the Japanese word for a ball of soil, covered with moss, that you can use to grow a plant! For this activity, you can easily use any plant purchased from a nursery or grocery store. Kids can improve their tactile skills by rolling the wet moss and soil into a ball, making sure it covers their plant’s roots. Wrapping twine around the ball will hold it together, and can double as a unique hanging decoration in your home!

Egg carton garden

This Earth Day, don’t throw away your egg cartons! Instead, repurpose them into planters for a mini garden. Simply fill each section with soil, add vegetable or flower seeds, place on a windowsill, and watch the magic happen! Your kids will be eager to check on their creations daily as the plants sprout and bloom! Plus, since the cartons are biodegradable, you can transfer them directly to soil – the carton will disintegrate and the plants will keep growing.

Bee garden

Buzz… save the bees! Teach kids that bees play an important part in our ecosystem by creating a safe haven for bees in your backyard. You can do this by planting bee-friendly flowers that give them access to pollen – these instructions break down which flowers are best to plant in each season. You can also help the bees by limiting use of pesticides and using only organic fertilizers. Finally, explain to your child that because bees sip water and use rocks as “landing pads,” you can help create a safe watering pond for them in your backyard as well. Bees are our friends as they pollinate to grow food for humans and animals!

Grow an avocado

Turn your avocado pits into plants! Your child can grow and mature alongside their avocado plant, watching as their plant sprouts and grows into a full tree. Check out this activity page for instructions on how to properly place toothpicks into the pit, as well as the type of sunlight and watering schedule necessary to best care for this plant.