Benefits of gardening with kids

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In the modern world of social media, keeping house plants seems to have become the latest trend! But plants do more than contribute to a pretty Instagram Story. They can actually be really beneficial for your child’s overall wellbeing and development.

“Gardening has lots of benefits for our children that people don’t think about…” says Raoul Lindsay, mental health expert, dad and keen gardener.

Here Raoul shares eight surprising benefits of looking after plants with your little one.

Small child with blonde hair, brown top, yellow trousers and red boots picking up soil in the garden with his dad next to him. — Image caption,
Waiting for plants to grow helps teach children patience.

1) Plants teach children patience (and us!)

Gardening is a fun, physical way to teach your child the art of patience from an early age.

“Plants don’t sprout overnight, so children need to learn to be patient and wait for their flowers and vegetables to grow,” says Raoul.

As adults, we can be guilty of seeking instant gratification and giving in to our natural human urge to want things right away. But waiting weeks (sometimes even months!) for our plant to flourish can remind us that good things come to those who wait.

2) Plants give children a sense of responsibility

From water to weeding, plants require care and commitment in order to thrive.

“Giving daily attention to your plant and looking after it will help give your little one a sense of purpose and excitement,” says Raoul.

Why not try making a daily watering chart and letting your child add a sticker each time they care for their plant? This will give you both your daily dose of dopamine!

3) Plants provide sensory development

Gardening encourages our children to stimulate all five senses.

My son particularly enjoys feeling the texture of the soil, the flowers and the petals.

“Even smelling the scent of the flowers can be good for them. Tomato leaves have a very particular smell which is nice when they are growing,” says Raoul.

Looking after plants creates an opportunity for your child to experience different textures, scents and sounds. You can link these senses to words by asking things like:

What colour is the plant?
Can you hear the crunch of the leaves?
How do the leaves smell?
What does the tomato taste like?
How does the soil feel?

4) Plants can help children develop fine motor skills

Picking up tiny seeds and putting them in the soil is a great way for your child to strengthen the small muscles in their hands.

“Writing labels is also good for practising handwriting from a young age,” says Raoul.

I love having my two-year-old’s scribbles in my garden – we’re the only people who will know what it is when it grows.

This spring, why not get creative with your little one and enjoy a ‘crafternoon’ making plant labels? You can find more craft activity inspiration here.

Image of Raoul Lindsay kneeling on the ground and gardening. He is wearing a striped jumper and is surrounded by green plants. — Image caption,
Gardening can be fun for the full family.

5) Gardening promotes healthy eating for all the family

If your child is a picky eater, encouraging them to try new vegetables can be easier said than done. Growing your own veggies, however, might be a health hack worth trying!

“Part of the journey of a healthy lifestyle is respecting where food has come from and seeing the process of it all,” says Raoul.

Nurturing a plant from a tiny seed into a nutritious vegetable may make children more tempted to taste new food.

Why not use your homemade veggies in one of our family weaning recipes? You can find step-by-step instructions here.

6) It creates opportunities to learn new words

Looking after plants together is a great way to bond with your little one.

Chatting about your new shared hobby will also boost their conversation skills and language learning.

For younger children, why not try making a garden map together and plotting out each plant pot? For older children, you could try keeping a garden journal with pictures to look at together.

“When we were allowed to have friends over for playdates, my son would get really excited to talk to his friends about the plants he was growing,” says Raoul.

Your child will love the magic of watching things grow and chatting to family and friends all about it!

Image of five green house plants sitting on top of a kitchen table. Each plant is a different shape and size. — Image caption,
Growing plants with your little one is a great bonding opportunity.

7) Plants can help with reducing screen time

Do you struggle to get your little one to take a break from devices? Plants can help with swapping the screen time for seed time - children love dirt!

“Being a parent myself, I know how easily children gravitate towards electronic devices,” says Raoul.

“It’s nice to have activities that you and your little one can enjoy together, whether that’s indoors or outdoors. Spending time with your plants is a great excuse for a screen break.” he continues.

Finding fresh ways to limit your little one’s screen time can have many benefits for their development. Find out more here.

8) Plants boost their well-being (and ours!)

Plants are a great way to try something new and boost your little one’s self-esteem.

Creating a designated space for your plants (whether that be a garden area, a balcony or a window ledge) will give you and your child a place to enjoy some quality, calm and peaceful time together.

“I find that having plants around the house and in the garden really helps my emotional wellbeing,” says Raoul.

“Being outdoors, present in the moment and feeling grounded all help me to feel relaxed, and I personally think gardening incorporates all of that.”

Plants can be soothing for adults and provide a positive way for us to channel our stress. Gardening also encourages us to take time out from our hectic daily lives.

Happy gardening!