After working in our garden, I have dirt in my finger nails, dirt in my pockets, and a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. My husband and I feel like we're creating a strong foundation for our daughter.
We watch her picking weeds, searching for bugs, sampling the cherry tomatoes we're growing and we know that she's learning what life really means.
She's learning invaluable lessons; how to grow food, how to be nourished by hard work and that there's nothing wrong with getting your hands dirty!
Since our last post, our seeds have sprouted and grown! So far we have harvested zucchini, chives, swiss chard, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers.
On those really hot days, we work in our garden later in the day - around 5 pm - accompanied by a nice cool breeze. As a result, we have seen some lovely sunsets.
Sophie has turned out to be an excellent helper in the garden.
Here are a few tips on gardening with kids:
1) Provide kid-size garden tools (shovel, hoe, rake)
2) Bring lots of snacks and water to drink
3) Pack a backpack with activities (books, drawing supplies, doodle pro)
We also bought Sophie a little bug examiner container. It has a magnifying glass, so she can gently put the bug inside and have a look. Then we let it back into the garden where it belongs.
So far we've examined earth worms, various beetles, a cricket, a grass hopper and an earwig.
One of Sophie's favorite parts of gardening is to help plant the seeds... and then of course, to harvest the fruits of our labor.
Do you garden with your kids? Share if you have any tips on gardening - with kids or not. :)
