Fine motor skills are enhanced in the garden – think how pulling up weeds and carefully looking after seedlings and plants will help your little ones develop. Kids will also love getting their hands mucky, and exploring the garden engages all our senses. It's even thought to be a great way to help keep our immune systems healthy!
Get your little ones to run the soil between their fingers. Ask them how it feels. Add a bit of water, and how does it feel now? Try making some mud art or mud prints with your mucky hands. Just take a piece of cardboard into the garden and see what your little ones can create!
Herbs are a great way to appeal to kids when it comes to growing and nurturing life in the garden. Start off with mint, and you can all enjoy the results with homemade lemonade, added to an ice-cream treat or sprinkled on top of strawberries. Yum!
You’ll need:
-Peat-free compost
-Plant pot
-Mint plant
-Recycled plastic bag
-Elastic band/bobble
Add compost to the pot, leaving an inch at the top. Make small holes around the edge of the container using a pencil.
Cut 4 or 5 stems of your mint, removing the leaves at the bottom (save them for cooking!) and add them to the holes.
Give it a good water, cover with the bag and fix in place using the band/bobble.
Place your pot somewhere warm and light – let your little ones choose a good spot – and keep the soil nice and moist.
Once the mint has established, you can remove the plastic bag and enjoy your mint!
Your child will be delighted they’ve helped to grow food. You can try it with veg and fruits – particularly if they can be a bit picky with their food. It may encourage them to try and enjoy new healthy foods if they're in charge of growing it!