Every year when the weather starts to finally get warmer, I try to get a head start on planning summer family activities. But no matter how early I start looking for some fresh ideas, it’s hard to convince the kiddos to drop their screens and spend some time with me instead. There are only so many crafts I can do before the kiddos start to get bored…quick! So instead of trying to look for ideas outside the box, we decided to start in our very own backyard. Gardening with your family is a great way to keep the kiddos entertained and spend some quality time together! No matter how busy you are, making time to garden with your family is 100% worth all the time and effort it takes. Here are our favorite benefits we receive from family gardening.
Education Can Be Fun
Even though the kiddos might not realize it, gardening is a GREAT learning opportunity! The best part is, you don’t have to wait for the warm sunny weather to get started. A good introduction to gardening is teaching kids how to plant indoors. Starting with a seed and some soil, they’ll learn how to replicate light, how to keep these plants alive and see a tiny seed transform into a full grown plant! Instead of reading it in a science book they get to experience these things first hand.
Learning About Accountability
It’s never too early to learn responsibility! Giving kiddos the opportunity to have a say in the process of planning and planting your family garden, they’ll feel a little more invested. You can start with small responsibilities such as watering the plants or even let them take over the lighting schedule or turning plants. Even though these are technically chores, your kiddos will want to see their plants grow and be proud of their progress.
Valuable Life Skill
No matter how many resources we have around us, there’s no doubt that knowing how to grow your own fruits and vegetables is a huge plus. Having the basic knowledge of how to grow and manage plants is a great way to teach your little ones some basics. It’s such a cool experience to grow something in your backyard and have it on the dinner table a few days later!
Quality Family Time
One of the best benefits is the opportunity to spend time with your family. It’s a great way to get to know your kiddos in a different way, too! Give them a chance to make choices regarding planning and where to put which plants. We get to spend tons of time together planning, actually planting, and the best part – harvesting! The memories you’ll make with the entire family are one-of-a-kind and you’ll be so glad you started gardening with your family.
As much as we love to spend time with our loved ones, it’s not always easy. There are so many distractions around us with cell phones, computers, and tablets. It’s so difficult to remember what our lives were like before! So it’s important that we try to incorporate family times into our daily lives as much as possible. What are some of your favorite summer family activities? Leave your comments below!
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