Gardening with your kids is a hands-on experience. Not only will you spend time outside doing meaningful activities, but they will also learn valuable life lessons. You can try this approach if you want to teach your kids the value of the following skills.
If they make the effort, they will reap the results later
Effort counts, and that’s what kids will realize when they see plants sprouting from seed. They will understand that at first, the effort is not seen. You plant the seed into the soil, and nothing happens. Then, you water that seed. You invest some effort continuously, but you still don’t see any results. You can’t see that the plant is growing roots, but the change is happening. After a few weeks of consistent watering, pulling out the weeds, and tending to the garden, you’ll see the first seedling start to sprout from the soil. That’s when you can talk to your kids about the value of effort and the results that naturally come from the effort.
Kids will learn about the importance of responsibility
We’re all responsible for our well-being, choices, and paths we take in life. Kids should learn the importance of responsibility. It will empower them to make confident choices later in life. If you water your plants regularly and give them nutrients as well as a proper source of light, they will grow. It means that you are responsible for their growth. If you don’t take action, water the plants, or give them any other type of attention they need, they will wilt away. That is an example of what will happen if you don’t take responsibility or accountability for one’s actions.
They will learn about different tools by gardening
If you want to grow your plants successfully, you have to learn how to use the proper tools. It is a lesson they can implement later in life, no matter what their kids will choose to do. The lesson here is that if you want to be efficient in your work, you should get familiar with using the essential tools. Moreover, you need to go in step with technological changes. For example, using a hydroponic system replaces a traditional way of growing plants by planting them in soil. So, if you want to achieve rapid results, you’ll switch from an old way of growing plants and learn more about a hydroponic system. In other words, kids learn from an early age to embrace life-long learning and learn about new or different ways of doing things.
Being patient through gardening
Oh, how kids can be impatient at times and how gardening is the perfect example of what happens when you give your best and wait. Kids simply live in the moment and can’t anticipate what might happen in the future. Patience is a valuable skill in the ear of instant gratification. You’re bored, so you grab your phone. But, with gardening, you can’t expect instant gratification. You need to work for it and wait for it. Plants grow their root first, then sprout, and then take time to grow into a strong plant that will bloom and mature. If you’re patient enough, you’ll have something to harvest. The same goes for being patient in life but working hard all the way.
Being kind through the gardening
According to studies, youngsters who are regarded as helpful earn higher grades and attain more job success. Kindness, of course, can aid in the development of empathy in children, both toward others and toward themselves. Kindness supports the development of positive relationships in youngsters. It can also assist them in coping with worry and sadness.
Kids can develop a sense of caring and thinking when they understand that a garden is full of living things that need their support to survive. Consider letting youngsters grow garden helpers like thyme and tansy, which both have powerful oils that repel bothersome creatures like aphids and whiteflies, to maintain a healthy garden. You can also assist them in releasing beneficial ladybugs to eat aphids on roses.
Gardening can help kids develop self-confidence
With gardening, kids get to learn from experience and build their self-esteem. Growing a plant from seed can be a trial and error process. Some seeds will sprout, some won’t. That will teach them it’s okay if something doesn’t work or they make a mistake in life. The plants that do sprout will teach kids to believe in their worth and the effort they put into something. The sense of achievement they will feel once they get to harvest their plant will give them a boost in confidence.
Physical activity is fun and essential
Gardening and taking care of plants is a physical activity. It’s often done while squatting, arms are heavily involved in the process of weeding, pruning, planting seeds. During these activities, kids will learn that anything they do with their bodies for some time is considered a physical activity. Gardening is both fun and creative. It also requires a certain amount of energy. Gardening will improve your physical health while you also invest effort, time, and energy into growing something. The return on investment is multiple and rewarding.
If you want to teach your kids the value of the six life skills we’ve mentioned, start gardening together. You’ll escape your daily routine in a fun way and learn many things during these activities.