Introducing the World of Herbs Gardening is a great educational experience for children, and herb gardening is especially beneficial for them, as most herbs are very easy to grow. They generally require very little maintenance and can survive even with some neglect and abuse.

Herb Gardening for Kids: An Educational and Fun Experience

Delving into Nature: Enjoyable Learning

Nature is a favorite subject for many children. They love to learn and explore topics related to nature, so gardening is a very enjoyable learning experience they will genuinely appreciate. They will be excited to know that they are growing something they can actually eat later on!

Your children may not even know about all the wonderful herbs out there, so it’s great to teach them about the different types. They can learn what each herb looks like when it’s fresh, what the herbs smell like, and the different uses for each kind.

Starting with a Small Garden: Less is More

Don’t overwhelm your child. Children should start with very small herb gardens. Probably, three to five plants are enough to get started. You want the herb garden to be a fun learning experience for the child, not an exhausting chore!

A “Pizza Garden”: A Tasty Approach

You might want to start kids out with a “pizza garden.” You’ll help your child grow some of the herbs that are commonly used on pizza. Since children love pizza, they should relate easily to this type of garden. They’ll also have fun knowing what goes into one of their favorite foods.

A typical “pizza garden” will contain basil and oregano, and perhaps thyme and parsley. You could also let the child grow some of the other ingredients commonly used in pizza sauce, like garlic and roma tomatoes. If you want to expand the garden with your help, you can also add typical pizza toppings like peppers and onions.

Aromatic Herbs: A Sensory Experience

Children will also enjoy growing specially-scented herbs. You can get all kinds of excellent herbs that smell like different scents. Flowers can also complement well this type of garden. For example, there are geraniums that are scented like orange, strawberry, lime, and apricot!

Different types of mint are also favorites with children, and they often enjoy chewing the leaves of plants like spearmint. Just be sure to tell your children they should never eat any plant without asking you first!

Teaching Diversity: Varieties of the Same Plant

You can also use herb gardening as a way of teaching children about the differences between varieties of the same type of plant. For example, planting several varieties of basil can help kids understand that there can be many types of the same animal or plant.

You could plant globe basil, Thai basil, lemon basil, and purple basil. Your child can learn the differences and similarities, so they can see that things can be similar, yet very different. An herb garden is an excellent way to teach children responsibility.

Cultivating Responsibility and Pride

They’ll learn that they have to take care of their garden regularly. If they don’t, they’ll see that there are consequences to neglecting duties. When some of their plants start to wither and die, they’ll understand the importance of keeping up with their tasks.

Perhaps most importantly, herb gardens can give kids something to be proud of. They’ll get a significant boost to their self-esteem when they successfully grow something that you’re able to use in a meal, and they’ll enjoy learning!

Benefits of Herb Gardening for Kids

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