Summer is the perfect time to get kids started gardening. If you’ve got kids or grandkids out of school right now, here are some projects that are great for getting them enthusiastic about spending time in the garden.

Planting an Easy Crop

When kids come to our Educational Garden, we love to let them start a plant to take home. We usually have them start sunflowers, which are big, easy to plant seeds for any dexterity level. Sunflowers are a great plant for kids to start because they’re pretty easy to germinate and they get a great sense of accomplishment from growing such a big flower. Other good first crops include radishes, which grow quickly and can be a fun, satisfying first crop, and peas, because we’ve found most kids love snacking on fresh peas they grew themselves.

Seed Bombs

Seeds bombs are a great way to get hyper kids interested in gardening. It’s a messy craft that you get to throw when it’s done! This is a good craft if you have an area you want to spread wildflowers, or any other easily seeded flower. Check out our article on some various ways to make seed bombs to learn more.

Pollinator Puddle

Making a pollinator puddle is a wonderful way to help bees and butterflies in the summer. Fill a shallow, waterproof dish with stones, marbles, or glass pebbles, then add fresh water so the tops of the stones are still out of the water. This provides a safe way for pollinators to get a drink on hot days, and you can let the kids be in charge of refilling it. Be sure to keep the water level shallow, and keep the water fresh, otherwise mosquitoes might try to use the dish for laying eggs.

Garden Step Stones

This is another messy, creative project that kids love. Using an old pie tin or any other kind of flat mold, you can make concrete step stones with a personal touch. Simply smooth concrete into the mold and then let the kids decorate the top with sea glass, stones, their handprints, or any other decorations while it dries.

Fairy Gardens

Fairy gardens are a creative outdoor project that allow kids to use natural materials to build a miniature garden. These can be made in a shallow dish, or you can dedicate a small part of the garden to making fairy houses. Help the kids use sticks, twine, moss, rocks, and bark to create little houses and pathways, and add any wildflowers or succulents you wish. Stumps, tree roots, rockery areas, and shady garden nooks all make ideal places to put fairy gardens, and adding a pollinator puddle nearby enhances the magical feel. A fairy garden can be a great opportunity for creative play.

Drying Flowers

This is a calm activity that still gets kids out in the garden, and can be used for more crafts later in the year. Picking flowers to dry is a great way to get kids looking closely at nature. Our article on drying flowers has more tips and tricks for getting perfectly preserved blooms.

Whatever garden projects you choose to do with the kids this summer, remember that they’ll have different priorities than you. You can enrich each other’s gardening experiences by keeping these things in mind:

Start small. Don’t try to do too much at once. Start with a simple project that your kids can manage.
Make it fun. Gardening should be fun for kids. If they’re not having fun, they’re not going to want to do it.
Get them involved. Let kids help with every step of the project, from planning to planting to harvesting.
Be patient. It takes time for plants to grow. Be patient with your kids and help them to understand that gardening is a process.