Whenever Garden on a Roll have done a community or school gardening day, it always amazes us how much the kids love getting their hands dirty - and when asked, did not miss their devices at all! So whether you have an outdoorsy type who is chomping at the bit, or a reluctant gardener who needs a little encouragement, we’ve put together a guide to help them connect with nature, understand where their food comes from and cultivate a lifelong love of growing things. Try these fun and simple gardening tips for kids. 

1. Choose fast-growing plants

Even with the best intentions, kids can get bored or discouraged if a gardening project doesn’t give something back. So the best gardening tips for kids involve letting them see the fruits of their labour early on, with plants that grow quickly and get them excited about the changes that are happening in their crops from week to week. Cress is a classic first indoor growing project, while sunflowers, radishes and cherry tomatoes are also easy-to-grow choices that offer a sense of accomplishment for young gardeners.

2. Allocate a dedicated space for them to tend

Part of the fun and satisfaction of gardening is taking ownership over the space. Your child will feel more engaged if they have a space of their own where they can make decisions, take responsibility and feel in charge. Gardening tips for kids all involve thinking about the process from a child’s point of view, so try to get on their level to understand how to make gardening fun for them. Raised beds and our planting by numbers borders are ideal for small kids as they provide a manageable space to work in at a child-friendly height, and smaller tools and gloves that fit will also be needed if they’re going to be comfortable and work effectively. Show them how to tend their own little slice of the garden with specific, age-appropriate tasks such as weeding, watering and harvesting vegetables when they are ready. We are working with VegTrug who provide fantastic raised beds nationwide and will soon be providing the edible plants and herbs to go in them (available from the end of April - watch this space!)

3. Encourage wildlife to your garden

Our wildlife garden borders are perfect for kids, and we will be modifying our standard border to fit into the VegTrug too! Help children learn about the role of pollinators by planting flowers that attract butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects, demonstrating first-hand how much our flora and fauna depend on each other to thrive. Birds of various species can also be welcomed to your garden: as well as being fun to watch, they’ll provide natural pest control and can even play a role in spreading seeds. Plant sheltered shrubs as a safe space for birds to nest, and one of the most popular gardening tips for kids is to set up a bird feeder to ensure that they are regular visitors to your garden.

4. Grow a pizza garden

Children who engage with the growing process are more adventurous about what they eat. So gardening tips for kids that help them appreciate where their food comes from are always a big hit. To grow a pizza garden, plant herbs, tomatoes, onions and peppers to get them excited to savour the results of their hard work.

5. Engage their senses, with a variety of textures, scents and colours

Kids are drawn to sensory experiences, so a sensory garden or border is a great way to get them fully engaged. Choose plants with different textures, colours and scents, or design a rainbow garden, with flowers and vegetables in all the colours of the rainbow.

How Garden on a Roll can support you and your budding young gardeners

Need some help encouraging young minds to take their first gardening steps? Our

knowledgeable gardening experts will do the hard work for you. We have a range of ready-to-plant garden borders designed to be accessible to beginner gardeners of all ages - you can roll up your sleeves and get gardening straight away.