Courtesy of Casey Foor, Colorado Master Gardener Apprentice

As the school year winds down and summer arrives, parents, grandparents, and caregivers of all kinds often seek meaningful ways to keep kids engaged. One of the most rewarding—and surprisingly educational ways to do that is by getting their hands dirty in the garden. Gardening with kids isn’t just about planting seeds; it’s about growing memories, curiosity, responsibility, and a deeper connection to the natural world around us.

Whether in a spacious backyard, a small raised bed, or even a few containers on a balcony, gardening can become a shared adventure that nurtures both plants and young minds.

Why Garden with Kids?

Teaches Responsibility and Patience: Kids quickly learn that gardens don’t grow overnight. They have to water, weed, observe, and wait—valuable lessons that carry over into everyday life.

Encourages Healthy Eating: Children are far more likely to try vegetables they’ve grown themselves. A homegrown cherry tomato or sugar snap pea might be the first veggie a picky eater finally enjoys (or even tries!). Being able to pick it for themselves can be so rewarding!

Promotes Curiosity and Science Learning: Gardening is a hands-on way to introduce concepts like plant life cycles, pollination, soil ecosystems, food supply chains, weather patterns and so many more! It’s science class without the textbooks.

Offers Physical and Mental Wellness: Digging, planting, and watering all count as exercise. Plus, being outdoors and interacting with nature can reduce stress and improve mood for children and adults alike.

Here are a few easy and engaging garden activities and ideas to make the most of your summer with the little ones:

1. Grow a “Pizza Garden”: Plant ingredients that can go on a pizza—tomatoes, basil, oregano, and bell peppers. Use a circular bed or section off a square garden into pizza “slices” with string or stones. Kids will love the idea of growing their dinner! Even if you don’t bake a pizza from scratch, topping a store-bought crust with homegrown veggies will be a big hit.
2. Pollinator Hotel Craft: Teach kids about bees, butterflies, and other pollinators by building a simple pollinator hotel. Use bundles of hollow bamboo, cardboard tubes, and pinecones stuffed into a wooden box or old flowerpot. Talk about the role pollinators play in food production and how they’re crucial to our gardens.
3. Rainbow Garden: Challenge kids to plant flowers and veggies in the colors of the rainbow. Think red zinnias, orange marigolds, yellow sunflowers, green beans, blue lobelia, and purple eggplant. Let them draw a “rainbow map” before planting.
4. Garden Scavenger Hunt: Create a checklist of things to find in the garden: a buzzing bee, something fuzzy, something that smells good, a veggie growing underground, a new bud, etc.
5. Bug Safari: Give kids magnifying glasses and notebooks. Encourage them to observe and sketch the insects they see. Which ones are helpful? Which are pests?

A few tips for working with little ones in the garden:

• Let Go of Perfection: Kids will spill soil and overwater. They will pick a new sprout just to show you it’s growing. Embrace the mess—it can all be part of the fun and learning.

• Give Them Ownership: Assign your child a specific plant or space they’re responsible for.

• Use Kid-Sized Tools: Miniature trowels, gloves, and watering cans make gardening easier and more enjoyable.

• Celebrate Progress: Document growth with weekly photos or a “garden journal” where kids can track what they planted and what’s sprouting. Consider a garden pen pal with friends or family you don’t see as much; we share our garden “wins” throughout summer, and maintain an awesome friendship through the love of gardening.

Gardening with kids is about more than harvesting fruits and vegetables—it’s about planting seeds of curiosity, confidence, and connection. As summer unfolds, take the time to slow down, dig deep, and grow something together. Whether it’s a tomato vine climbing a trellis or a child beaming with pride over their first sunflower, the garden is full of life and learning.