Well hello spring!! We are all loving this amazing weather here in Colorado which totally has us itching for some gardening fun with the family. Since we live in Colorado we do have to be careful of our garden and not start planting seeds or plants too early because goodness knows we have had snow on Mother’s Day here! So, while we wait for that perfectly timed planting day (let me know if you know that day okay?!), we decided to start really educating Jude and Teagan about gardening by focusing on cleaning out and preparing our gardens. I must thank Tree Top for sponsoring this post and getting our kids excited to garden this summer!
Most of you know that we are a Montessori loving family and one of my favorite parts about Montessori learning is the gardening aspect they incorporate into teaching every year. After learning more about why the Montessori lessons include gardening I was hooked and decided that we must have a garden!
“Children indeed love flowers, but they need to do something more than remain among them and contemplate their colored blossoms. They find their greatest pleasure in acting, in knowing, in exploring, even apart from the attraction of external beauty.” Dr. Maria Montessori
Even before we ventured into the backyard to tend to the garden we took the kids to the nursery to pick out some veggie and fruit seeds. This was also a very teachable moment for them both, the immediately started picking up tons of seed packets but we had to stop them. We had way too many for our little box garden so we told them that while a seed is tiny now, it grows and grows and each plant needs its own space. We also talked about how we only want to grow plants that we will actually eat the produce from – no waste! We left the nursery with some great choices and and some very anxious kids!
Gardening teaches children so much. It isn’t just about the seeds you plant, it is about the whole process. Maria Montessori was dead on – it isn’t about the blooms, the teaching takes place with every step in gardening so make sure the kids are involved in every step. Right now we are focused on preparing our garden. This means that those “pretty” yellow flowers must be taken care of – even against Teagan’s liking! She really thinks those flowers are pretty! Hello teachable moment!!
While we were enjoying the amazing weather outside we cleaned out the garden of all those weeds and got our garden nice and ready for some perfect planting weather and seeds. There is truly so much that can be taught when gardening with children of all ages.
This summer we have big plans for the kiddos picking up trash, mixing soil, grind egg shells, mulch plants, feed birds and wedding. They can then learn all about worms and soil, sun verses shade, identify the growing plants and of course the most fun – harvesting! All of these activities reinforce a respect for all living things and recognition that in a garden there is no such thing as trash or waste! I also hope to focus on how bugs and worms affect gardens, what helps plants grow and the life cycle of gardens.
What a busy afternoon in the garden!! We had to take a break and Tree Top Apple Sauce pouches are the best gardening break snack! I love these pouches not only because they are a perfect mess free, on-the-go snack but because they are filled with pure fruit that my kids enjoy!
While doing some family gardening research I found out that Tree Top is teaming up with a great website called KidsGardening.org – this website is the perfect one stop shop for all gardening information for this summer. For every purchase of Tree Top Apple Sauce Pouches, Tree Top will donate a dollar to KidsGardening.org to help fund community garden projects and raise good apples across the country! So awesome! The Raising Good Apples campaign means that buying these nutritious pouches for snacks we are not only enjoying a great treat but we are helping other kids learn more about gardening.
If you are considering starting a garden with your family this spring I really encourage you to visit KidsGardening.org, you will find some great tips to make a great garden for your family but also find some really fun activities for the kids. There are so many crafts that I cannot wait to try that I found on this website!!
To get your gardening fun off to a great start this spring I have a great giveaway that you must enter! Enter on the Rafflecopter below and win a gardening set worth $60.00!
The giveaway will be open from April 7, 2015 to May 15, 2015 at midnight PST and will be sponsored by Sway Group. Forty winners will be selected to receive a gardening set valued at $60. Sway Group will select the winners on or about May 18, 2015 and we will follow up with the prizewinners.
Our backyard is a mess so we haven't done any gardening and don't really intend to this year. We're also in the process of moving into a new home. Maybe next year we'll think about it. btw we love Tree Top products.
Having your own Home Garden can save so much money each year . Its great because you know exactly what is going into your body and there is no need for pesticides
I love gardening with my kiddos! It's a family event every year to get our veggie garden in the ground and we enjoy family time together growing things that we get to eat together later! 🙂
I would love to plant our first garden together as a family. I usually do a few vegetables and the kids help weed every once in a while. I think if we planned together it would be a great thing for the family.
This is such a wonderful lesson. I don't know the first thing about gardening (and there is LOTS to learn) but this sounds like a lot of fun to do as a family.
My daughter wants to plant a garden and my husband too is looking to build her a garden box like yours. Thanks for this post. I will share it with my family.
Ok there is an elephant watering can to win, I'm in!! I saw pink ones at the Philadelphia Flower Show a few years ago and had to take my picture with them!! Too funny about the pretty yellow flowers! I want to plant more but we're moving soon, will have to wait!
We just started our seeds today – it was the first time, and my 3.5 yo and 20 month old were both completely involved and fascinated. Fingers crossed they grow!
Oh I would love to do the activity of 5 Plants with cool kid appeal!! We did a small container garden last year and he had so much fun helping me! I would love to do a few that would be just his this year! How fun!
Our toddler loves to work in the garden with us! It is such a great learning activity. We'd love to make the milk carton bird feeder!
Our backyard is a mess so we haven't done any gardening and don't really intend to this year. We're also in the process of moving into a new home. Maybe next year we'll think about it. btw we love Tree Top products.
What a nice family project. Especially great for children to help – teaches them so much.
That is a fun family project. Looks like you guys had fun!
My son would love this! I'll have to get home some of that apple sauce!
WE just bought some plants for our veggie garden. Now I need to prep it as well. We love some MOtts here too.
Having your own Home Garden can save so much money each year . Its great because you know exactly what is going into your body and there is no need for pesticides
I love gardening with my kiddos! It's a family event every year to get our veggie garden in the ground and we enjoy family time together growing things that we get to eat together later! 🙂
Wow your little ones were working hard. Can't wait to see how their garden grows.
That sounds like a such a fun time! The kids even got a nice treat.
It's fun to get the kids out there helping. I bet it's going to be a season of happy growing memories. 🙂
I would love to plant our first garden together as a family. I usually do a few vegetables and the kids help weed every once in a while. I think if we planned together it would be a great thing for the family.
This is such a wonderful lesson. I don't know the first thing about gardening (and there is LOTS to learn) but this sounds like a lot of fun to do as a family.
My daughter wants to plant a garden and my husband too is looking to build her a garden box like yours. Thanks for this post. I will share it with my family.
Awh! I think getting kids involved is so important especially with outdoor activities like gardening, it can be really fun.
Gardening can be a good family activity, you're right! Good to see you could take a nice little break! And thanks for the giveaway!
So fun- my kids absolutely love gardening. It's one of their favorite things to do!
I love that it's time again to get out there and get dirty. It's great getting kids involved, too.
My kids love to be in the garden. We grow everything we can. But my 5 year old really just loves to dig.
Your family is adorable! So fun that you got the whole family together to get out there and enjoy the sun while gardening!
The milk carton watering can sounds like a cute project to make with the kids.
I can't wait to start planting now. I think I will go the nursery this afternoon.
I would like to plan our first garden.
Ok there is an elephant watering can to win, I'm in!! I saw pink ones at the Philadelphia Flower Show a few years ago and had to take my picture with them!! Too funny about the pretty yellow flowers! I want to plant more but we're moving soon, will have to wait!
We love gardening! My 3 year old loves to help dig and plant.
The Easter Bunny just brought my two year old gardening gear for Easter!
We just started our seeds today – it was the first time, and my 3.5 yo and 20 month old were both completely involved and fascinated. Fingers crossed they grow!
I have always wanted to start my own backyard garden. This would be a great way to start.
Oh I would love to do the activity of 5 Plants with cool kid appeal!! We did a small container garden last year and he had so much fun helping me! I would love to do a few that would be just his this year! How fun!