25 Mar 2020 Gardening aids healthy living

Posted at 3:44 PMh in 501 Kids by

by Kellie Bishop

Most parents have experience with how difficult it can be to convince your children to eat fruits and vegetables. You want your children to eat healthy but their favorite foods are chicken nuggets and mac and cheese. You have probably tried hiding vegetables in the macaroni or finding other fun ways to sneak healthy foods into your child’s diet. One way to initiate an interest in healthy foods is to involve your child in growing those foods!

Children are fascinated by little things that we take for granted. They love to dig in dirt, help you with tasks and learn about their surroundings. Gardening is the perfect way to foster their curiosity while also teaching them about healthy living. 

Let your children decide which fruits and vegetables they want to grow and take them with you to buy the supplies. This makes them feel involved and helps build their confidence and independence. 

After you gather your supplies, allow your child to dig and plant with you so they can learn how to garden. Young children will have the most fun playing in the dirt and being outside, while older children will enjoy watching a seed turn into a piece of food. You will be teaching your child about science while also instilling confidence and healthy living concepts. As your plants grow, they will need to be watered and tended to so this is a great opportunity to teach your child responsibility in caring for things and finishing projects.

If you do not have a yard space for a garden, you could always use large pots on a porch or patio to plant in. Many herbs will also grow in small pots on an indoor windowsill. There are many different ways to grow fruits and vegetables at home!

Children love to feel involved and learn about the world around them so gardening is a great activity to do with your children this spring. They are much more likely to eat foods that they helped grow as well, as they have interest from being involved in the process. 

Allowing your child to pick out and grow the foods he or she wants will give you hours of springtime fun while also encouraging healthy eating habits and hopefully eliminating the fight to get healthy foods in every day!

Kellie Bishop
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