More often than not, Emmy joins me when I am working in the gardens.
At 20 months old, she is pretty good about not being overly destructive, but I do have to occasionally overlook a trampled onion or a lettuce bunch being pulled out instead of a weed.
One part of helping that she seems to enjoy most is planting. (Note: This only works with larger seeds and should not be done with little ones that are still putting things in their mouths that they shouldn't be.)
For example, I will hand her one bean at a time and she will put it right in the little hole I have made with my finger.
Then when the row is complete, we have a foot stomping time. I love watching her little feet as she jumps up and down over where we have just planted.
Do you work with your children in the garden?
I did when they were little, but they were really only interested in the planting and harvesting aspects... didn't like the weeding part so much!
ReplyDeleteI am starting to bring my 14 year old disabled daughter to the flower beds. She loves to touch the petals and dig in the dirt...so we are planting large nasturtium seeds this summer :) m.
ReplyDeleteOh my poor pepper plants, my 21 month old has had to be banned for a little bit from the garden. Until my seedlings are larger, she stomps right on all of them :(
ReplyDeleteSo sweet your little Emmy in the garden! And Tonya, here is one little place where you have been able to let go of your "time" concern, gardening at the pace of a small child.
ReplyDeleteThinking of you and sending love, Renee <3
oh, and you know yes, we certainly do all garden together!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the post! Somehow my little daughter didn't enjoy the garden works this spring (even though she was totally in love with potato harvesting last autumn). I'll try your suggestion on large seeds though and put some more beds in garden for later in autumn harvest then!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for Charlotte to be a bit bigger (16 months now) so she can grasp the concept of putting a seed in a hole, and not eating it. Right now she can only be in the garden for 10+/- minutes, because she starts eating dirt after that. Yet another reason for me to have an organic garden!
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