7 Benefits of Gardening with Kids|Burpee Plants

This post is sponsored by Burpee Plants but all opinions are my own. 

Over the past few years I’ve taken up gardening as an activity that gives me peace and gets me more in tune with nature. It’s also a skill that could someday prove necessary for my survival.  Although I’m still a novice, I think gardening is an important activity to share with my young daughter, Aven, as well. This year, we planted some new favorites from Burpee Plants and had a blast watching them grow. We learned lessons, and benefited tremendously from the experience.  Below I’m sharing 7 Benefits of Gardening with Kids and taking you on our journey with some of the most well producing plants I’ve ever grown.

Sensory Development

 One of the benefits of gardening with kids is the opportunity to expose them to activities that develop their senses. In the garden there is so much to see, smell, feel, hear and eventually taste. When we first received our Burpee plants, we explored them using our senses, noticing how each felt, smelled, and looked, before we planted them in our pots and raised beds. Developing the senses and participating in sensory play supports problem solving skills, language development, motor gross and fine motor skills and cognitive growth.  

Parent/Child Bonding 

Between work, household chores, food prep, and hosting homeschool, the time my daughter and I have to just “Be” or do something we enjoy is a bit limited. Gardening is an activity where we are able to come together, practice teamwork, get relief from other aspects of our day, and simply talk to one another, laugh, and discover new things. We get to enjoy each other’s company, free from distraction. 

Exposure to Sunlight 

Spending time in the garden exposes us to sunlight, which, not just plants, but humans also, need to thrive. It helps us produce Vitamin D, build and maintain strong bones, strengthen our immune system, and reduce stress. We release toxins through sweat, when exposed to the sun. Sunlight also boosts serotonin levels, which improves mood, can help us feel more calm and focused, and can combat depression. 

This year, as we continued to navigate the pandemic, focusing on our growing garden helped keep me optimistic with plenty to look forward to.  

Learning the Science of Plant Growth

Including kids in your gardening efforts gives them a chance to observe and understand more about the life cycle of plants. They learn more about their needs, how to care for them, and how they benefit us and our world. They also get to understand more about the symbiotic relationships that exist in the garden and how other species like bees, worms, and birds interact with and contribute to the life cycle of plants. Before our Burpee Gherking Cucumber plant started to mature, Aven was able to witness bees and wasps pollinating it’s flowers. I was able to watch her fear of bees subside, while she began to understand the job they were doing, and how it would help our plants to grow. 

Appreciation for Growing Your Own Food/Healthy Eating

Allowing your child to witness the process of growing your own food, gives them the knowledge and confidence that they can do it too! Growing fruits and vegetables naturally creates more interest in them, and can encourage kids to include more fruits and vegetables in their diet. 

Life Lessons 

The garden is a classroom of more than just science and nutrition, it is where we learn trial and error, that mistakes happen, and that things happen that are out of our control. Our garden is located in a heavily wooded area, with an abundance of wildlife all around. There are raccoons, coyotes, squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, and more. The first day we put our plants in, something dug a bunch of them up, later, we had just-ripened tomatoes eaten, and not by us. Although we were disappointed, we moved forward. In the garden we learn to cope, try again, and never give up. We learn that eventually, we will see the fruits of our labor. 

Sense of Accomplishment

When any of us does something and does it well, or when we begin to see the fruits of our labor, we start to develop confidence in ourselves and in our ability. This holds true for children as well. In my experience with gardening, results vary depending on so many factors, but starting with plants from Burpee Plants, greatly increases the likelihood that your works will actually be rewarded with well producing plants! I loved seeing the joy of accomplishment on my daughter’s face when she realized how well our plants were growing. 

All Burpee plants are trialed and chosen to ensure success for pros and beginner gardeners alike. I’m so glad to have had the opportunity to grow with Burpee Plants this year. We learned a lot and were so happy with the growth we saw. You can find the Burpee Plants collection of garden vegetables, herbs, and flowers at your favorite local garden retailer. I hope you will share the gift of gardening with your child/children and keep in mind how beneficial it can be for their growth and development.