Gardens at home can create a pleasant environment for children which could help in building a close connection to nature. It would also give them an opportunity to explore the development of plants and develop the skill of gardening over time. A garden requires adequate space for setup with watering and sunlight facilities. Additionally, gardening could be one of the best activities to bond with your child. They start learning skills from you as you spend time with them. However, it is also important for parents to ensure the garden set up is safe for children and the child has enough opportunities to engage in gardening or playful activities. Introducing them to a garden could have long term benefits wherein the child is introduced to a lifelong hobby which they could gain an expertise in.
The equipment in use for gardening should be safe for children to use and maybe the toddler could use plastic toy tools to plant a tree or learn how to dig the soil. Such pint-sized gardening tools can be useful for children to use while you teach your child the basics of gardening. A gardening apron could add some drama for your child to enjoy indulging in gardening activities. Therefore, setting up a small garden for toddlers creates an out of the box version of garden-based learning for toddlers. In this blog, we explore various strategies to implement to create a safe and toddler friendly garden.
Benefits of a toddler friendly garden:
A garden can create a learning atmosphere for the child as they begin learning to dig a soil and plant their first seed. They learn to nurture a plant and begin to understand the importance of life. It is also associated with various life skills about which we will discuss in this section. Even an acre of land is enough to build a garden and while doing so, asking your toddler to help in setting up the garden could also help the toddler enjoy the activity in the form of help. Below are some of the benefits of a toddler friendly garden with benefits of watering plants for toddlers:
- They learn to be patient as gardening requires patience as plants grow.
- They understand the importance of nurture and care as they begin to care about the seeds and saplings.
- They develop empathy and bond with nature as they grow up. This can hopefully develop a motivation to work towards a sustainable environment in the future.
- Gardening could be a hobby learnt right from the time of toddler age and could stay for a lifetime.
- Engaging in gardening activities increases the knowledge of plants, fertilisers, soils, flowers, etc.
- It develops motor skills, better hand coordination, emotional skill and thinking skills development too.
- Garden based learning opportunities which could enhance their knowledge beyond the classroom set up.
Strategies to set up a toddler friendly garden:
A toddler friendly garden requires strategic planning to ensure safety and interest in the toddler. The right equipment and child friendly garden ideas could enhance interests in the activities associated with it. In addition to this, they learn to use the simple toddler garden tools which can develop their curiosity. Below are some of the small garden ideas for toddlers with examples of toddler garden tools which can be implemented in the small garden.
- Gather the toddler garden tools like a small wheelbarrow, a cute apron, glove set of their favourite colour and other types of long handle garden tools. This is the first step in developing interests in gardening. It is also advisable to keep the tools in a safe toolbox area where toddlers can easily access them whenever needed.
- Covering the entire set up area with green grass is a prerequisite. The green grass could be eye-catching and would provide a safe area for running or playing. The chances of getting hurt if the toddler falls on the ground is also minimised due to the soft grass.
- Add toys in the garden where they can take breaks from gardening activities and play as break time. Having interesting learning toys around the area could encourage them to be around the garden area and role play activities while continuing to nurture the plants.
- Separate the garden area from the other areas of the house. This would avoid any bumps or dirtying of the garden with food, or other types of materials.
- Keeping a separate planting area for the plants seeded by the toddler would help her create a ‘zone’ for herself. It would act as a sign board and would know which part of the area to go to for watering the plants or simply checking on them.
- Laying posters of gardening instructions around the garden area could add colourful and helpful instructions for the toddler. These can act as cues for the child as they proceed with their regular gardening activities.
- Fencing can help the child stay within the built garden area. It is important for parents to create a safety zone for the child. Hence, proper fencing around the toddler friendly garden is required and needs to be checked for any faulty portions of the fence on a regular basis. The toddler should be regularly reminded of being within the fenced area.
Hence, it is easy to create a toddler friendly garden but would require the toddler garden tools to be collected as a prerequisite. Gardening and garden based learning can teach toddlers some of the very important life skills and at Kangaroo Kids International Preschool, we are focused on the same. Contact us today to enrol your child where we teach them beyond the classroom activities like gardening while helping your child develop the basic life skills. Explore all the possibilities of gardening skill development for your child today!
