If you’re anything like me, you’ll always have some gardening chores to do. And the best way to keep an eye on my little ankle biters is to bring them along with me.

As any parent knows, take the kiddos anywhere without a task to do and you’ll be inundated with moans of “I’m bored” and “can we go home yet?”

So why not get them to join in on a few chores around the garden?

• It’s messy, and don’t they just love to get messy
• They’ll learn something about plants
• It’ll keep them occupied and they can make each task into a game.

Before we get into it, it’s important that you set ground rules. My children know that they’re only allowed to do these chores when I’m there to watch over them, and they’re not allowed to do any of the following without my permission.

The chores I give to my children are a fairly mixed bag. They’re 9 and 10 now, so use your own judgment on whether your little one will be safe doing these tasks.

Trimming grasses

In early to mid-spring, deciduous grasses will need their annual haircut. Unlike evergreen grasses, you can trim them hard to get the best out of their new season growth.

This is an ideal job for children who are old enough to be safe with scissors. My two like to pretend they’re hairdressers while cutting back my grasses, and they get really excited whenever I show them the scissors and ask if they want a garden job.

Collecting leaves

I like to collect my fallen leaves and store them to make leaf mulch for seedlings the following year. I use potato bags for storage because they can be closed slightly and have drainage holes at the bottom.

My children love this task, and of course, they throw leaves at each other, and it’s not like my garden’s going to be the neatest one in the village by the time they’re finished. But I give them a couple of bags each and see who can fill their bags first.

It’s a bit of healthy competition and the racing gets the job done. Afterward, if they want to stay out and play, they can. Or we go in and have hot chocolate together.

Planting bulbs and seeds

It doesn’t matter their age, kids always love to plant seeds and bulbs. It’s a job that requires planning when including the children. And I certainly don’t expect to get anything else done while sowing, but they always want to have a go.

A couple of years ago, I volunteered to do gardening with some nursery children, and the attention span they had for planting seeds and bulbs amazed me. And when the seeds started growing, they were so excited.

Watering

This is an easy one, and its only water so it’s not a massive deal if they spill or soak themselves. I used to have little watering cans for my two, with a big bucket for them to refill themselves.

It gives them a sense of independence, and you can guarantee that the garden will be well watered.

As they got older, I let them use the hose. There are still the occasional arguments over who goes first, and how long the other gets, but it always worked out in the end.

Harvesting

Whether it’s picking fruit, or digging up potatoes, harvesting crops is always an energetic time. This is especially true if the children had a hand in planting the crops.

Giving them a bowl or a basket for strawberries and blueberries is a lovely thing to do. Watching while they examine the fruit to make sure it’s ripe and then delight in the size they’ve found is one of the best parts of summer.

Giving them a trowel to dig up spuds or telling them which carrot to pull always leads to excited yells and is great quality time out in the fresh air.

 

There’s something so satisfying about gardening and growing your own food. And children love to get involved. I for one believe it’s an important way to teach them where food comes from and how it grows. And it’s a skill they’ll have forever.