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Gardening With Kids: 35 Playful & Practical Ideas

Published on March 31, 2020Last updated October 6, 2021 ♛ By Melissa J. Will

This post contains affiliate links.
Read full disclosure statement here.

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These garden activities for kids provide hours of outdoor learning and fun. Start with basic seed sowing, grow a beginner vegetable garden, or spend time outdoors making garden-inspired arts and crafts. We’ve also included imaginative play ideas.

For more also see Creative Garden Projects for Kids.

Tree stump turned into a fairy house.

Creative Gardening With Kids

The goal is simple: encourage kids to fall in love with life outdoors through time spent in the garden.

Start with learning to sow seeds and tend to plants. Use those skills to grow a family food garden. And allow lots of time for free play and imagination. It’s all good if we raise a new generation to love and respect nature and delight in it.

You know your child and their interests and I encourage you to browse the suggestions and choose activities that fit.

Gardening Lab For Kids book cover.

Gardening Lab for Kids | Amazon

I was one of those free-range kids who still loves the garden today because nothing was forced on me: my parents just let me play and explore and grow things that I was curious about. I’ve always appreciated this and hope I have done the same for my kids.

Some children will love the science of growing plants and making compost, others will love photographing insects, or painting plant tags, or making up whimsical stories while playing in a makeshift garden fort. And it’s all good. If you missed out on this stuff as a kid, it’s your time too.

Let’s dig in.


Ideas

  • Sow Seeds
  • Plan and Grow a Garden
  • Grow Your Imagination
  • Garden Arts & Crafts
  • Creative Record Keeping
  • DIY Garden Projects
  • Insects, Birds, and Butterflies
  • Using Natural Treasures

Sow Seeds

1Beginner Seed Sowing

Seedlings sprouting.

Beginner | Indoors or Outdoors

This is a good starting point for everyone: learn how to sow seeds and nurture them into plants.

Start seeds like peas or beans indoors by a window. When they get big, transfer them to a large pot and continue growing them indoors or outdoors (if temperatures are favorable).

Supplies

  • Seeds – Follow sowing instructions on packet
  • Flower pot or large cup with drainage holes
  • Potting mix

Learn more: Seed Starting for Beginners and follow the instructions on the seed packet.

Want a weekly sowing plan? Weekly Indoor Vegetable Sowing Plan

It depends on the plant, but in general, when spring temperatures are steady at 60°F (15°C) or higher, you can also start sowing seeds outdoors. Some plants like it warmer, other tolerate cooler soil.

2Grow Fairy Carrots in a Jar

Carrots growing in jars.

Beginner | Indoors or Outdoors

This is a fun beginner project: grow tiny carrots in a mason jar or small flower pot. It’s best in a pot with drainage holes but use what you have. With a clear container you can see the roots as the plants grow and harvest sweet little carrots.

Supplies

  • Carrot seeds
  • Mason jar or flower pot
  • Potting mix

Instructions: How to Grow Fairy Carrots in Jars

3Make Seed Tapes

Garden seed tapes.

Fine Motor Skills | Indoor DIY

Some seeds are so tiny they are nearly impossible to sow. Seed tapes to the rescue! This project will appeal to kids who enjoy fine motor skills and organization.

Tiny seeds are attached to tissue paper with a simple flour glue. The whole thing is planted at sowing time—the tissue will gradually dissolve.

Supplies

  • Seeds
  • Toilet paper or tissue
  • Flour and water
  • Paint brush or pencil

Instructions: How to Make Seed Tapes

4Grow Salad Greens in a Container

Cutting lettuce leaves.

Beginner | Indoors or Outdoors

Leafy greens are one of the easiest crops to grow. They are edible throughout the growth cycle and many mature within 6 weeks. Plus, some regrow several times after cutting the leaves with scissors. This project can be done indoors or outdoors.

Supplies

  • Seeds – Follow sowing instructions on packet
  • Flower pot or window box with drainage holes
  • Potting mix

Get a pack of mesclun salad mix seeds and see How to Grow Salads Indoors for more information.

5Regrow Food Scraps Into Plants

Avocado seed sprounting.

Beginner | Indoors

Have you seen those articles online claiming you can grow your own produce from existing food scraps? They are misleading. But, if the right parts of the plant are intact, you can make some veggies continue growing or grow their seeds into plants. Two good starter projects including sowing the pit of an avocado or a ginger root.

Supplies

  • Viable vegetable scraps: options include avocado, ginger, green onions, celery, and more.
  • Paper towel and plastic bag or container
  • Flower pot or large cup with drainage holes
  • Potting mix

Learn more: 7 Fruits and Veggies to Regrow and
39 Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs to Regrow From Scraps.

Recommended Books

Indoor Kitchen Gardening book cover.
Indoor Kitchen Gardening
Growing Salads Indoors book cover.
Growing Salads Indoors

Plan and Grow a Garden

6Start a Veggie or Flower Garden (or Both)

Vegetable planting plan.

Intermediate | Outdoors in Containers or In Ground

Once you’ve got the hang of seed sowing and basic plant care, it’s time to plan a veggie garden. Most crops can grow in containers (pots, window boxes, or raised beds) or in the ground. Work with what you have and sow where the sun shines.

Some kids really love having their own designated garden space where they can grow what interests them.

Do you want to grow vegetables, herbs, flowers, or fruits? Or some of everything?

Resources

How to Grow Your First Vegetable Garden walks you through everything you need to get started.

The book Square Foot Gardening with Kids is a good basic beginner guide.

7Grow a Theme Garden

Hummingbird

Intermediate | Outdoors

There are countless possible garden themes: pick a plant, color, superhero, or other topic that interests your child and select plants and garden art based on the theme.

  • Plants for Butterflies and Other Pollinators
  • Plants for Hummingbirds
  • Grow a Moon Garden: Choose white flowers that reflect moon light or grow moonflowers that only open at night.
  • Grow a Pizza Garden: veggies and herbs for toppings & sauce.
  • Color-Themed Garden: choose plants all with certain color leaves or flowers. Or combine a few favorites.
  • Superhero Garden: spiderman, batman, superwoman—what do they make you think of?

Some seed sellers and plant nurseries bundle seeds or plants by theme.

8Grow Giant Sunflowers

Sunflower

Beginner | Outdoors – In Ground

This one takes time but will be fun. To grow really tall sunflowers, you have to start with the right seeds. I’ve listed suggestions for sunflowers that get either huge flowerheads and/or grow really tall (16-feet!).

Supplies

  • Giant sunflower seeds – Follow sowing instructions on packet
  • Outdoor garden

See How to Grow Giant Sunflowers for seed recommendations and growing tips.

9Grow a Plant Teepee

Nasturtiums

Intermediate | Outdoor
DIY Project – In Ground

You’ve probably seen these lovely living tents. You start with a basic structure made from bamboo poles or other supports and grow climbing vines around the base. Seed options include sweet pea vines, nasturtium vines, cucumbers, squash, scarlet runner beans or tall sunflowers (no supports needed).

Supplies

  • Seeds – tall sunflowers, climbing vegetables or other vines
  • 8-foot bamboo or other support posts
  • Twine

Check your seed packets for sowing instructions.

Grow Your Imagination

10Make Mud Pies and Dandelion Crowns

Daisy

Everyone | Outdoors

I had to include this. Outdoor play is a wonderful for kids and there’s nothing like making mud pies, playing with sand, hide and seek, with lots of laughter and running around. If you have the space, get everyone off screens and be free to play.

If you’ve got lots of flowers or flowering weeds, it’s time to make a flower crown. Dandelions and daisies work nicely.

11Make a Fort

Child's play fort.

Everyone | Outdoors

Sometimes a simple idea creates the most memorable experience. Have you got old bed sheets or sleeping bags or curtains and some clothes pegs? It’s fort making time. Once the fort is ready, it’s time to play, read, write, draw, and watch birds from the cozy nook.

Supplies

  • Bed sheets, curtains, sleeping bags
  • Clothes pegs
  • Patio furniture (for structure)

12Make a Miniature Garden

Fairy garden with miniature house.

Beginner and Intermediate | Indoors or Outdoors

This is a project you should be able to do without spending any money. Use toys you already have to create a little play world in the garden. If you want to keep it ongoing, make it in a container of some kind so it can be moved when rain is expected.

Supplies

  • Small toys or fairy garden miniatures
  • Suitcase, old baking sheet, or other container
  • Grass lawn, soil, sand, or plants (optional).

Ideas

  • How to Make a Fairy Garden
  • How to Make Fairy Garden Miniatures with Polymer Clay

Garden shadow box with garden photo and miniatures.

Related: Make a Garden Shadow Box With Miniature Keepsakes


13Write and Read Garden Stories and Poetry

The Secret Garden book.

Everyone | Outdoors

Find a comfortable place to sit, grab a notebook and see where the muse leads you. Thoughts, stories, poems, …. Anything goes. Just enjoy a quiet time outdoors.

14Put on a Play or Puppet Show

Puppet

Everyone | Outdoors

If your child is a natural story teller or performer, it’s show time. Set up a simple performance area, hold some rehearsals, and bring your patio chairs at show time.

Stuck on the script? Use a favorite movie or story plot as the starting point.

Prop Ideas

  • Puppets, toys, books, dress up clothes

15Make a Movie or Stop Motion Animation

Mobile phone camera.

Advanced | Camera and Computer

Got a budding filmmaker or future YouTube star? With the garden as the stage, any camera can be used to shoot movies or create stop motion animations. Film outside and edit indoors on a rainy day.

Most computers have access to an edit program like Moviemaker or iMovie.

Garden Arts & Crafts

16Make Stepping Stones

Stepping stones shaped like large leaves.

Intermediate | Outdoor DIY

Stepping stones could be for hopscotch or a garden path. Decorate ready-made paving stones or get a DIY kit and include handprints or footprints—or make impressions of sticks and leaves.  

Get a Stepping Stone Kit here | Amazon

17Hand Paint Stones

Stones painted to look like strawberries.

Beginner | Garden Arts & Crafts

Wash and dry stones and use craft paints to create hand-painted ladybugs, bees, spiders, strawberries and more.

Or make a set of stone plant markers for your garden vegetables.

Instructions: Stone Painting for Beginners | Paint Strawberry Rocks

Also see 25 Creative DIY Plant Tags & Markers for your garden.

18Create Plant Markers

Beginner | Garden Arts & Crafts

Seedlings

Make decorative plant markers for the plants in your garden. It’s also a nice gift idea for a favorite gardener.

Supplies

  • Paint stir sticks, wooden spoons (check the dollar store), scrap strips of wood, popsicle sticks, old canning lid jars, stones.
  • Paint and markers suitable for surface.

19Make Garden Treasure Jar Luminaries

Luminaries made from food jars.

Beginner with Adult Help | Garden Arts & Crafts

The glue for this one will require adult supervision. Use flat-bottom marbles (glass gems) and old food jars to create garden luminaries. Add a solar votive light to make them glow at night. When my kids were little they liked to hide secret notes inside.

Supplies

  • Small food jars with lids
  • Glass gems (flat-bottom marbles)
  • Adhesive

Tutorial: How to Make Garden Treasure Jar Luminaries

20Paint Flower Pots

Hand-painted clay flower pot.

Beginner | Garden Arts & Crafts

It’s possible to paint both clay and some plastic pots with the right preparation and paint. If you have a bunch of pots in different size, you can also create clay pot people and pets with them.

Tutorial: How to Hand Paint Flower Pots and
Clay Pot Garden Art Ideas

21Create Leaf and Flower Prints

Leaves

Beginner | Garden Arts & Crafts

There are lots of ways to do this. One easy way is to lightly brush acrylic craft paint onto leaves and then press the painted size down on paper.

Flower pounding is another method. You take colorful flower petals, sandwich them between pieces of paper or plain cloth, and gently hammer them until the pigments transfer to the paper below. There are plenty of tutorials online.

Creative Record Keeping

22Photograph the Garden

Garden with flower beds.

Beginner | Garden Arts & Crafts

I loved lending my kids a camera when they were little. They had so many funny and creative ways of taking pictures.

Sometimes the whole set of images was silly selfies. Other times it was blurry close-ups of insects, buds and blooms, the underside of plants, or the secret life of ants. Give them the freedom to document the garden how they see it. Homeschoolers could pick a curriculum topic and document it.

23Paint or Sketch the Garden

Primula flowers.

Beginner | Garden Arts & Crafts

Set up a table and chair with the art supplies and your child is set. You might want to join in too and create your own garden painting.

Supplies

  • Paper or canvas
  • Craft paints, watercolors, paint brushes
  • Colored pencils, markers

24Keep a Garden Journal

Garden journal.

Beginner | Garden Arts & Crafts

A garden journal can be anything your child wants it to be, depending on their personality and interests.

Some will enjoy documenting seed sowing, listing seed names, dates, sowing conditions, daily changes and wildlife sightings.

Others will want to be more artful with sketches or pictures and poems. Let them lead the way. It’s very satisfying to get through a whole gardening season with a full journal in hand. The practical notes also serve as good reminders for next year.

25Learn Your Plant Hardiness Zone

Hardiness zone maps.

Intermediate | Garden Fundamentals

Plants and seeds are sold with zones listed on the tags so we’ll know if they are suitable for our growing regions.

Science-minded kids can research their own gardening zone number and look up suitable plant options. This is also a good opportunity to learn about annuals and perennials.

Find Your Frost Dates & Hardiness Zone

Plant Hardiness Zones | United States flag United States | Canadian flag Canada
These are listed on seed packets and plant tags to guide your choices.

Average Frost Dates | Use this calculator at Almanac.com. Enter your city and state or province to find your first and last frost dates and number of frost-free days.

Ecoregion | Learn about local native plants, animal species, and environmental conditions to make garden choices that benefit your ecosystem.

Learn More: Understanding Frosts & Freezing For Gardeners

26Create a Garden Map

Sketch book with pencil.

Intermediate | Drawing & Measuring

Got a map maker in the family?

Having a map of your garden is helpful both for plant care and future planning.

Depending on the child’s interests and abilities, this could be a simple sketch or a map made to scale.

Young geographers may enjoy plotting it out and listing all the existing plants by name.

Mystery plants can be identified through photos (reverse lookup on Google), a plant identification app, or have an adult ask in a plant ID group online.

DIY Garden Projects

27Make a Hypertufa Planter

Hypertufa planter with succulents.

Intermediate | Garden Arts & Crafts

This is fun for older kids who like a hands-on mud-pie-inspired project with adult assistance.

Portland cement and other ingredients are combined to form unique planters. It can be messy but it’s really fun.

Tutorial: How to Make Hypertufa Garden Creations

28Make a Tabletop Fountain

Fairy garden fountain.

Beginner | Garden Arts & Crafts

With a small recirculating pump and some watertight containers, you can create a tabletop fountain for your patio or balcony. While too small for fish, you may be able to grow water plants in there.

Tutorials: How to Build a Patio Water Feature and
How to Make a Fairy Garden Fountain

29Make a Compost Pile

Compost bin with squash vine.

Intermediate | Outdoors

Some kids will love this, especially if they get the eco-friendly aspect of it, others may not.

Depending on your situation, a compost pile could be a designated area in the garden, a hole in the ground, or a container with a lid. Food scraps and yard waste are combined together encouraging microbes to do their magic, breaking everything down into beautiful garden soil.

It’s an ongoing science lesson, requires physical work, and provides free nutrients for your garden.

Learn More: Composting 101 for Beginners

Insects, Birds, and Butterflies

30Make a Pollinator Palace

Bug hotel on fence.

Beginner | Wildlife DIY

Also called bug houses, these are collections of natural materials providing insect habitat.

For the one pictured here, I used a house-shaped wood shelf and added items found in my garden including twigs, trimmed branches, and pinecones. If insects nest in it, you’ll want to replace the contents each year.

31Make a Water Feeder or Puddler

Grapevine wreath butterfly water feeder.

Beginner | Garden Arts & Crafts

Is fresh water available for living things in your garden?

Water feeders are simple to make. Place it on or near the ground or hang it from a tree branch and provide clean, fresh water daily. Birds, bees, dragonflies, butterflies and more will all make use of it.

Instructions: How to Make a Butterfly Water Feeder

32Make a Toad House

Toad house.

Beginner | Wildlife DIY

If you have toads or frogs in your garden, give them shady hiding spot.

A flower pot on its side, half buried in the soil makes a nice hidey hut.

34Make a Recycled Bird Feeder

Homemade water bottle bird feeders.

Intermediate | Garden Arts & Crafts

Old plastic soda pop bottles can be made into hanging bird feeders.

Instructions: DIY Water Bottle Bird Feeder

Using Natural Treasures

34Make Pressed Flowers

Pressed flowers.

Intermediate | Garden Arts & Crafts

Any leaves, twigs, or flowers can be saved and dried as pressed flowers. Keep them in collections or use them for crafts.

This can be done quickly in a microwave oven or the old-fashioned way by pressing them between absorbent sheets of paper inserted into heavy books. You can also buy flower presses.

Instructions: How to Make Pressed Flowers and Leaves

35Start an Outdoor Natural Treasure Collection

Natural treasures from the garden.

Beginner | Garden Arts & Crafts

Similar to a bug house, I have shelves in my garden where I collect natural treasures. It’s stuff I like that I find while working in the garden.

Whether it’s a beautiful piece of lichen that has fallen off a tree trunk or an old bird’s nest, there are so many beautiful finds.

Collect old wasp nests, dried seed pods, pinecones, and more.

Always wear gloves while handling these materials and wash your hands afterwards.

Nature is beautiful. Gardening is a wonderful at any age. Let’s enjoy it.

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛

Little girl planting flowers in the garden.
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Melissa J. Will - Empress of DirtWelcome!
I’m Melissa J. Will a.k.a. the Empress of Dirt (Ontario, Canada).
Join me as I share creative + frugal home & garden ideas with a dash of humor.
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