Summer will be here before you know it and while this means you’ll want to rely on your Denver sprinkler system to keep your lawn in good condition, it also means your kids will be out of school. If you’re like most parents, you’re already worrying about finding ways to keep them entertained without letting them spend hours in front of the television or computer. Gardening is one of the best ways to get your kids outdoors while also helping them develop new skills that they can use throughout the rest of their lives. Getting them on board can be a bit of a challenge. Here are a few simple tips to help you get them excited and encourage them to spend more time playing in the dirt.

Give Them a Garden of Their Own
The best way to get kids involved in gardening and landscaping is to let them have a place to explore the hobby on their own. Find a spot in your yard and build a kid-friendly garden where they can work without damaging your other plants. If you’re not sure where to start, see if any parts of your current garden bed would work for the project. If you’re not using the full space, consider giving your kids a small part of the space. If you have plans for those garden beds, build a spot in your yard just for them.

Build a garden box to help contain the dirt and place it in a sunny spot in your yard. Once you pick a spot, fill the garden box with high-quality gardening soil. Just make sure that the box is low enough that kids can work in it comfortably. Built-up beds are great for teens and adults, but might be too tall for small children.

Show Them the Ropes
Remember, your kids may have watched you work in your garden, but that doesn’t mean they know what to do in theirs. Show them what they need to do to give their plants the care and attention they need to thrive. 

Just remember that they may not do things the way you would. That’s okay. This is a learning experience for them and they can learn from the mistakes they make. Show them how to turn the soil so it’s loose enough to hold moisture without stifling the roots. Talk about how to space plants out so they don’t get overly crowded, and let them ask questions, no matter how silly they might seem.

Let Your Kids Choose Their Plants
The easiest way to keep kids interested in their garden is to let them choose the plants they put in the garden. Take them with you to a local garden center and let them pick out a few things. If they love flowers, let them pick a few species and colors. If they want to grow vegetables, encourage them to pick things they’ll enjoy eating.

When they feel like they got to pick the plants in their garden, it will be easier to get them to take care of those plants. Ultimately, it’s their responsibility to keep their garden thriving during the growing season. 

Give Them the Right Tools
You know which tools you need to care for your plants and garden throughout the growing season. Without those tools, those daily tasks will be much harder. The same holds true for your children. They need the right types of equipment to help them plant and care for their garden. 

Unfortunately, most standard gardening tools are too large for younger kids to use comfortably. Instead of trying to get them to wield things that are too heavy or too large for their hands, invest in child-friendly gardening tools. 

Find shovels, trowels, and gloves designed to fit small hands comfortably. This will give them more control over their actions and helps them better care for their plants every day. As they grow, they’ll be able to use full-sized tools correctly after developing the right technique with tools that fit them when they were small. 

Create a Task List or Calendar
No matter how much your kids love their garden, they’ll need to remember what to do every day to keep their plants growing well. Start by going over the tasks they’ll need to take care of every day to give their plants the care they need. Explain what’s expected of them and have a plan to supervise them as they take care of their garden. This way, you’ll be able to help them experience a successful first growing season.

Once you have those responsibilities in place, write them down. Give your kids a task calendar that they can follow to make sure they take care of everything in a timely manner. Put the calendar somewhere that’s visible to them whenever they need to double check something. The refrigerator or their bedroom door at eye-level is a great place to hang it. As they fulfill those tasks, consider rewarding them with a sticker to reinforce their behaviors.

Be Patient
Remember, it’s normal for kids to have all sorts of questions about their plants and the tasks they have to take care of every day. Try to answer them to the best of your ability and be patient if you have to explain things more than once. If possible, let them shadow you while you work in your garden and maintain the rest of the yard. They can learn by watching just as easily as they learn by doing. By the end of the summer, you may end up with at least one helper who can take the stress out of maintaining and caring for your landscaping!

Get Your Yard Ready for Summer Now
Before you and your kids start getting your hands dirty, give your yard a little TLC. Weed your garden beds, inspect your lawn for underperforming growth, and make sure your sprinkler system is ready for the heat. Contact our team to schedule a sprinkler system tune-up so you can keep your lawn looking great throughout the summer months.