Gardening with children provides numerous opportunities for hands-on learning, inquiry, observation, and experimentation. Gardening also helps children build an understanding of and respect for nature and our environment. When children participate in growing edible plants, they are more motivated to taste, eat, and enjoy fruits and vegetables.
With some planning, you can design and install a garden that will suit the needs of the children and adults that will be using it. Dream big, start small, and have fun!
Location
Locate the garden in a sunny spot, not too far from the building. Having the garden close to the center of activity makes it easier to keep an eye out for weeds, insect pests, watering needs, and ripe vegetables during harvest time. Before deciding where to locate your garden, pay attention to the sun patterns in your outdoor space for a few days. Which area gets the most afternoon sun in the summer? Is that spot relatively flat and accessible? If so, it may be the best location for your new garden.
Other things to consider:
- Proximity to a water source – the closer the better.
- Storage for garden tools, such as shovels, watering cans, etc. Locating your garden next to existing storage, or in a spot where you can accommodate new storage, is ideal.
Layout
Decide on the size and dimensions of your garden beds. It may be helpful to sketch out your plan on gridded paper to get an idea of how the garden fits in with the existing elements in your space.
Design tips:
- Keep beds narrow so that children can reach the middle of the bed from both sides (no more than 3-4 feet wide)
- Space garden beds far enough apart to allow room for children to walk between them (minimum of 2 feet)
To test the layout of your garden beds, you can lay a garden hose on the ground to mark the outline of the beds. Or, sprinkle flour on the ground in the shape of the bed you are imagining to see what will work in your space.
Construction
There are many different design options depending on the space and time you have. A traditional outdoor garden is planted in the ground. Unless the area has been cultivated before, you will need a tiller to break the compacted soil before you begin planting.