Getting Kids Interested in Gardening and Nature
Many people assume gardening is something you discover as an adult. You buy a house, plant a few flowers, grow a tomato or two, and before long you're reading seed catalogs in January.
But for many gardeners, the interest started much earlier.
Maybe it was catching frogs in a creek, digging for worms after a rainstorm, hunting for salamanders under logs, or checking a rain gauge with a parent or grandparent after a summer thunderstorm. The garden itself wasn't always the attraction. Nature was.
That's good news because children are naturally curious about the outdoors. They don't need much encouragement to investigate puddles, mud, bugs, birds, and anything that wiggles.
The Magic of Dirt
Adults sometimes spend a lot of time trying to keep children clean. Kids generally have other ideas.
A garden bed can be more interesting than many toys. Digging in the soil reveals earthworms, beetles, roots, stones, and all sorts of mysteries. Every shovelful seems to contain something worth investigating.
Children don't usually think of this as learning. They're simply exploring. But along the way they begin to understand that soil isn't just dirt. It's a living system filled with plants, insects, fungi, and countless organisms working together beneath the surface.
A simple magnifying glass can turn an ordinary patch of garden soil into an afternoon adventure.
Rain, Puddles, and Mud
Few things attract children faster than a puddle. After a rainstorm, the garden changes completely. Puddles appear, earthworms emerge, birds search for food, and the air smells different. Even adults tend to notice things they might otherwise overlook.
One of the simplest ways to make rainy weather more interesting is to pay attention to how much rain actually fell. A rain gauge turns weather into something you can observe and measure instead of simply talking about.
Over the years I've been surprised by how many teachers, grandparents, and parents buy rain gauges for children. Kids genuinely seem to enjoy them. There's something satisfying about checking the gauge after a storm and discovering whether yesterday's shower delivered a quarter inch of rain or a full inch.
Toads: The Garden's Favorite Resident
If you've never watched a child discover a toad hiding beneath a flower pot, you're missing out. Toads seem almost perfectly designed to capture a kid's imagination. They're harmless, a little mysterious, and often appear after rainy weather when children are already outside exploring.
Gardeners love them too. A single toad can consume a surprising number of insects, slugs, and other pests during the growing season.
If your garden provides a little shade, moisture, and shelter, chances are you'll eventually attract a few. Once children know they're there, checking the garden for toads often becomes part of the routine.
Meet some of the toads that visit my rain gauge workshop.
Birds Bring the Garden to Life
Flowers are beautiful, but birds make a garden feel alive. A robin pulling worms from the lawn, a hummingbird visiting flowers, or a chickadee stopping by a feeder can easily become the highlight of the day.
Many children naturally begin keeping track of the birds they see. It doesn't have to be formal. Simply noticing that different birds appear throughout the year helps create a stronger connection to the outdoors.
A pair of inexpensive binoculars can open up an entirely new world.
Turning Curiosity Into Conservation
As children become interested in birds, butterflies, insects, and other wildlife, many families discover that their yard can become more than just a place to play. The National Wildlife Federation's Certified Wildlife Habitat® program encourages homeowners to create outdoor spaces that provide food, water, shelter, places for wildlife to raise young, and sustainable gardening practices.
One of the most interesting aspects of the program is that many family gardens already meet some of the requirements. A birdbath, a few native flowers, a compost pile, and some shrubs can go a long way toward supporting local wildlife. Working toward certification can be a fun family project that gives children a chance to think about how animals use the landscape and what they need to survive.
For kids who already enjoy watching birds, counting butterflies, or checking a rain gauge after a storm, creating a wildlife habitat can be a natural next step.
Slugs, Snails, and Other Tiny Discoveries
Not every garden creature wins popularity contests with adults. Slugs and snails, however, are fascinating to children.
After a rainy evening, their shiny trails seem to appear everywhere. Children often become surprisingly interested in where they came from, where they're going, and why they only seem to show up under certain conditions. Those questions naturally lead to conversations about rainfall, moisture, weather, and the many small creatures that share our gardens.
It's another reason rain gauges can be such useful tools. When children start connecting rainfall to what they're seeing outdoors, weather becomes much more interesting.
Learn why slugs and snails are garden allies and what to do if you're adopted by a toad.
Gardens Change Every Day
One reason children enjoy nature is that there is always something new to discover.
A sunflower that seemed small last week suddenly towers overhead. A butterfly appears on a flower. A bird begins building a nest. A tomato starts turning red. A toad takes up residence under the hostas. Gardens reward curiosity.
Unlike many hobbies that require expensive equipment or detailed instruction, gardening begins simply by paying attention. The more time spent outdoors, the more there is to notice.
Growing a Lifelong Interest
Not every child who enjoys digging in the dirt becomes a gardener. Some become bird watchers. Some become naturalists. Some develop an interest in weather. Others simply grow up with an appreciation for the outdoors.
A rain gauge, a patch of flowers, a muddy puddle, a sunflower, or a backyard toad may seem like small things, but they often become the memories people carry with them for years.
Read More About Creating and Maintaining a Healthy Ecosystem
Backyard Wildlife
- Unusual and Little Known Pollinators
- Attracting Birds Without A Feeder
- The Secret Life of Earthworms
- National Moth Week
- The Difference Between a Pest and a Pest Problem