Gardening supplies and tools in kid-friendly sizes and shapes can encourage your kids to help out with planting and cultivating.
Planning and tending to a family flower or vegetable garden can be exciting for the whole family, including your children, especially if they have their own tools. Working in a garden can seem like play when kids get to use tools with fun designs and bright colors. Cultivate the green thumb in your children by choosing the right supplies to make your family’s gardening experience enjoyable and productive.
Mini Hand Tools for Gardening
Kids have smaller hands than adults and are less dexterous, so they need implements that are sized appropriately. A child-size hand shovel or trowel makes it easier for little hands to dig planting holes, while a short-handled shovel can be helpful for digging larger areas. Kids can use small hand rakes or short-handled hoes to mix in mulch and aerate the soil. Size is the most important factor in choosing gardening tools for kids, but it is also important to look for tools that have solid, cushioned grips, safe edges and interesting designs, to make gardening tasks more fun for kids.
Other Gardening Supplies for Kids
Caring for a flower or vegetable garden requires more than just working with the soil. When tending to plants, kids may need to wear child-size gardening gloves to protect their hands from thorns and to help prevent blisters from forming. A small wheelbarrow, cart or wagon can be fun and useful, as kids can haul plants, weeds, mulch (or their friends!) around the garden.
Kids enjoy watering the garden too, which they can do with a small, lightweight watering can. Using the hose to water the garden is also fun, so choose a playful nozzle that is easy for smaller hands to operate.
Learning to care for flowers and vegetables can be entertaining for children and create a lifelong love of growing plants. Consequently, it’s a good idea to include a kid-friendly and age-appropriate book among your garden supplies.
Storing Kids’ Gardening Supplies
Once you purchase your kids’ tools, give some thought to how they will be stored when not in use. Kid-sized tools require the same care as adult tools, and they will last longer and work better if they are kept clean and dry. Designate a specific place to store garden supplies, so they are less likely to get lost or suffer damage. Some kids’ gardening supplies come in kits along with a storage tote or covered tool container, but you can also find separate containers for keeping tools organized. Teach kids how to take care of their tools, so they can enjoy them season after season.
Whether your family prefers to plant containers of flowers or a large vegetable garden, kids are more likely to want to get involved if they have their own tools and supplies. In Salt Lake City, grab the whole family and drop by Millcreek Gardens this weekend. There you’ll find everything you need to enjoy the great outdoors as a family, including plants, soil supplements and gardening supplies.