Now that spring is here, most states are starting to thaw out and warm up. This an excellent time to begin a garden, no matter how small, and teach the kids about botany, art, vocabulary, water conservation, nutrition, and so much more.
I’m a firm believer in getting the most bang for my buck and most use out of every moment. Each lesson you teach your kids can incorporate many subjects, not just the most obvious one at hand. Gardening is no different.
The house we live in now has a nice back and front yard, but even when we lived in an apartment we still did container gardening. So, no matter how little space you have, you can enjoy beautiful flowers, fresh herbs, and juicy tomatoes.
A Whole Curriculum
There are few home school activities that are as fun or rewarding as home gardening, and using this subject as an entire curriculum makes it more enjoyable.
Even on a tight budget it doesn’t take much money to buy a few packets of seeds and potting soil. As the plants grow, kids can keep a journal of their progress, drawing pictures of the developing plants, labeling them, coloring or painting their drawings, and writing about the various elements present. What’s the weather like each day? Are you growing the plants indoors or outdoors? How much watering do they need? How much do the plants grow every week?
A spelling list can be created out of plant names—both common and Latin—plant parts, and everything that goes along with gardening. I usually come up with a master list of at least 50 words at the beginning of the week and give my kids 10 words from the list each day. You can recycle the list for an entire month, or come up with new words.
Depending on what you’re growing, you can look up the history, nutritional values, recipes, safe and natural insect repellents, art projects and so much more. Instead of trying to put together many separate lessons, incorporate your main project into every school subject you can. This way your kids are getting a thorough education in the subject at hand and you don’t have to stress trying to come up with many varied lessons.
Getting Started
The first time you try out home gardening things may not go as well as next year and the year after, which is why keeping a journal will help. Some plants will thrive in your area, while others may wilt and die within days. Other plants will need more shade or more sun. Following guidance in a gardening book is helpful, but could never take the place of personal experience.
For starting seeds, one of the best things we’ve found is cardboard egg cartons. This is a great way to reuse something instead of throwing it away and adding to our overly filled landfills. Simply fill each section of the carton with soil, poke a shallow hole in each area with your finger, add two or three seeds, then cover them up with soil. Add just a bit of water to moisten the dirt but not drown the seeds.
Check each day to see if the seeds need more water and be sure to place them in a sunny location, such as a table near a window. Set the cardboard egg cartons on a baking sheet or something else to protect the table or counter from any water damage.
Transplanting
When the seeds have sprouted and are about three inches high you can then transplant them outdoors in your garden or in bigger pots. Just cut apart the individual egg sections and pop them right into the ground. The cardboard is biodegradable and you won’t shock the plant roots this way.
As time goes by your children will be able to pick flowers or vegetables, and use herbs in cooking that they grew themselves. Ever since we started growing our own tomatoes my kids are amazed at how bland store bought tomatoes taste. We also have a nice supply of our own dried herbs.
Give home gardening a try and use it for many of your home schooling lessons. You and your kids will probably have a wonderful time doing it.