Children are more likely to try new foods when they have the opportunity to see how their food grows. Use gardening and edible activities to teach children of all ages about healthy food, letters of the alphabet, reading, and more. You can even use your SNAP benefits to purchase seeds and edible plants. Try one of these gardening activities with your child.
- Get children excited about the growing process with a simple seed dissection activity using lima beans soaked in water. Watch this video for step-by-step instructions.
- Watch how seeds germinate using the Garden in a Glove activity, in which children will “plant” a seed in each finger of a clear food-prep glove and watch it sprout.
- Use recycled yogurt and other small food or beverage containers to grow seeds. Thoroughly wash and rinse containers before planting.
- Engage children in gardening using the Salad Cup Terrarium. Students will observe the moisture in the soil, see it warm up and form condensation inside the lid, then watch as it cools and drops down to the soil again.
- Students will plant and observe seeds, as they sprout and grow into tiny edible plants in a salad necklace.
Many fruits and vegetables grow well in small spaces, containers, and gardens. Try growing one of these plants at home:
- Leaf lettuce
- Radish
- Sugar Snap Peas
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
For more information about planning a garden and gardening activities to do with your child. Visit one of these great resources.
