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14 Exciting Gardening Projects for Kids
Gardening can be a fun and educational activity for kids of all ages. Here are 14 easy and engaging gardening projects that are perfect for primary school children:
1. Pot Up Colourful Containers
Materials:
- Colorful plastic pots or terracotta pots
- Peat-free multi-purpose compost
- Plants from the garden center
Instructions:
- Choose plants from the seasonal displays at the garden center.
- Ensure the pots have drainage holes.
- Fill the pots with compost until they are two-thirds full.
- Remove the plants from their pots and place them in the compost.
- Fill in around the roots with more compost and firm in well.
- Water the plants and place them in a sunny spot.
2. Make a Fairy Garden
Materials:
- Stones for paths
- Twigs for fences
- Ferns and other small plants
- Ribbons
- Cardboard or lid of an ice-cream tub
Instructions:
- Find a spot at the base of a tree or in a hollow in the ground.
- Help kids collect stones for paths and twigs for fences.
- Plant ferns and other small plants around the trunk.
- Tie ribbons to branches.
- Decorate a piece of cardboard or the lid of an ice-cream tub to create a fairy door.
3. Create a Dinosaur Herb Garden
Materials:
- Crate
- Colorful dinosaurs
- Herb plants (e.g., thyme, strawberries)
- Marker pen
Instructions:
- Stencil the child’s name onto the crate.
- Use dinosaurs as plant labels.
- Grow scented herbs and things kids will love to eat.
- Write the name of each plant on the dinosaur labels.
- Position the display in a sunny spot and water regularly.
4. Build a Twig Teepee
Materials:
- Branches
- Wall, fence, or tree
Instructions:
- Help kids stack branches against a wall, fence, or tree.
- Arrange the branches to create dense walls for privacy.
- Leave an opening just wide enough for kids to crawl through.
5. Create a Terrarium Mini-World
Materials:
- Large glass jar
- Gravel
- Compost
- Succulent plants
- Small toys (e.g., Lego people)
Instructions:
- Place gravel in the base of the jar.
- Top with a layer of compost.
- Add the succulent plants and arrange them into a display.
- Firm in with fingers or a pencil.
- Add a little water and a layer of gravel to hold in the moisture.
- Stand the jar on a bright windowsill out of direct sunlight.
- Add small toys to create a miniature world.
6. Make a Bug Box
Materials:
- Open-fronted box
- Materials to fill the box (e.g., drilled log, pine cones, stones, broken pots, twigs, dried grass)
Instructions:
- Help kids run around the garden to collect materials for the box.
- A drilled log may provide a home for solitary bees.
- Stacks of pine cones, stones, broken pots, twigs, and dried grass can attract ladybirds, woodlice, and even mice or toads.
7. Collect Seeds
Materials:
- Plants with ripe seedheads
Instructions:
- Show kids how to burst seedpods and shake seeds from ripe seedheads.
- Help them design and make paper seed packets to store the seeds.
8. Make a Pond in a Pot
Materials:
- Large, shallow container with no drainage holes
- Pond and marginal plants
- Oxygenator
- Water
Instructions:
- Add a selection of pond and marginal plants to the container.
- Include an oxygenator to help keep the water clear.
- Site the pond in a little shade rather than in full sun.
- Keep the water topped up.
9. Grow Micro-Greens
Materials:
- Seeds of any vegetable with edible leaves (e.g., basil, broccoli, spinach)
- Plastic cups, yoghurt pots, or biodegradable pots
- Compost
- Water
Instructions:
- Fill the pots almost to the top with compost.
- Scatter the seeds thinly across the surface.
- Cover with a little compost.
- Water to dampen the compost.
- Check the pots regularly to make sure they don’t dry out.
- Place the pots on an indoor windowsill to grow.
- Snip off the microgreens at the base to harvest them.
10. Create a Succulent Plant Display
Materials:
- Succulent plants
- Pot
- Cactus compost
- Horticultural gravel
Instructions:
- Arrange the succulent plants evenly around the pot.
- Fill in around them with cactus compost.
- Top-dress with horticultural gravel.
- Kids can add personal touches, such as toy dinosaurs, to make the display unique.
- The display can stay outside over summer and then be moved to a bedroom windowsill in autumn.
11. Make a Grass Bucket Seat
Materials:
- Old metal bucket or bin
- Compost
- Lawn seed
- Water
- Shears or scissors
Instructions:
- Add drainage holes to the bottom of the bucket.
- Fill the bucket to the brim with compost.
- Sprinkle lawn seed over the top.
- Water it well and leave to germinate.
- Encourage kids to cut the grass when it’s thick enough.
12. Make Hanging Tin-Can Planters
Materials:
- Tin cans
- Hammer and nail
- Paint
- Compost
- Plants
Instructions:
- Punch holes in the base and near the top of each can for drainage and hanging.
- Paint the cans different colors.
- Let kids choose where to place the pots and hang them on nails.
- Let kids choose what to grow in the cans.
- Water the pots daily and encourage kids to remove dead flowers.
13. Plant Up a Funny Face
Materials:
- Pot of cat grass
- 2-liter soft drinks bottle
- PVA glue
- Goggly eyes
- Fabric scraps
Instructions:
- Cut the soft drinks bottle to size.
- Remove the cat grass from its pot and place it in the new pot.
- Decorate the pot with PVA glue, goggly eyes, and fabric scraps to create a funny face.
- Place the pot on a sunny windowsill and water regularly.
14. Grow Radishes
Materials:
- Container
- Peat-free, multi-purpose compost
- Radish seeds
- Water
Instructions:
- Fill the container with compost and firm it down.
- Encourage kids to make holes in the compost about 1 cm deep.
- Drop a seed into each hole and cover with more compost.
- Water the container well after sowing.
- Water the plants frequently, especially in summer.
- The radishes will be ready to harvest in about four to six weeks.
