Encouraging Your Little Ones to Grow Their Own Veggies | #CP

If you find that the moment you present your child with a plate full of delicious goodness they instantly turn their noses up and push their plate away, then you’re not the only one. The struggle of getting your child or children to eat the right amount of fruit and veg per day is extremely real, especially when there are so many brightly coloured, character-inspired items on the shelves that are jam packed with sweeteners/additives and so on. It’s time to really focus on what children like in order to get them to enjoy their greens, and this involves getting a little more hands-on. Encouraging your child to grow their own vegetables is the perfect way to get them interacting, understanding and interested in the vegetables.

Starting Point

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Getting started with your vegetable growing project is an important step, as you need to ensure everything is right and ready to go. Start by selecting the sunniest spot in the garden for the vegetable patch to go, and prepare the ground by removing any weeds, stones or debris that has gathered there over the last few weeks. You then need to add some compost to this area to prepare the ground properly. If you don’t have the option to introduce a veggie patch to your garden, you can grow just as successfully with a cold frame or in plant pots on the windowsill. You then need to ensure you have the right equipment for your child to use, as you need to make sure they’re safe and protected whenever carrying out their gardening projects. The best equipment to have for your child includes gardening gloves, a gardening apron, child-friendly tools (unless under extremely close supervision by yourself) and goggles for when needed.

What Can They Grow?

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When it comes to deciding which vegetables are the best to grow, you want to focus on helping them choose a vegetable that is easy to grow and tasty to eat. There are lots of delicious vegetables to choose from, including potatoes, cabbages, radishes, tomatoes and carrots. Once your little one has decided what they want to grow, you can help them understand what the growing process will include, as well as what they’re going to be doing in order to help their veggies grow.

Independent and Responsible

Growing their own vegetables will give your child a huge sense of independence, as well as giving them something to be responsible for. Dependant on your child’s age, you may feel that they haven’t had to look after anything or care for anything to this extent before, and having these responsibilities, such as watering the crops on a daily basis or pulling weeds from the surrounding area, will really help them to feel confident and excited about the project they’re carrying out. You’ll also find that this project idea will give your child something to be proud of, as they have put the hard work and effort in with a reward that they can see and enjoy too.

From Garden to Plate

The hardest part about getting your little ones to enjoy vegetables is the eating stage. Whilst you may have found that your child turned their nose up at certain veggies, you will now find that they are so proud and excited by the project they have undertaken, that they now want to eat and enjoy their finished product. This is the perfect way to keep the interest strong and clear with your child, whilst also educating them on where vegetables come from, how they grow and also how you can eat them once ready. 

Thanks for reading!