Teaching Kids to Love the Outdoors

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Back in the days, kids would love to go outside to play with the other kids in the neighborhood. Going home all muddy and dirty didn’t seem to be a big deal for most parents back then. Nowadays, adults seem to be too careful not to let their children touch anything dirty outside.

Along with the constant use of technology, more and more children opt to stay indoors and play with their phones or gaming consoles. It might not be too late to let children appreciate the outdoors, and it should start in your home. For one, many homeowners hire landscaping services to keep their yards in top shape.

This is also an excellent opportunity to teach your kids to appreciate the outdoors, including landscaping, gardening, and nature in general. Landscaping and gardening are generally associated as an activity for adults and the elderly. However, these can be beneficial and enjoyable for kids.

How gardening can benefit kids

Gardening is a great activity to introduce to young children. It is one way for them to get out of the house and learn to appreciate the beauty of the outdoors. It is also an excellent opportunity to teach children that there’s another world beyond the four corners of their rooms and that they should take a break from their electronic gadgets.

Children are naturally curious creatures. Anything new to their eyes will stimulate their senses. Gardening is one way to stimulate their minds, satisfy their curiosity, and help the environment. Aside from these, here are the other benefits of teaching kids the value of gardening:

They develop a sense of responsibility by taking care of plants, flowers, and other greens.

They can understand the implications of their actions. For example, they will learn that plants will wither and die if they do not water them regularly.

They will learn to appreciate hard work and feel more confident about their skills. For example, they will learn to love vegetables they tended by themselves (under adult supervision, of course).

They become more productive and learn something new at the same time.

They can become healthier and happier children in the future.

Encouraging children to appreciate gardening

Here are some things you can do to make children understand the beauty of gardening:

Give them a small lot in your backyard where they can tend their garden produce. This can help encourage them to take care of their greens.

Let them choose gardening tools they can use. Make sure that the tools suit their age and height. Safety should also be considered when using gardening tools.

Also, let them decide what seeds to plant, whether it’s a flower or a vegetable.

Once it’s time to harvest their vegetables or fruits, encourage them to plan for their meals and enjoy the fruits of their hard work.

With the prevalence of gadgets, it is still not too late to teach your children to appreciate the outdoors. One way is to take them outside and teach them the art of landscaping and gardening. They will surely love it!