April has been very interested in flowers this year. She is always keen to point out when she notices flowers coming up. The only thing was that she would often want the full sensory experience; looking, smelling, squishing and oh yes ripping. I didn't want to see my beautiful spring bulbs ripped from the ground so when April's Easter gift had an empty sand box included I decided it would make a perfect little garden.
We took April to the local nursery and picked out some flowers that were in bloom now, some that would be soon and one little strawberry plant. We worked together to pour the soil, rake it out and dig holes for our new seedlings. April planted them with typical toddler vigor but her own sweet style. "There you go flower, there you go" she would say to them as she covered their roots with soil. We planted half the bed with seedlings and left the other half for raking (which is a daily chore lately) but I hope later this season I can convince April to lay some seeds there. Maybe some nasturtiums or even some pretty lettuce.
For now I love watching her tend to her garden. She brings worms to it, rakes the soil, pats down the soil around her flowers. I'm so proud of her nurturing spirit. She has not pulled out the flowers as I worried she might, instead she checks them daily and tends them. Oh my mama heart.
We have been inviting her into our food garden while we weed and rake in preparation of planting in the near future. I hope that the little gardener in her will be equally tender to my vegetable garden. Do you garden with your little ones?
What a great thing to teach your girl. The hubby is building me my first raised beds and I need gardening for dummies! Hope to bring my kids along for the ride though.
ReplyDeleteIt is so wonderful to give them that hands on experience. We have also been reading books like The Carrot Seed and Vegetable Soup to remind her of the processes going on in the garden.
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