14 Backyard Gardening Activities for Kids

Try a few of these backyard gardening activities with your kids this summer! Learn while playing and getting a bit messy outdoors.

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Gardening is a great summer activity and young children can help in the garden with simple tasks. It’s an easy way to teach them about bugs, plants, and nature.

Kids of all ages can help pull weeds and water plants. Here are a few ways they can help by age:

• Preschool: pick flowers, plant seeds with help, and observe
• Kids age 5 to 7: practice reading the words on seed packets, help carry tools and plants
• Kids age 8 to 10: plan where plants will go, estimate how big they will get, keep track of growth
• Tweens age 11 to 13: help build raised beds, trellises, and scarecrows; apply science and math class skills to the garden

You don’t need a big backyard to start a garden. Plant a few small flower beds, grow something in a container on your porch, or just set up a few little plant pots on a sunny windowsill.

The best way to get started is by asking your children what plants interest them. Kids love caring for flowers that are pretty and fruits or veggies that they’ll eat.

Paint garden markers

Keeping track of what you planted can be a chore, especially when all the seeds start to sprout and kind of look the same. Visit I Heart Arts n Crafts for a cute and colorful tutorial for making garden markers with your kids.

Plants from seeds

While some plants are easier to grow from a seedling purchased from a garden center, there are plenty that can be grown from seeds. Crafts on Sea has a list of plants that are easy for kids to grow. Most of these can grow anywhere, though you might need to find out which variety grows bet where you live.

Grow herbs to eat

Herbs are a good beginner garden plant because they grow quickly. Most don’t need much space either. Some herbs attract butterflies while other repel pests that will eat your veggies. Get tips from One Mama’s Daily Drama for growing herbs that you can eat.

Plant a butterfly garden

All flowers attract pollinators, but you can plant a whole butterfly garden like Peanut Blossom did. Find out which butterflies are native to your area or migrate through and choose a few of the flowers they love best.

Grow your own luffas

Did you know that the luffa you use in the shower comes from a gourd? You can grow your own luffa plants with tips from Little Sprouts Learning. Then follow their instructions for picking and drying them so you can use them around the house.

Start a garden log

Create a log for your kids to keep track of when they planted seeds and how the plants are growing. Make a daily log to keep track of watering. The Crazy Outdoor Mama has a printable bundle that includes a plant tracker, growth tracker, and other cute kids’ gardening activities.

Set up a honeybee station

Honeybees get hot and tired from working outdoors too! Learn how to set up a honeybee water station at Turning the Clock Back so that they can get a sip and cool off. Be sure to put it near your flowers, but away from where little ones might be playing.

Grow a pizza garden

Kids love pizza, so planting several of the ingredients is the perfect garden activity. Garden Chick has all the tips you need to choose plants for a pizza garden, grow them, and make your own pizza.

Grow a storybook garden

Similar to the pizza garden above, a storybook garden is designed around a theme. Pick one of your kids’ favorite books that features a garden and grow the same plants. Kitchen Counter Chronicles has a Peter Rabbit storybook garden.

Build a square foot garden

A square foot garden is the best way to grow a lot of plants in a small space. Visit Brooklyn Farm Girl to learn how to build a square foot garden box, including tips on using power tools with kids. This would be a wonderful family project to do together.

Grow Halloween pumpkins

Summer is the time to plant pumpkins that will be ready to harvest and carve into jack-o-lanterns for Halloween. Pumpkins grow on a vine, which can take up a lot of space. Visit Totally the Bomb for tips.

Plant grass in cups

Even if you don’t have an inch of backyard space, your kids can grow something green. Pre-K Pages shares how to grow grass seed in a cup. Grass grows quickly, so this is a good activity for young kids. They can also practice fine motor skills by trimming the grass with scissors.

Play in a bean pole tent

Pole beans (as opposed to bush beans) grow quickly and create lots of vines. This makes them perfect for growing in the shape of a teepee. Visit The Artful Parent for tips on building your structure and growing a bean pole tent in your backyard.

Make a scarecrow

Scarecrows are still a smart way to ward off birds and animals that will quickly turn your backyard garden into a meal. You can make a scarecrow from items you already have around the house, like 2 Little Hooligans.

Enjoy a few of the garden activities with your kids this summer. It’s a rewarding activity that combines learning and fun with a bit of fitness – and adults will enjoy it too.

More fun ideas from Backyard Summer Camp:

• 25 Cute Garden Crafts to Make With Kids
• 15 Backyard Nature Activities for Kids
• 35 Summer STEM Activities for Kids