Growing vegetables with kids IS the best!

You don’t have to be remotely green fingered to help.

AND growing vegetables, kids get to:

1. Play out
2. Get muddy
3. Look after something
4. Produce something real & valuable
5. Learn loads about plants, seeds and fertilisation
6. Observe, explore and discover and build their naturalist skills
7. Have fun!

BUT what are the best vegetables to grow with kids?

Especially if you’re NOT the best gardener, yourself.

Well here are our ten faves …

1. Super Quick Radishes

If you want quick results grow radishes.

Not many kids – let’s be honest – will eat them.

BUT grandpas always will.

AND growing gifts is so empowering for kids.

2. Yummy Peas

Even picky eaters – like mine! – eat peas don’t they?

And they’re even yummier straight from the pod.

A big crop of peas needs some work.

But kids can easily grow a little tripod’s worth of snacks.

And even littlies can handle the pea seeds …

3. Easy Courgettes … For Chocolate Cake

Courgettes are super easy vegetables to grow with kids.

AND super cool with fancy male and female flowers.

PLUS you can make chocolate cake from them!

We grow courgettes every year.

And I have shared everything you need to know here …

4. Fun Beans

If your kids really struggle eating vegetables …

… they can always grow a teepee out of them!

Sounds a bit tricky. But it’s not.

And there are step by step instructions here from Adventure In a Box.

5. Cool Mushrooms

If like us you don’t live in the sunniest climes your kids can still grow vegetables in late winter and early spring.

We’ve had an ongoing crop of mushrooms in our kitchen this winter.

And my 8 year old has loved growing them.

And they are brilliant way to explore how fungi as a very different type of plant grows.

6. Winter Spuds

Potatoes are another great winter vegetable kids can grow.

Suprisingly you truly don’t need much space.

They will literally grow in a bucket.

And again they’re are another vegetable that grows in an unusual way.

You can find everything you need to know about growing potatoes with kids in this fab post from Amanda at The Educators Spin On It …

7. Grow & Grow Again Lettuce

Lettuces are another cool vegetable to grow with kids if you’re short on space.

They grow quickly.

And you can cut them and grow again and again to keep lettuces going all summer.

 

8. Tomatoes For Sauce

Now I have to be honest.

Growing tomatoes isn’t always the easiest.

But in a zillion different versions of pasta sauce kids eat so many tomatoes don’t they?

And I do think there’s something very special and powerful for kids to actually grow the food appearing on their table day after day.

So do give them a go.

Nell from Rhythms of Play has got great tips on growing tomatoes from seeds but also emphasises it’s perfectly OK to cheat slightly and plant bought seedlings with the kids when that’s more achievable …

9. Crunchy Carrots

Carrots also get eaten lots in our house.

Although, again they have a reputation for being tricky to grow.

Now if you want totally perfect straight carrots, yes they are!

BUT actually kids love seeing all the weird and wonderful shapes they will grow into if your soil isn’t quite as well dug and fertilised as it should be 😉

To give them a go with your kids check out these tips from Megan Zeni (who has loads of great advice for growing vegetables with kids both at home and at school).

10. Pumpkins For Halloween

OK.

My very final cool vegetable to grow with kids is the princely pumpkin!

Advanced warning … it’s ever so slightly stressful!

They do need early warmth which is trickier in the UK without a greenhouse.

And your kids MUST do slug patrol. Religiously.

BUT as Cerys from Rainy Day Mum shares there is nothing quite so good as growing your own pumpkin for Halloween …

So there you go.

Ten super cool, super fun vegetables to grow with kids. Enjoy!

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