Autumn is an important season in the garden. We’re transitioning into a less active growing season, catching up on various garden chores and maintenance, and taking stock of what spring and summer have taught us. Just as important however is the opportunity fall gardening offers us—we can use this time to introduce young gardeners to the joys of gardening. Summer vacation is over and school’s back in session and while things are busy younger people may still be looking for outdoor activities. Fall garden projects for kids are a great way to get the next generation of gardeners started and help them grow into the hobby. So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at some fall garden projects for kids!
Depending on where you live, fall may not be the most vibrant time for outdoor gardening but you may be able to start a small container garden with the young person in your life. This can be a single container with one or more plants in it or a collection of simple plants in containers. While this is easy gardening, it’s also a great chance to explore how plants grow by teaching younger people what plants need to grow. You can show them how plants interact with light, how watering works, and what kinds of soil conditions different plants needs. You could perhaps start some seeds and watch the process of life beginning. If you have the space, you can even teach some basic gardening skills like seed starting, transplanting, and working with soil amendments. As with all things container garden/indoor garden, the possibilities really are endless even in a smaller space and it’s a great way to start a child on the path to gardening.
Wild grapes grow across North America, and you may be lucky enough to have some cultivated grapevines near you as well. If you do, you also have an excellent opportunity for a fun all-ages garden activity: making grapevine wreaths. Our friends at Cornell University’s Cooperative Extension office have some fun instructions here, but we’d like to add our own twist. Take this as an opportunity not just to do something fun, but to explore the structures and anatomy of grapevines. You can learn about the different structures on the grape vine and what functions they server, as well as learning how to prune plants safely and use basic garden tools. For both new gardeners and gardeners who want to learn more, this can be a lot of fun while also being educational.
While garden projects for kids are fun, fall gardening is also a great time to take your kid into the garden with you. Not matter their age, you can show them how things work as you amend soil, turn and maintain a compost heap or composter, prune and trim, or even just rake leaves. It’s a great chance to show them how gardens—and by extension the entire natural world—fit together and what each piece does. Young kids may not always be the best possible helpers, but by involving them you’ll be raising the next generation of garden lovers and exposing them to some wonderful knowledge about plants, nature, and weather. It’s a great way to spend time together and perhaps do something outdoors in fresh air.
Kids want to learn and they love to explore, so by making gardening engaging all year long you can help them discover it for themselves and see if its right for them. Whether or not they become lifelong gardeners, you’ll have helped them learn a host of valuable life lessons and exposed them to a beautiful facet of life on Earth. We hope you’ll bring your kids to gardening—or gardening to your kids—both this fall and year round!
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