Gardening with toddlers isn’t just about playing in the dirt, although that’s definitely part of the fun! For your little one, the backyard can take them on a magical journey filled with sensory delights, endless learning opportunities, and some seriously sweet bonding moments. And getting our little ones connected with nature from a young age sets them up for an eco-conscious life.
If you’ve ever found yourself juggling parenthood with your passion for gardening, you’re not alone. That was us, trying to keep our one-and-a-half year old entertained while we tended to the many plants in our small backyard. We figured she’d be more content bouncing around on her trampoline or whizzing down her slide, but turns out, she had other ideas.
Every time we’d head out to the garden, she’d tag along – more interested in trowels and gardening gloves than her toddler toys. We thought, “Why not let her join in?” So, with a bit of patience and a lot of mud, we started her off with her own little tool set. It didn’t take long until she was all in. Now, she’s got her own little patch of flowers and herbs, and she’s so proud of it.
What started as a way to keep her entertained turned into something much bigger. Gardening has become our family thing.

It’s amazing how something as simple as gardening can bring us closer and teach us so much.
We’re not just growing plants; we’re growing a love for nature that we hope she’ll carry with her for the rest of her life.
So grab your trowels and discover the benefits of gardening with toddlers, how to get started and top tips for success.
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The Benefits of Gardening for Toddlers
There are countless benefits to gardening with toddlers. Let’s explore them…
Sensory Development
Gardening with toddlers offers a rich sensory experience, engaging all of their senses. The smell of soil, the amazing colors of flowers, and the textures of leaves and petals provide so many opportunities to explore. Exploring nature and helping to cultivate it helps toddlers connect with nature and their environment.
Cognitive Growth
Engaging in gardening activities supports early learning concepts like colors, shapes, and counting. Toddlers can learn to identify different plants based on their characteristics, distinguishing between colors of flowers or shapes of leaves.
Counting seeds or plants while planting supports numeracy skills, all whilst they’re having fun!
Emotional and Social Skills
Gardening together supports emotional and social skills in toddlers.
They learn patience as they wait for seeds to sprout and plants to grow.
And a sense of responsibility is instilled in little ones as they care for plants by watering them, removing weeds, and ensuring they receive proper sunlight.
Working as a team with parents, carers, family or other children promotes cooperation and collaboration, fostering a sense of belonging.
Physical Activity
Gardening provides lots of opportunities for physical activity, supporting the development of fine and gross motor skills in our little ones.
Activities like digging, planting seeds, and watering plants involve precise hand-eye coordination. And raking, shoveling, and carrying watering cans can promote gross motor skill development.
Getting Started – Safety First
Here’s how you get started on your little one’s gardening journey.
- Choosing the Right Tools
When introducing toddlers to the gardening world, it’s essential to equip them with tools that are safe and easy for their little hands to manage. Opt for toddler-friendly gardening tools to make the experience more enjoyable and help foster a love for nature from an early age.
Lightweight trowels with rounded edges and ergonomic handles are a great start. Look for durable materials like plastic or metal coated with a non-toxic finish to ensure durability and safety. Avoid tools with sharp edges or points that could pose a risk to curious toddlers.

Some excellent options for toddler-friendly gardening tools include small hand shovels, rakes, watering cans with easy-to-use handles, and gloves sized for tiny fingers. These tools not only make gardening more accessible but also allow toddlers to actively participate in planting, watering, and tending to plants.
A set like this from Amazon is a perfect starter kit. It includes a long shovel, long rake, spade, hoe, broom, rounded scoop, mini rake and mini shovel. Add an easy-to-use watering can like this durable one, and you’re good to get gardening!
2. Create Safe Spaces
Creating a safe gardening environment for your little one is so important.
Take precautions to ensure the gardening area is free from harmful plants, thorns, or sharp objects that could be dangerous.
Start by carefully inspecting the garden area and removing any toxic plants or weeds. Common garden plants like foxglove, oleander, or nightshade can be poisonous if ingested.
You could even designate a specific area of the garden for toddler-friendly activities, bordered by childproof fencing or barriers to prevent your curious little one wandering into potentially hazardous parts of the backyard.
Even after checking for hazardous areas and plants, you should still regularly check the gardening space and teach toddlers about plant safety. It’s so important to explain the importance of not touching or eating any unfamiliar plants without adult supervision – and the same goes for bugs!
3. Sun Protection
It’s essential to think about sun protection when you’re outside in the backyard, especially for young children with delicate skin.
Choose gardening sessions during the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the peak hours of sunlight when UV rays are strongest, especially if you live in a warmer climate. Dress toddlers in lightweight, long-sleeved clothing and wide-brimmed hats to shield their skin from direct sun exposure.
We love this breathable and bright hat from Amazon for babies-24 months and this outdoor hat for kids age 2-6.
Apply a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to any exposed skin, including the face, neck, and hands. Remember to reapply it every two hours or more frequently if toddlers are sweating or in water.
Provide shaded areas within the garden using umbrellas, canopies, or natural shade from trees to give your little one a break from the sun’s rays.
Encourage toddlers to drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated and cool while gardening in the sun.
Easy Plants to Grow with Toddlers
Introducing toddlers to gardening through easy-to-grow plants is an excellent way to nurture their curiosity and foster a love of the natural world around them. But what plants are the easiest to grow with toddlers?
Fruits and veggies
Growing vegetables and fruits with toddlers not only provides them with a hands-on learning experience but also teaches them about the food they eat, and the importance of choosing healthy options. Opt for easy-to-grow options that are quick to mature, captivating the interest of young gardeners.
Cherry tomatoes are a favorite among toddlers due to their small size and sweetness. Watching these vibrant fruits ripen on the vine is an exciting experience for children, encouraging them to care for the plants until they can enjoy the tasty rewards!
Strawberries are another excellent choice for toddler-friendly gardening. Their bright red berries are not only visually appealing but a favorite amongst little ones.

Carrots offer an underground adventure for toddlers. With their crunchy texture and sweet taste, freshly harvested carrots are sure put a smile on your little one’s face!
Flowers
Adding colorful and quick-growing flowers into the garden adds a touch of magic for toddlers. Choose varieties that are easy to grow and boast vibrant petals that your little one will love.

Sunflowers are a natural choice for toddler gardening adventures. They create a sense of wonder and awe as toddlers watch them reach for the sky!
Marigolds are another favorite among young gardeners due to their vibrant colors and wonderful blooms. Marigolds are easy to grow from seed and provide a burst of color that will brighten garden spaces large and small.
Finally, nasturtiums offer a cute addition to the garden with their unique trumpet-shaped flowers and peppery leaves.
Sensory Plants
Stimulate your little one’s senses with plants that offer a multisensory experience. Choose varieties with interesting textures, scents, and foliage.
Lavender is great for toddlers with its soothing fragrance and delicate purple blooms. And little ones love herbs like mint, basil, and rosemary with their aromatic leaves. Encourage children to crush the leaves between their fingers to release the fragrant oils.
Finally, toddlers will enjoy running their little fingers through grasses such as ornamental grasses or wheatgrass, with their soft, feathery blades.
Read Next: Nature’s Playground: Unveiling the Science Behind Outdoor Play
Educational Gardening Activities
Here’s how to inject some education (disguised as fun, of course) into your toddler’s gardening journey.
Plant Life Cycles
To introduce toddlers to the idea of plant life cycles, start by planting seeds together and nurturing them as they grow.
Encourage your little one to observe the changes that occur over time and use age-appropriate language to explain each stage of the plant’s life cycle. Discuss, in very basic terms, concepts like seed dispersal, growth, flowering, and fruit production.
Involving your toddler in every step of the process will help them to develop a deeper appreciation for the magic of nature.
Weather Watching
Encourage your toddler to think about how different weather, such as sunlight, rain, wind, and different temperatures, affect the development of plants in the garden.
Create simple weather charts or journals where toddlers can record daily weather observations and compare them to the changes they observe in the garden and with the flowers and vegetables they’ve planted.
Wildlife Observation
Gardening provides an excellent opportunity for toddlers to learn about wildlife. Encourage your child to observe and identify insects, birds, and other garden visitors while tending to plants. You could discuss the important roles that these creatures play in the ecosystem, like pollination.
Making Gardening Fun and Engaging
Toddlers love nothing more than getting muddy and messy, and gardening provides plenty of opportunities for that. But here are some more ideas for how to inject fun and magic into the process.
Themed Gardens
Creating themed gardens adds an element of excitement and anticipation to gardening. Consider planting a pizza garden with toddler-friendly vegetables and herbs such as tomatoes, basil, oregano, and peppers. As the plants grow, toddlers can harvest the ingredients to make their own mini pizzas!

Or how about a fairy garden? Plant delicate flowers, miniature plants, and tiny accessories like fairy houses and miniature furniture. Encourage your toddler to use their imagination as they tend to their enchanted garden, sparking creativity and storytelling along the way.
Art in the Garden
Incorporating art projects into gardening activities provides toddlers with a creative outlet while enhancing the beauty of the garden. Ask your toddler to paint rocks to use as garden markers, allowing them to be creative while personalizing their garden space.

Another great idea for a gardening-themed art project is making DIY wind chimes using found objects such as seashells, bottle caps, and wooden beads. Hang the wind chimes in the garden, where toddlers can admire their work.
Garden Stories and Songs
Immerse toddlers in the world of gardening through garden-themed books and songs. Set aside dedicated time for reading stories about plants, flowers, and garden adventures, inviting your little one to snuggle up and listen as they unwind from a day of gardening. If you don’t have much seating in the garden, grab a picnic blanket!
There are some amazing gardening books for little ones on Amazon. I love this board book, The Little Gardener by Jan Gerardi, featuring lift the flap pages and taking babies and toddlers through the steps you need to take to grow beautiful flowers and veggies.
I also love this super colorful ‘I Can Grow a Flower’ book, which reveals how plants grow and includes loads of facts about greenery and wildlife. It also includes a height chart so you can measure your flowers, plants and veggies!
Tips for Gardening Success with Toddlers
Patience is Key
Gardening with toddlers requires a hefty dose of patience. From the initial excitement of planting seeds to the sometimes slow progress of growth, it’s important to stay patient and allow your little one the time they need to explore and understand the gardening process.
Be prepared for detours and distractions along the way, and embrace them as opportunities for you and your little one to learn. By modeling patience and calmness, you can create a nurturing environment where toddlers feel supported and encouraged to explore.
Celebrate Small Wins
In the world of gardening with toddlers, every achievement (no matter how small) should be celebrated! Whether it’s the first tiny sprout peeking through the soil or watering a plant without spilling, take the time to celebrate these milestones.
By celebrating small wins, we can foster a positive attitude towards gardening and keep toddlers engaged and motivated to become a full green fingers!
Involve Them in Every Step
From start to finish, involve your little one in every aspect of the gardening journey.
Whether it’s sowing seeds, watering plants, pulling weeds, or harvesting veggies, try to get them involved in every step. This will provide valuable learning opportunities and encourage them to take pride in their gardening.
Conclusion
Gardening with toddlers isn’t about having the perfect garden or even producing perfect blooms and veggies —it’s about the journey itself, the laughter shared, and the memories made along the way.
Gardening with little ones offers a wealth of benefits beyond just growing plants. It fosters a connection to nature, and teaches valuable life skills like patience and responsibility. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to spend quality time together as a family, away from screens and distractions.
So I encourage you to start small, but dream big. You don’t need a sprawling garden to get started— I certainly didn’t. All you need is a little bit of soil, some seeds, and a whole lot of enthusiasm… and patience! Embrace the messiness and unexpected surprises that come with gardening with toddlers.
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