Little kids are notoriously bad at growing things. Maybe they drown the plants because watering them is just so much fun. Maybe it’s because they get hot and tired after five minutes and decided to immediately abandon the gardening project they’ve been begging to do for months. Maybe they don’t have the STEM-worthy gardening tools that will inspire them to do something new, or maybe their teeny hands need better gardening gloves to protect them. Bottom line: Kids can struggle with gardening, but now is their time to shine. Because pandemic, plus sunshine. Here’s how you can help.
Aside from the obvious pros of gardening with kids (it gets them outside and teaches them responsibility and how to care for things), it also fosters independence, a love of our planet, lets them explore and create all while being a great skill they can use for the rest of their lives. You know those 98-year-old grandads you see in the neighborhood tending to their gardens? That can be your kid!
But sorting through all of the crap being sold as kids gardening supplies is exhausting — most of it is flimsy, and meant to look cute vs actually be used. I manage a farm, and believe me, there is a lot of crap out there. That’s why we’ve rounded up the ultimate list of kids gardening supplies that will guarantee your kiddo’s (tiny) green thumb. From sun hats and gardening aprons to just the right shoes, from pint-sized tools that will take a beating to a kids book on composting that encourages you to compost the actual book when you’re done, these are the best of the best.
Best of all, they will have your kid raring to get gardening. You know what they say: A little dirt never hurt.
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Kids Wheelbarrow
I don’t know about you, but my toddler could spend all day moving a pile of dirt from one spot to another with a wheelbarrow. This wheelbarrow is a mini version of the hefty grown-up kind, but is lightweight enough for tiny hands to maneuver. It has hardwood handles and front tray braces for the inevitable spills.
Kids Gardening Gloves
Unless you enjoy scrubbing dirt from under your kids’ nails, gardening gloves are a must. They protect little hands from thorns, rogue gardening tools, and the occasional foray into pricker bushes. These gloves are ergonomically designed for tiny hands, and come in vibrant colors with monster faces kids love.
Plus, they’re breathable and stretchy, with a silicone coating to make it easier for toddlers to grip things. They have a knitted wrist to keep dirt and debris out, and you can even order matching adult-sized gloves for a Mommy-and-me moment.
Kids Garden Shovel
This long-handled shovel is heavy-duty and sturdy enough to last through years of rough garden wear. Get ready for some serious digging; it’s essentially indestructible and has a 10-year guarantee, so no matter how hard they play, it’s covered.
Compost Book
Teach your kids that composting is fun, and a neccessity for gardening, with this funky guide that gives you the dirt (pun fully intended) on composting and makes it fun with games like Worms and Ladders and stickers. It even encourages you to “rot this book” when you’re done with it — just add it to your compost heap!
Plae Sandal
Every gardener needs a pair of gardening shoes, and for summer gardening, these are the best. Water-friendly for the inevitable hose mishaps, these sandals are lightweight and breathable for sweaty kiddo feet. Best of all, they’re machine washable. Yep, toss these in the wash and they’ll be ready for their next gardening adventure in a flash.
Superhero Gardening Apron
Gardening is synonomous with dirt, which to parents is synonomous with laundry. Keep the washing to a minimum with a gardening apron. This one shows your tot that even superheros garden (especially superheros garden). Its double-layer cotton and broadcloth make it durable and comfy, it’s machine washable, it has adjustable straps to grow with your little one, and it has a big front pocket for storing seeds, trowels or…frogs. It also comes in a submarine print, poppies, and bunnies, so there’s something for everyone.
HABA Watering Can
Brightly colored and perfectly sized for smaller hands, this heavy-duty watering can holds up to 1 liter of water and has an easy-to-carry rounded handle. It’s also PVC-free, so if your toddler is anything like mine and uses any container as his personal sippy cup, you have nothing to worry about.
Complete Garden Set
If you’re looking for a one-stop shop to jump-start your kid’s gardening career, look no further than this complete gardening set that has quite literally everything you’ll need, and is stinking adorable to boot. The kit contains a handy tote (with a ridiculous number of pockets), six soil tabs, six fiber0growing pots, a watering tin, a rake, a shovel, a spade, a pair of gardening gloves, six chalkboard signs with a liquid chalk marker, and six different types of seed packets. Seriously, this is a just-add-water situation.
Garden Tools 4 Pack
Great for older kids who are over the plastic ‘little kids’ versions of gardening tools, these tools are made of wood and metal, with a protective cap on the handles of all four pieces for maximum safety. With the four-pack you get a rake, shovel, hoe and leaf rake, all for under $25.
Beetle & Bee Test Tube Garden Kit
If your budding gardener is the impatient type (aka a child) and stares at the spot they planted seeds five minutes ago in hopes they can simply will the plants to grow, this is the solution. This test tube garden allows you to actually watch your veggies and herbs grow, so you won’t hear “Is it ready yet? Is it ready yet?” 50 million times. Seeing the roots stretch out and the vegetables get bigger and bigger underground is mezmerizing. This kit comes with one deluxe root viewer, 15 peat pellets, and seeds for carrots, onions and radishes.
Kids Rake
This unbreakable garden rake is made of PVC-free, phthalate-free plastic and is backed with a 10-year manufacturer’s guarantee, so get ready for your next garden project — because this rake is here to play. Aside from being great for the garden, this lightweight but sturdy piece might even make your kids more willing to do their outdoor chores. Maybe.
Sunhat
Gardening is great, but little kids fade quickly in the hot sun, and there is no greater pain than a hot cranky toddler. Keep them cool and shaded with a sunhat like this one from Coolibar. Made from a linen/cotton blend, it’s super breathable and soft, has a breakaway clasp on the chin cord, and is UPF 50+ — meaning it blocks 98% of UV radiation. It also comes in coral stripes, denim chambray, or white with blue trim.
Funky Veg Kit
Kids might be over boring veggies, but this funky veg kit from Plant Theatre is sure to pique their interest. It comes with five biodegradable pots, five peat discs, five plant markers, and of course five sealed seed sachets — plus sowing and growing tips. The crazy veg included are definitely unusual: purple carrots, yellow courgettes, rainbow chard, red brussel sprouts, and striped tomatoes.
Flower Sprinkler
One of the biggest issues with little kids gardening is they tend to completely drown the plants, because they love watering them so much! This palm sized, flower-shaped sprinkler is low-flow, making it perfect for gardens (and toddlers who want to get in on the action). Plus, it has a circle spray pattern for 360-degree spraying. It’s a gentle way to water the garden without the high-pressure spray that can do damage to plants.
Sensitive Plant
Sensory plants means kids can have a garden of things that are not only interesting visually, but also smell good, feel good, or taste good. Herbs like lavender and rosemary smell wonderful, and flowers like allium and celosia are super fluffy and fun to feel. This “sensitive plant” has leaves that close up when touched, a cool thing your kids will love to experience again and again.
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