Kids Grow Wild

This is an entry for Britmums' #KidsGrowWild challenge.

Yesterday we went to the post office retrieval place, I had missed a  parcel on Thursday but as they shut before I finish work I had to leave it there until the weekend. Not easy as I didn't know what it was, and I am hopeless at waiting for surprises! I also knew I had not ordered anything as I am really trying hard to curb my spending.

As soon as I saw the box I remembered, I had entered to join in with the Moneysupermarket and Britmums' kids grow wild challenge. This was my box of goodies to help with this. So I called Stephanie down to open the parcel, not telling her what I expected to be inside.

 Mum there is a letter in here! Along with the letter there was a gardening bag, which contained a watering can, a hand trowel, a hand fork, a pair of gardening gloves and three packets of flower seeds. A perfect gardening kit for any child.

 

 Being the avid reader that she is, she set to reading the gardening tips page included in the package. this has useful ideas for how you can use the contents of the package with your child, for example making a scrapbook to follow the process of growing your seeds. About encouraging your child to read the instructions and lead the way in following the process of planting by asking prompting questions. The one I am really taken with trying is growing a bean seed so that you can see the roots etc form. I am going to do this one with her today.

So after Stephanie had read the sheet I asked what she would like to do. She immediately put on some shoes, the gloves from the gardening bag, which she also picked up and went outside. No words but that simple response showed me she wanted to get planting!

 

I gave her some empty planters to use and went and dug some compost out of the bin. Here Stephanie is reading the seed packet for what she needs to do.

Sprinkling the seeds into her pot.

Getting a little help from big brother to fill the watering can from the water butt.

Once Stephanie had finished planting her seeds I gave her the choice of several places in the garden to form her garden. She chose along the fence where I don't have any pots already. We moved them in to place together ready for watering. I also gave Stephanie a couple of my strawberry plants I had growing, as she loves strawberries and so that she has something immediately to be taking care of, so that she doesn't become bored waiting for the other seeds to grow.

Here she is admiring her hard work.

 

I have a feeling that this is going to become something that really interests her over the summer.