Sweet spring rain and wonderful family memories flood my March and April. We spent 5 solid weeks back at home with my parents. In that time the kids spent quality time with their grandparents and some of the most beloved time spent was getting to plant rows and rows of tomatoes.
Each morning my 3 year old would giddily walk to the hose and declare that the plants were thirsty and it was her job to give them a drink.
And what special moments those were.
But at home in such an urban environment, multiple little sets of feet pitter pattering around, and still trying to catch a groove, an outdoor garden was a high priority but just didn’t happen.
Instead, small little pots of herbs began springing up on our windows sills and suddenly my kids were growing an indoor herb garden!
And really, if you want to teach your kids about growing plants, herbs are a great place to start. You can grow them throughout the year and some varieties are very easy to grow. You have the option of starting with seeds, getting a small sprouted plant, or taking part of your own plant from an outdoor garden and moving it inside for your kids.
The choice is completely up to you.
Plant an indoor herb garden to harvest all year long!
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Mint
Mint is by far the easiest herb your kids can grow. With that said, you want to plant mint by itself as it is a very invasive plant. SO much so that the previous owners of a home we lived in had long moved out and in our back porch area, mint would overtake the entire area!
It is great for baking and your kids will love growing it, gathering the leaves, and then using the mint to make delicious holiday treats.
Chives
Chives are like grass, once you get them going, they grow beautifully and all you need to do is trim the blades to harvest what you need. The chives will continue to grow, just like grass.
Chives are great on baked potatoes, in fresh baked bread, and anywhere else you want a light onion-like flavor. It is suggested that you start with a clump of chives from your outdoor garden if you have it.
Parsley
Another herb you can move indoors is parsley.
Parsley is fun for kids to grow and it works well in a variety of dishes. Your kids will also love decorating the dinner plates with this herb. You can even do a side project and make homemade dog bones with parsley to help freshen the dog’s breath.
Basil
Last, but not least, basil is great to start from seed.
You want to make sure you add basil to a window that gets a lot of sun because it requires a lot of sun and warmth to thrive.
Basil is wonderful in homemade pasta or pizza sauce. Your kids will love making pizza from scratch using basil they helped grow.
What you need to know about letting your kids care for their herb garden
🌿These herbs do best in a south-facing window. However, some herbs, such as parsley, can be grown in an east or west-facing window. If you have the option to grow your herbs in a south-facing window, the herbs will grow faster.
🌿 Seeds now is a great place to buy small sample packs (but plenty in their small packets for a window sill garden) of organic, non-gmo seeds for just 99 cents. They’re one of my favorite places to buy seeds!
🌿 Grab some cute pots that you kids will love. Plus if they are animals, you can talk about which one looks thirsty!
🌿 If you want to teach your children about growing plants, herbs are a wonderful option that can be grown throughout the year and are fairly easy to care for.
🌿 Let your kids have a pair of scissors in the kitchen to help gather herbs as they need them. When kids grow their own food, they’re more inclined to eat it and be excited about it!
More kids’ gardening ideas
Kara is an author and advocate for positive, grace-filled parenting. She is homeschooler to her 4 children living in Boston, MA and believes in creative educational approaches to help kids dive deeper into a rich learning experience. She has her degree in Secondary Education & Adolescent Childhood Development and is passionate about connecting with and helping other parents on their journey to raise awesome kids!
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