Gardening with grandchildren

Tearing your grandchildren away from the latest gadget might be a struggle. But gardening's often good for a few hours away from the pixels - all that mud...Gransnetters have come up with a few suggestions for getting children outside and growing things. 

Nature vs. nurture

"My granddaughter is essentially a dressing-up role-player and probably wouldn't be interested in wildlife, except that my daughter-in-law is really interested in wildlife and my son likes growing vegetables, so my granddaughter has been walking in the countryside from infancy, with someone interested in flowers and birds and has her own little garden where she plants, mainly windmills."

"My grandson on the other hand inherits the wildlife interest from his mum. Last year he discovered insects and then he discovered SLUGS. Everybody was greeted by very small beaming boy, hand outstretched with a very large slug saying 'I minding a slug'. They were kept in jam jars and fed lettuce." FlicketyB

You may need to do a bit of gentle prodding:

"My granddaughter enjoys making dens and having picnics (using leaves/twigs etc) but she needs adults to start playing with her to get her going! Many children need this 'modelling' of some play activities; other games come more naturally to them." Nanaej

If in doubt, insist: 

"I thought all kids loved the outdoors and nature. Just let them loose." j05

"Most children get cabin fever if they can't run around." harrigran

Start your own market garden (in a small way)

"When children see the process of food grown in the garden they are usually fascinated, so I would probably start in the kitchen and progress from there" cheelu

Water babies

"Water draws them like a magnet" glassortwo

"We put a fence around our pond because, before she could even walk, if you put my daughter down anywhere in the garden, she'd home in on the pond and crawl straight for it. She was a water compass. Death wish or what?" Bags

Improvise

"I took my greyhounds for a walk yesterday accompanied by my grandchild who was wearing jeans and Aran jumper underneath a very sparkly pink tutu type dress accessorised with purple wellingtons, a silver plastic tiara, drop earrings and a matching wand. I have to say that she hadn't made a special effort either, this her ordinary walking in the country outfit [grin]" Sook

"A few years ago, when my granddaughter was going through her princess phase, she would happily climb a tree in her pink princess outfit" annodomini

"Perhaps if she really does dream of being a princess, then going on a frog kissing spree might be the answer? Or, grow her own peas to put under the mattress?" phoenix

"Put the [pink tutu] on the bonfire in the garden and replace with green wellies [wink]" MiceElf

Other things you might like:

Check out our gardening ideas

Seven ways to entertain your grandchildren

Images: Shutterstock