Gardening is a great activity for any family. Growing a garden is a great way to teach children about where food comes from and how much work it takes to grow food. Growing your own food is a great way to save money on your grocery bills, too. Involving the kids in the process makes the entire experience better. Here is why gardening is a cost-effective way to save money while you keep the kids busy this summer.
1. Start-Up Costs Are Low
It can be very cheap to start a backyard garden that kids can work in to grow food. There are ways you can save money on your startup costs by investing some sweat equity. You don’t need to invest in chemicals or expensive soil amendments to start your garden. All you really need is a shovel, some kitchen scraps, and the willingness to dig.
You can buy packs of seeds for less than a dollar. You can use organic waste from the kitchen to amend the soil. There are plenty of recipes online for creating your own fertilizer. You don’t have to spend a lot on getting your garden started, and, of course, the kids can help set up the garden, which lightens the workload.
2. It’s a Free Educational Experience
Growing a garden is a great teaching tool. There is chemistry involved, biology, earth science, and even math. Children working in the garden learn about which types of plants complement each other and which plants should not be planted near each other (biology). They learn about how deep to put the seeds and how far apart plants need to be planted (math). Gardening is an art; plus, kids that study art are four times more likely to receive academic recognition for achievement, so it’ll pay off in school, too!
Gardening is a great way to have a dialogue with your child. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, a four-year-old will ask about 437 questions a day. Working in the garden together can allow your child to ask all the burning questions they have.
3. It’s a Free Lesson in Responsibility and Patience
The thing about gardening, besides being a cheap hobby that will save money, is that it is rife with important lessons that children should learn. While you save money on your grocery bills, the kids will learn to be patient and take their responsibilities seriously. If plants don’t get watered, the outcome is not good. If you wait long enough, you will be rewarded with something fresh to eat.
These valuable lessons not only apply to the garden. Children learn about cause and effect when working in the garden. Even the youngest of children can understand that plants need attention to thrive. Hands-on learning in the garden makes a different impression than simply stating the facts. The best part is the lessons are free, and there are lessons to be learned in the garden that you can’t pay for.
4. You Don’t Need Expensive Equipment
To start and maintain a garden, you don’t need expensive equipment. As a matter of fact, once you invest in the seeds and maybe some soil, gardening can be free. You and your children can come up with unique ways to conserve water as part of the garden project which will help excite their imaginations and help them to work on problem-solving skills.
You can make gardening more interesting by challenging your children to save money on gardening costs by utilizing materials already around the house. According to the USDA, food crops compete with about 30,000 different types of weeds. Challenge your kids to find a solution for the weeds without spending money. Kids love a good challenge!
Creating a garden in your backyard for your children is a cost-effective activity that comes with some winning benefits. Learn how you can save money and keep the kids engaged all summer with a garden.