Nurture your kids to love nature
Finding fun activities for kids during the Christmas break isn’t always easy... getting them involved with nature is beneficial for them – and you
GARDENING might not be the obvious way to keep bored children busy, but even at this time of the year there’s plenty of fun you can dig up for them to do.
INDOOR GARDENS
THERE are plenty of indoor activities to get kids interested in planting, but seed tray gardens are probably one of the most imaginative.
Buy a small seed tray from a garden centre, fill with soil, and then have kids create their own small gardens by making ponds out of jam jar lids that are lined with silver foil, building fences out of lollipop sticks, and using twigs from the garden to look like trees, with a few pebbles for paths.
This can really unlock the imagination for children to create their own garden space indoors.
GROWING BULBS
AMARYLLIS bulbs are marvellous and so simple to grow, they’re like little batteries full of energy ready to burst into flower. The bulbs are about the size of your palm so they’re easy for children to handle.
Planting them and observing how they grow is truly rewarding and there are many different colour varieties available, from white to reds and multicoloured cultivars too.
Bulb planting teaches kids patience in a world where everything is instant.
PAINTING POTS
GO TO the garden centre and buy terracotta pots.
Children can paint the sides in readiness for the plants they’re growing on their windowsill, or for plants that will be ready next spring.
You can pick these pots up for a good price in-store at this time of year now that they’re out of season.
Set up a painting station for stones and boulders from the garden – these are a great canvas to let their creativity go wild – and let them create funky designs in acrylic paints to take pride of place on their windowsill or to jazz up flower beds. And the same goes for making their own garden markers or plant labels – it’s a chance for them to get crafty and see their creations out in the garden afterwards too.
HOUSEPLANTS FOR ALL
KIDS love houseplants, especially ones that are eye-catching. There are many varieties that are safe for them to have in their bedroom.
One of the most popular is Crassula, also known as the friendship tree or jade plant. It has lovely fleshy, deep emerald leaves and can be grown from cuttings by simply breaking the tip off one and leaving in a little bit of water to root. Kalanchoe, or flaming Katy, is another great plant and, again, fleshy leaves enable it to hold a lot of moisture. Its beautiful bright flowers come in hues of orange, warm reds and pretty pinks.
Kids will adore the Christmas cactus. This is a forest cactus rather than a desert cactus, so it doesn’t have spines. The abundance of flowers that reappear are really rewarding to grow.
However, do not discount the spiny desert cacti for older kids – these can be placed on a bedroom windowsill to start a plant collection, encouraging an appreciation for plants from an early age. Another fascinating plant is Lithops – known as living stone. Some people say they resemble brains as they’re slightly marbled on top.
WOODS AND WALKS
TAKING kids on a woodland walk, collecting things like pinecones and then gluing them together, will make an ideal home for hibernating insects such as ladybirds. You may also want to collect some foliage along the way to pepper into your Christmas decorations at home.
Even a shop-bought wreath can quickly be made into something spectacular with a few wonderful woodland additions.
Acorns you’ve uncovered on your jaunt can be brought inside and popped into small pots for the kids to grow oak seedlings.
Woodland walks are also a great opportunity to teach children about different tree species, from pines to beech trees and willows.
It can be a marvellous adventure if you don’t overload them with information.
And the heady scent of woodland during the winter is amazing.
Be sure to kit them out with wellies, a woolly hat and a warm coat and they will be ready to unleash their wild side.
Start with teaching them about the different leaves on the ground.
The Woodland Trust has lots of guides to identify tree, plant and fruit varieties, so check out their website woodlandtrust.org.uk