Gardening Toys, Tools, and Books for Little Kids

Spring has almost sprung! I think we’re all getting excited for it. As the sun starts to stay out longer and the days grow warmer, we all get out of hibernation mode and start making our plans for Spring. For some of us, that means planning for our garden. Perhaps this year, you can employ some small helpers in your garden. And by small helpers, I mean teaching your children, your nephew or niece, or your grandchild how to grow plants.

In this article, we discuss the benefits of gardening in early childhood, which plants to choose for gardening with children, and our favorite kids garden toys, real child-sized garden tools, and gardening books for kids. Then we share additional gardening accessories and gear, and our favorite indoor plant kits to grow with children.

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The benefits of gardening in early childhood are plentiful. Learning about how things grow is very different than actually seeing growth happen. This is why gardening with children is such a satisfying experience, and one that I think all children should experience at an early age.

Gardening teaches children about how to care for plants, how plants grow, nutrients in the soil, and so much more. With the right tools, books, and a helping adult hand or two, gardening can be a remarkable experience in a little one’s life. It’s never too young to introduce babies and toddlers to gardening.

Below is a selection of time-tested toys, tools, and books that revolve around gardening. Some are designed for indoor use, some are designed for use in the garden, and others are designed to be read and learn about gardening. To learn more about the items in this list, simply click on the toy, tool, or book’s image or ‘see details’ see it in our shop, learn more about it, see more photos, and view our gardening gift pairing ideas. Note that the ‘More Gardening Gear and Accessories for Kids’ section after the list do not have their own product page. Clicking on them will take you directly to their listing on Amazon where you can learn more about them there.

Kids Gardening Tools (real child-sized gardening tools)

Kids Garden Toys

Gardening Books for Kids

More Gardening Gear and Accessories for Kids

The Benefits of Gardening in Early Childhood

• Responsibility. Garden teaches little ones about the responsibility of care taking.
• Discovery. Gardening provides endless opportunities for learning about growth, plants, our earth, soil, animal and insect life, and more.
• Nutrition. Gardening vegetables and other healthy foods provides an excellent opportunity to teach little ones about nutrients and knowing what’s in the food we eat.
• Hands-On Learning. Hands on learning is a strong method of learning that results in more retained information, more critical thinking, and real world knowledge.
• Outdoor Play. Playing outside in the dirt is good exercise, it helps children develop fine and gross motor skills, and exercise their creativity.
• Quality Time with Parents. Spending quality time with parents and loved ones is important for emotional growth.

Besides all of those exceptional benefits of gardening in early childhood development, gardening also teaches children much bigger ideals that help them grow up to be people who eat healthier foods and be more environmentally aware. So let’s do our children a favor, and start teaching them how to grow plants now, so later on in life, they have a strong basis to have their own garden in the future and live more sustainability.

What plants are the best for gardening with kids?

There are a large variety of good plants for a children’s garden. Essentially, you want to choose plants that are not very tempermental that also grow quickly. Of course, it’s entirely up to you what you want your children to help you grow. Listed below are two top ten lists of plants to grow either indoors or outdoors, dependant on what space you have to work with.

Top 10 Outdoor Vegetables and Flowers to Plant with Children

The vegetables and flowers in this list are all great options to grow with children in an outdoor garden.

1. Carrots
2. Zucchini
3. Strawberries
4. Radishes
5. Lettuce
6. Tomatoes
7. Pumpkins
8. Potatoes
9. Bush Beans
10. Peppers

Top 10 Plants to Grow with Children Indoors

The flowers, vegetables, and herbs in this list all do well in partial sun and can be grown successfully in pots indoors.

1. Lettuce Greens
2. Scallions
3. Tomato
4. Basil
5. Oregano
6. Marigold
7. Morning Glory
8. Microgreens
9. Mushrooms
10. Cornflower

Indoor Plant Growing Systems

Below are a few really neat indoor gardening activities that grow plants quickly and in a contained space. The Microgreens kit would make a great table centerpiece for Spring, and the MiniAquaponic Ecosystem would be a really neat Ecosystem for any home, especially for families that want to teach children about growing plants that do not have backyards or garden space outdoors!

I hope that you’ve found this gardening with kids article helpful! Share your gardening ideas in the comments section below. We would love to see photos of your gardens and any gardening with kids tips too! Happy (almost) Spring!