Wayfair Kids Garden

Whenever my daughter is feeling a bit sassy, she likes to call me, “Demeter,” instead of “Mom.” She’s a huge Percy Jackson / Greek Mythology buff and she thinks it’s amusing that our home is full of green things. I literally shove them into every available nook and cranny I can. Apparently, my loves of all things green has become a “thing” among her friends and they’re often commenting on all of the plants in our home. Whoopsie!

But, it’s all true. I do love plants. And, I have a lot of them. I’m also notorious for growing new plants from baby plants. And, much to my husband’s dismay, I also like to seed start in our windows. Oh, and I have a penchant for using recyclables as pots too. So, it’s fair to say that her nickname for me is quite appropriate.

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However, if we’re being totally honest, my kids have some pretty decent green thumbs too. But, I guess they just don’t like to talk about it with their friends. Sadly, gardening isn’t the topic du jour at the lunchtable. (But, it really should be!!!)

Anywho. If you ever popped your head into my kids’ rooms, you would first have a heart attack at the mess. Then, you’d regain your composure and assure me that gargantuan mess was totally typical of middle schoolers. After consoling me, you would then catch sight of their beautiful window gardens and pause. In the silence, your eyes would zoom in on their little colorful worlds and be transported into the weird world of kids gardening.

None of it makes much sense. But that’s not the point. The point is that they put their hands in the soil and planted up something magical. Something that they love to take care of and watch grow. And, something that saddens them when they forget to water it and it dies. Through their little windowsill gardens, they learn about the importance of nurturing and caring for something other than themselves.

It’s not always my cup of tea. I’m not a huge fan of bamboo, but it does grow quickly and thickly – and makes a perfect hiding spot for rhinos. Who knew? I’m also not into cacti – but who can debate the gorgeous beauty of their mason jars? Not me. And as for succulents – I do love them to pieces, but I always manage to kill them! Perhaps, I love them to death.

Once I started encouraging the kids to select their own plants and pots, their interest in gardening spiked faster than anything else I’ve tried over the years. It all comes down to having a sense of control over what grows in their personal spaces and I dig it. So, if you’re looking for a simple way to get your own kids interested in something other than electronics, consider a windowsill garden. Just make sure to keep your opinions to yourself so that their creativity can shine! If they do make one, tag us on Instagram #weknowstuff so we can check it out!