Easy to Grow Vegetables for Kids

Introducing children to gardening can be a delightful and educational experience. Choosing the right vegetables—those that are easy to grow, quick to harvest, and fun to handle—can make all the difference in keeping young gardeners engaged and excited.

Top 10 Easy Vegetables for Kids

• Radishes
  Why they're great: Fast-growing (ready in 3–4 weeks), large seeds for easy handling, and a surprise harvest as they grow underground.
  Fun tip: Use them to teach about root vegetables and thinning seedlings.
• Peas
  Why they're great: Large seeds, sweet taste, and fun to shell.
  Fun tip: Grow them in pots with trellises to create a "pea teepee" hideout.
• Sunflowers
  Why they're great: Quick germination, tall growth, and large seeds.
  Fun tip: Have a "tallest sunflower" competition to encourage regular care.
• Carrots (e.g., Chantenay)
  Why they're great: Sweet taste and fun to harvest.
  Fun tip: Grow in containers to easily observe growth stages.
• Cherry Tomatoes
  Why they're great: Bite-sized fruits and prolific producers.
  Fun tip: Let kids snack on them straight from the vine.
• Pumpkins
  Why they're great: Large seeds and impressive growth.
  Fun tip: Decorate the pumpkins as they grow for added fun.
• Lettuce (e.g., Salad Bowl)
  Why they're great: Quick to grow and easy to harvest.
  Fun tip: Create a "salad bowl" garden with different lettuce varieties.
• Beans (e.g., Runner Beans)
  Why they're great: Fast-growing climbers with large seeds.
  Fun tip: Build a bean tunnel for kids to walk through.
• Potatoes
  Why they're great: Fun to dig up and can be grown in bags or buckets.
  Fun tip: Use old containers to teach about recycling and sustainability.
• Cress
  Why they're great: Grows quickly and can be grown indoors.
  Fun tip: Grow cress in eggshells decorated as faces for a fun project.

Creative Gardening Activities for Kids

Seed Art

Let children use real seeds to make art! This encourages creativity and helps them get familiar with different seed shapes and textures.

• Simple project idea: Print a large outline of a sunflower or vegetable (e.g., carrot or beetroot).
• Children glue different seeds (sunflower, peas, beans, radish) into sections.
• Use large seeds for younger children to improve dexterity.

Garden Journal

A journal encourages observation. Children can track their plants and progress while building literacy skills.

• Example journal page:
• Date
• What I planted
• Drawing space for the plant
• Weather: tick boxes for sunny/cloudy/rainy
• How I feel: tick boxes or emoji faces
• Print one each week or laminate for reuse.

Scavenger Hunt Ideas

Make a garden adventure with these search-and-find items:

• A leaf with jagged edges
• Something red
• A flower that smells nice
• A worm or bug
• Something fuzzy
• A round seed
• A vegetable that grows underground
• A digging tool
• A plant taller than your knee
• Something soft to touch

Eco-Friendly Plant Labels

Get crafty with recycled materials and let children design their own plant markers.

• Cereal boxes – cut into strips for card labels
• Plastic yoghurt pots or milk bottles – waterproof and durable
• Wooden lolly sticks – safe and easy to decorate
• Wine corks – write on and skewer for pot markers

Encourage kids to write the plant name, add drawings, or decorate with stickers.

Sensory Garden Plant Ideas

Tip: Create a “Five Senses Patch” and let children help plan what to grow!

Tips for Gardening with Children

• Start Small: Begin with a few easy-to-grow plants to build confidence.
• Use Child-Sized Tools: Ensure tools are safe and manageable for small hands.
• Be Patient: Allow kids to make mistakes and learn from them.
• Celebrate Success: Praise their efforts and celebrate harvests together.
• Incorporate Learning: Use gardening to teach about science, nutrition, and responsibility.