Gardening in the Early Years: More Than Just Planting Seeds 🌱

Gardening is something many early years settings want to do with children — but it can also feel surprisingly hard to get right.

Practitioners often say they’re unsure:

• what to grow

• when to grow it

• how to make it meaningful rather than a one-off activity

• how to fit it into busy days and limited outdoor spaces

  
  

The good news is that early years gardening doesn’t need to be complicated, expensive or led by “expert” gardeners. When approached in a simple, thoughtful way, it can become one of the most valuable parts of your provision.

Why Gardening Matters in the Early Years

Gardening offers children real, first-hand experiences that can’t be replicated indoors. It naturally supports learning across the EYFS, particularly within Understanding the World, but its impact goes much wider.

Through gardening, children develop:

• Language and communication, as they describe what they see, ask questions and learn new vocabulary

• Curiosity and observation, noticing changes over time and beginning to make connections

• Responsibility and care, as they look after living things

• Physical development, through digging, carrying, watering and planting

• Personal, social and emotional development, as they work together, wait for results and feel proud of what they have grown

  
  

Gardening also supports the EYFS principle of learning through hands-on, meaningful experiences. Children aren’t just being told about growth, seasons or living things — they are seeing and experiencing them for themselves. Children are not just learning about the world — they are actively part of it.

Gardening gives children a reason to slow down, notice, and care — all essential foundations for learning.

Keeping Gardening Realistic

One of the biggest barriers to gardening in early years settings is the belief that it has to be done “properly” to be worthwhile. In reality, simple gardening is often the most effective.

You don’t need:

• a large outdoor area

• raised beds or specialist equipment

• perfect results every time

  
  

Small pots, containers, grow bags, windowsills and outdoor corners all work well. What matters is consistency, not complexity.

Gardening works best when children can revisit the same plants regularly and notice change over time.

In early years gardening, success isn’t measured by what grows — but by what children notice.

Choosing What to Grow

When deciding what to grow with young children, it helps to choose plants that are:

• Quick to show change, so children stay interested

• Hardy, so they can cope with a bit of over- or under-watering

• Seasonally appropriate, making success more likely

Good options include:

• cress, herbs or salad leaves

• sunflowers or marigolds

• spring bulbs

• strawberries or tomatoes in pots

  
  

These plants help children stay engaged and support conversations about growth, care and change.

Children don’t need perfect plants — they need opportunities to watch life unfold.

Making Gardening Part of Learning

Gardening doesn’t need to be a standalone activity. It works best when it becomes part of everyday practice.

You might:

• Talk about what has changed since yesterday

• Encourage children to predict what might happen next

• Use gardening as a reason to draw, mark make or photograph

• Link what you see outdoors to stories, songs or non-fiction books

• Revisit the same plants regularly rather than starting something new each week

This kind of ongoing involvement supports sustained shared thinking and deeper learning.

Supporting Emotional Wellbeing and Self-Regulation

Gardening can play a quiet but powerful role in children’s emotional wellbeing.

Time spent caring for plants can:

• offer calm, repetitive actions

• support regulation through sensory experiences

• give children responsibility and purpose

• provide space for reflection and conversation

Gardening activities often slow the pace of the day, giving children time to think, observe and feel grounded.

Nature gives children permission to take their time — something our youngest learners need more than ever.

 

Inclusive Gardening for All Children

Gardening is naturally inclusive and adaptable.

It can be:

• done at different heights

• broken into small, manageable tasks

• sensory-rich for children who benefit from hands-on learning

• flexible for children who prefer observing before joining in

Every child can take part in their own way — watering, touching soil, watching growth, or simply revisiting plants over time.

Every child belongs in the garden, even if their role is simply to watch and wonder.

Gardening With Home Learning

Gardening offers a wonderful opportunity to strengthen links between settings and home.

You might:

• encourage families to grow something small at home

• share photos or observations of what children are growing

• suggest simple planting ideas families can try together

• invite parents to share gardening experiences or resources

• send home seeds, bulbs or ideas linked to what children are doing

These shared experiences help children make connections between home and setting and support continuity of learning.

Building Confidence — for Adults and Children

It’s important to remember that gardening with children is about the process, not the outcome.

Seeds won’t always grow, plants may fail, and that’s okay.

These moments offer powerful learning opportunities:

• What do we think went wrong?

• What could we try differently next time?

• What do plants need to grow?

  
  

You don’t need to have all the answers. Learning alongside children models curiosity, resilience and problem-solving — all key aspects of early learning.

It’s okay not to know — some of the best learning happens when we discover things together.

The Long-Term Impact of Gardening in the Early Years

When children enjoy gardening from a young age, the impact often reaches far beyond the early years.

Positive early experiences with gardening can help children:

• develop a lasting connection with the natural world

• grow up with a sense of responsibility towards living things

• feel confident outdoors and curious about how things work

• understand where food comes from

• value patience, care and perseverance

For some children, gardening becomes a lifelong interest. For others, it simply shapes how they relate to nature — seeing it as something familiar rather than distant or abstract.

These early experiences lay foundations for:

• environmental awareness

• wellbeing and self-regulation

• healthy attitudes towards food

• respect for the world around them

Importantly, children don’t need to remember specific activities for these benefits to last. What stays with them is the feeling of being trusted with responsibility, of noticing change over time, and of being connected to something real and living.

“When children learn to care for plants, they begin to understand their place in the wider world.”

Gardening in the early years is not about preparing children to become gardeners — it’s about supporting them to grow into thoughtful, curious and connected individuals.

“The seeds we plant in early childhood often grow long after the flowers have faded.”

A Gentle Reminder

Gardening in the early years isn’t about producing perfect plants. It’s about giving children time, space and opportunities to connect with the natural world in meaningful ways.

Even small, simple gardening experiences can have a lasting impact when they are thoughtfully planned and revisited over time.

Start small. Have fun. Learn together. Let children lead the curiosity.

— Early Insights