11 Best Kids Gardening Sets for Beginners

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Do you want your kids to participate in a fun and educational activity? If yes, then introduce them to gardening! This activity not only helps them develop new skills but will also improve their overall health. You can begin by providing them with a kids gardening set to pique their interest!

Mainly serving as functional toys, kids’ gardening sets will help establish the joys of gardening for your children. Curious how? Keep on reading to find out!

Benefits of Introducing Kids to Gardening

There are a lot of benefits that come with teaching our kids to garden. Here are a few:

Gardening helps kids become active

Gardening will get children digging, watering, weeding, and transferring objects. These physical tasks serve as a subtle way for them to exercise.

Aside from that, gardening is also a different kind of playtime. Their imagination will run wild! For instance, they will mold soil and sand in different shapes and will also collect pebbles in various shapes and sizes. If there are blossoming flowers in the garden, kids will also have fun chasing bugs and butterflies. All this playing will let them be constantly on the move while sparking their imagination.

Gardening helps stimulate senses

Gardening is also a stimulating activity that kids can benefit from. The vibrant colors of flowering plants such as marigolds and rainbow chard, for example, will boost a child’s sense of sight. Fragrant plants, on the other hand, can stimulate their sense of smell. They’ll like the aromatic scent of chamomile and eucalyptus, as well as the sweet smell coming from jasmine and sweet peas.

Plants with rough and smooth surfaces can also stimulate a child’s sense of touch. The spiky leaves and stems of succulents like aloe vera and cacti, for example, will astound them. Likewise, kids will be grazing their fingertips on the soft foliage of plants like lamb’s ear and hyacinth. Edible and tasty fruits and vegetables, like tomatoes and strawberries, will also help stimulate a kid’s sense of taste!

Gardening helps kids develop new skills

Gardening does not only help kids stay active and alert, but it also allows them to develop a new set of skills! For instance, all the physical activities that come with gardening will help them improve their motor and cognitive skills. They’ll understand the functions of gardening tools, grasp them with their hands, and put them into use.

Moreover, gardening helps kids develop basic skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). They’ll be well-versed in the plants’ life cycle. Kids will also learn how to plan and design their gardens. They’ll calculate how many seeds are needed, as well as how often they need to water the plants. You can be assured that their analytical skills will be put into practice.

Apart from enhancing STEM skills, gardening is also a great way to help kids develop and practice their literacy skills. They’ll memorize the names of the plants in their garden as well as the names of the tools that they’re using.

Gardening helps kids develop a sense of responsibility

With gardening, kids will understand that the success of their garden depends on their actions. They’ll feel obliged to save the plants if they’re not growing well. Kids will also feel a sense of accomplishment when their efforts become fruitful. With gardening, they will recognize the significance of their roles and will strive to achieve good results.

Gardening improves psychological wellbeing

Learning how to garden can also impact a child’s psychological well-being. For instance, digging on soil and planting can serve as an outlet to spend their energy on. Patience and self-confidence can also develop when a child learns how to take care of a garden. When their efforts pay off, they will gain a sense of accomplishment. Praises from family and friends for a job well done will also make them feel good about themselves!

Gardening persuades kids to live healthily

Taking care of plants will expose kids to the dynamics of food nutrition. For instance, planting vegetables in the garden will give them the awareness of how these plants are important to human health. Harvesting ripe vegetables, like tomatoes and carrots, will also urge kids who are picky eaters to try them.

In the same way, planting herbs in the garden is also an incredible way for kids to learn of their other uses. They’ll discover that some plants may be used as medications, organic deodorizers, and pest sprays.

Gardening encourages kids to become environmentally aware

Gardening teaches children about the value of plants in the ecosystem. It will help them realize that plants produce the oxygen we breathe in, as well as provide food and shelter for other living organisms.  With this knowledge, children will be better advocates for plant care and production, which is largely beneficial to our ecosystem.

Gardening serves as a family bonding activity

Gardening can bring the whole family to the yard! It can serve as a great way for parents to bond with their children and teach them at the same time. Friends can also join in the fun, creating more memories that kids and the whole family will cherish forever.

11 Kids Gardening Sets to Buy

1. The Storybook Kids Explorers Club Kids Gardening Tools 

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Get ready to introduce your toddlers to the exciting world of gardening with this toy set from The Storybook Kids Explorers Club! It comes with a gardening book that your kids will learn a lot from. With the knowledge that they’ll get from the exciting story, kids will be more confident to use the tools. The included shovel, rake, trowel, stakes, and watering can complete the full gardening experience.

The SKEC set also comes with gloves that the kids can use to protect their small hands. They can put it on not just when digging but also when harvesting flowers and fruits! Plus, the tool bag is spacious and easy to use when transporting the tools to the garden.

2. Play22 Kids Gardening Tool Set 

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Another dazzling toolset to help your kids learn about the joys of gardening is this one from Play22. It comes with a colorful assortment of tools that kids can use to understand the basics of gardening. Like that of SKEC, this gardening set is composed of basic digging tools like a rake, a trowel, and a shovel. A watering can, a bag, and a pair of gloves are added to the set as well.

Unlike that of SKEC though, Play22’s digging tools are equipped with wooden handles. This sturdy construction is suitable for children’s grabby hands! The set also comes with an apron to protect your kids’ clothes from dirt while in the middle of gardening.

3. Homegician Kids Gardening Tool Set 

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If you’re looking for a gardening toolset that is guaranteed to last a long time, you can have it with Homegician! Its basic digging and planting tools are made with sturdy metals and wooden handles that are durable for a variety of weather conditions.

Like the ones from SKEC and Play22, this set also includes a storage bag, an apron, and a pair of gloves. All these come in vibrant colors and sturdy construction, guaranteeing that kids will have fun using them in the garden. Your little ones can use them to dig crops like potatoes, carrots, and radishes. Not only that, but this set is also excellent when building sandcastles on the beach!

Read more: How To Design A Wildlife-Friendly Garden

4. Cute Stone Kids Gardening Tool Set 

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Gardening and playtime become synonymous with the use of the Cute Stone Kids Gardening Tool Set. It consists of digging and planting tools that kids can use for their pretend play. But what sets this tool kit apart is that it comes with a lightweight wheelbarrow. This wheelbarrow enables kids to transport plants and even collect pebbles for their small garden patch. The wheelbarrow’s handles are sturdy and are just the right size for their delicate hands. With these features, youngsters will not only love gardening but will also get the do some essential physical exercise!

5. Aojoys Colorful Children Gardening Tool Set 

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Not sure how you can spark your kid’s interest in gardening? Try it the fun and easy way with the Aojoys Kids Gardening Set! With its tools that are both colorful and durable, your little ones will be more than excited to go out and garden! What’s more, the set has an adjustable apron and a pair of arm sleeves to protect kids’ clothes and sensitive skin. Use them to make your kids more comfortable when gathering seeds and picking fresh flowers.

6. Joyin Dinosaur Kids Gardening Tool Set 

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Worried about your kids not getting enough sunlight? Encourage them to play and spend some time outdoors with the Joyin Dinosaur Gardening Set. Complete with digging items and watering tools, this kit is what your kid needs to have fun under the sun. Let them use the rake, shovel, and trowel, to plant fragrant flowers like roses, lavenders, and peonies! Kids will also be delighted with the dinosaur-themed watering can and planter that is both lightweight and sturdy.

You won’t even have to worry about dirt because this set from Joyin includes an apron to protect their clothes. Additionally, there is a bucket hat that will protect them from UV rays. Just make sure that they have these items on before they set out for some backyard gardening.

7. Born Toys Gardening Tool Set

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While sunlight is essential to strengthen the body, too much exposure to it can cause skin irritation and disease. Hence, it is important to keep kids protected from the sun’s harmful UV rays when playing outdoors. Do so with the help of the Born Toys Gardening Tool Set!

This gardening set features a bucket hat and apron with spacious pockets to protect kids’ sensitive skin and provide additional storage space. Just strap the apron to their body so that the tools are within an arm’s reach as they move around the garden.

Read more: Upgrading Your Home’s Exterior With DIY Vertical Garden Wall

8. Little Wombats Kids Gardening Tool Set 

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Gardening is an effective way to help kids gain a sense of responsibility. It teaches them to rely on themselves to ensure that their plants are thriving. Help them fulfill their responsibility with the kit from Little Wombats! It does not only have the basic gardening hand tools but it is also equipped with a convenient apron, a bucket hat, a pair of gloves, and a tote bag. What’s more, it has a net that they can use to catch harmful bugs in the garden!

9. U+ME Kids Eco-Friendly Gardening Tool Set 

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Love gardening? Let your kids follow in your footsteps with the help U+ME Kids Gardening Tool Set. Its tools are made of eco-friendly material that they can use for any gardening task. Teach them to use these in planting and taking care of climbing roses, sunflowers, and zinnias!

Furthermore, this set comes with wooden plant labels that they can use when planting fruits and vegetable seeds. If your kids have yet to learn about repotting, don’t worry because this set from U+ME also comes with disposable planters. Use them to teach your kids how to repot houseplants like aloe vera and snake plants!

10. ZNCMRR Kids Gardening Tool Kit 

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With gardening, your little ones will not only get a sense of responsibility but will also get to harness their math and language skills. For instance, they’ll be well-versed in counting the number of plants that they’ll need. Learning plants of various species should also be in order! Provide them with this opportunity by getting the ZNCMRR Kids Gardening Set!

Simple yet made with durable metal, this kit has a great variety of gardening tools that your little one will need. It even has a rake, hoe, trowel, and pruning shears that will make gardening a breeze. Not only that, but the ZNCMRR also has a spray bottle to humidify the plants. Combine this kit with a pair of gloves, and your kids will surely feel at home in their garden!

11. Giggle Goods Multicolored Kids Garden Tool Set 

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Miniature gardening tools are great, but kids aged seven and up need bigger ones to fit their hands! This is where the Giggle Goods Kids Garden Tool Set will come in handy. It includes multicolored tools such as rakes, spades, and brooms. With these attractive and easy-to-use tools, kids may even invite their friends to join in the fun!

Tips for Introducing Kids to Gardening

Here are some tips to successfully introduce your kids to gardening:

Teach kids the function of each gardening tool

While some kids’ gardening sets come with a manual, parents or guardians should be there to teach kids how to actually use them. By explaining and demonstrating how each item functions, kids will have a better grasp of what they are doing and will eventually learn to do everything on their own.

Ensure that your garden is a safe place

Kids have a lot of learning to do with their age. With this, they require help and supervision from adults to ensure that they are safe. This applies to an outdoor activity like gardening. Here are certain ways to do this:

First, get a toolset that is appropriate for their age. The reason for this is that sets that are meant to be for grade-schoolers may be too big and heavy for toddlers. A kids gardening set that is made of plastic, for example, is lightweight and safer for toddlers since they need more training with their motor skills. These tools do not have sharp edges, unlike metal ones.

However, heavy metal gardening sets are more suitable for older kids. They usually have more advanced motor skills and have a better grasp of hazards. Luckily, kids gardening sets usually have a recommended age label that consumers can use as a guide.

Secondly, kids must be wearing the right attire when exploring the outdoor garden. Make sure that they’re wearing long sleeves, pants, boots, and even sunscreen to protect their skin from the sun. Like some of the products mentioned above, you may also get a kids gardening set that comes with arm sleeves, a bucket hat, and an apron. All these items serve as a bonus feature that is essential to protect kids from dirt and other outdoor elements.

Thirdly, make sure that there are no large and unattended buckets of water in your garden. As kids are curious and tend to run around in this area, they might fall into these buckets, causing grave injuries. Therefore, it’s better to invest in a safe and easy-to-use water system like a sprinkler.

Provide safe and convenient tool storage

To further ensure that a garden is a safe place for kids, make sure that a convenient tool storage is available. Aside from serving as storage for real gardening tools, you may also use this storage to keep your kids’ tools. Just remember to keep them in a separate box so kids can easily find them.

This way, kids will also learn to store away their tools when not in use. As a result, the garden will be free from littered tools, making it a safe backyard playground for them to explore anytime.

Start with simple gardening tasks

Kids just starting in gardening need some time to understand how each task is done. Therefore, it is important to start with small and simple tasks to not overwhelm (and bore) them. Using their gardening toolset, you may let them do some shallow digging for sowing seeds. The easy and manual watering task with the use of a sturdy watering can is also a great way to jumpstart their interest in gardening. 

Choose to grow interesting plants

To sustain a kid’s interest in gardening, it is important to introduce plants that are appealing. Naturally, kids tend to be more drawn to flowers and plants that have vibrant colors. Get them a colorful selection like sunflower, azalea, and hibiscus to capture their attention!

You may also opt for vegetables that are easy and quick to grow to sustain kids’ short attention span. Potatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce are some of the veggies that have an easy germination process, making them ideal to grow for kids.

Give children their own garden space

Giving a small area in your garden can make kids feel freer to explore. They’ll feel more independent and in charge of changing things in their space. If you have limited space in your garden, however, just get them pots and containers that they can plant in.

Avoid chemical fertilizers and repellents

To keep the garden safe for kids, it is best to avoid using chemical products. Instead, opt for organic alternatives like green compost for fertilizer and natural oils as bug spray. These alternatives are just as effective in making sure that plants are healthy.

Go to botanical gardens and shops for planting ideas

Aside from doing garden tasks, it is also essential to bring your kids with you when shopping for gardening necessities. Doing this will give them more ideas of how gardening works. You may also have them read gardening books and visit some botanical gardens to get further gardening ideas.

All in all, gardening serves as a great outdoor playtime and learning opportunity for kids. It also proves to be an incredible way for kids build new relationships, and gain fun childhood memories. Give your kids the best childhood ever by gifting them a wonderful gardening set today!