Plants make people happy. And plants for kids will make your kids happy and more responsible. Green plants enrich our health and our well-being.
We all need more plants in our lives! I hope you will consider a plant-pet for your child.
If you could see my home, you would say I have a “green thumb.” My mother told me I got my green thumb from my grandma. And that makes me smile. My grandmother bought my first plant, and I remember it well—a Jade plant.
Also, I remember how excited I was to take care of it. I don’t know how long that excitement lasted or how long the plant lived, but I know my love for plants stemmed from that Jade plant.
I’ve even written a picture book manuscript about a plant being a child’s pet. Hopefully, one day, I can share my book with children. And perhaps children will want a plant because of the book? That will also make me smile.
But for now, I hope to empress upon parents to buy plants for their children to care for and love.
Responsibility
Caring for a plant teaches responsibility. Your child can learn to water their new plant-pet. Watering and providing enough sun for a plant is a perfect way for children to learn how to love and care for others. And this experience will carry on throughout their life.
The best way to remember to water the plant regularly is to pick a day of the week and water on that day every week. I water on Saturdays.
You can google easy-to-care-for plants together and read about how to take care of them. Don’t forget to have them name their new plant-pet. Plants can be pets, too!
And the entire experience will be one they remember.
Picking the plant
Make it an adventure. Let your child choose his/her plant. Take your child(ren) to a local nursery or wherever plants are sold. Help them choose the plant that matches the sunlight in their room and a perfect pot, then teach them how to plant it.
If you don’t have many plants, get one for yourself. Make a game or friendly competition out of it.
Consider the lighting
Pick the right plant for the amount of sun the child’s room receives. There are many types of plants for each light category, and the nursery can help you determine the right choice for your child. You want to set your child up for success, and lighting is the best place to start.
Some low light plants are ZZ Plant, Sago Palm, Chinese Evergreen, Monstera, Philodendron, ivy, and ferns.
Examples of medium light plants are ivy, Dracaena, Bamboo palm, ZZ Plant, and ivy.
High light plant examples are Zebra Plant, Jade Plant, Schefflera, Ponytail Palm, Croton, and English Ivy.
Easy starter plants
As you can see, ivy is on all three lists, and the ZZ plant is on two lighting lists. Both of these plants are examples of easy to care for plants and great for beginners.
Also great for beginners, Zebra Plant, Yucca, Rubber Plant, Birds Nest Fern, and cactus and succulents.
Remember, cactus and succulents need less water. Overwatering will kill any plant, but especially cacti.
If you take your child to a nursery, they will have experienced help who can assist you—picking the very best plant for your new plant lover will ensure success.
Learning Possibilities
You can also use plants to teach your children. Besides responsibility, your children can learn many things about plants.
Propagating plants is also fun. Rooting plants is easy and exciting. Placing a cutting of a plant in a clear jar or vase allows your child the ability to watch the roots grow.
But don’t forget to change out the water regularly!
Benefits of plants
Children having plants in their rooms gives them many benefits.
Having plants in our homes benefit us as well as make our homes homier and prettier. Green plants produce oxygen in our homes. Plants clean our air and reduce allergens. Plants also absorb carbon dioxide.
And plants make people happy. They enrich our health and our well-being. We all need more plants in our lives! I hope you will consider a plant pet for your child. Do you like this article? Click here for gardening tips for beginners
