What Rules the Kids' Garden?

Establishing rules in the garden is important for both the plants and the kids.

By Charlie Nardozzie

While it's fun to design, layout, plant, and tend a kids' garden, there are some important rules that should be established to make sure the garden thrives. Although not as glamorous or engaging as deciding what tomato to grow and where to plant the sunflowers, setting garden rules is critical to the garden's health and the adult's sanity.

Start with a discussion about rules. Why are there rules for driving, at home, and in the classroom at school? Have kids identify the role of rules. Is it only about keeping order? What about safety?

Have your kids write down three easy-to-follow rules from their home or classroom and three harder-to-follow rules. Lead a discussion about why certain rules are easy or hard to follow.

Turn your attention to the garden, and break the kids into small groups if you are working with a class. Ask each group to come up with three easy-to-follow and three hard-to-follow rules for the garden.

Lead a discussion about these rules. What are the rules? Are they fair to everyone involved in the garden? Do they keep the kids and garden safe? How will they be enforced? Once the kids come up with a set of rules that they agree are needed, review the rules and add your own based on your knowledge of the site, the school or your home, and other circumstances the kids may not be aware of.

The rules should address a wide variety of issues, such as the use and storage of garden tools, when and how to harvest plants/fruits, what happens to harvested produce, what the kids must wear in order to garden (for example, sun screen and sturdy shoes), when and how sprays and fertilizers should be applied, and how to approach critters such as snakes and frogs if found in the garden.

Have the kids write out the garden rules on a sign that will be posted in the garden. The more kids contribute to the establishment of the garden rules, the more likely they will be to follow the rules.