Happy Spring! There’s no better reward than watching children get interested in how plants grow and what it takes to grow the food they eat. As a backyard gardener for years, my kids have come to love eating from the garden and helping with planting and harvesting. My hope is that these free gardening printables will help your kids get excited about growing a garden, too.

Gardening scavenger hunt

This scavenger hunt will get the kiddos outside and hunting for things in nature. Trees, bugs, flowers, grass… all the things that grow and thrive out of doors. Have kids work in teams or on their own, and if your kids or group are competitive, use a prize or reward for the one who finishes first!

You could also use this as a video scavenger hunt for those older students who can use cameras responsibly.

Seed Investigator

This activity will require some seeds on hand. Place the seeds on a table and number them will a small piece of paper. Have students guess what each type of seed is and write it down. Be sure to pick some challenging seeds, such as onion and lettuce, and also have a fewer easier ones like potato and corn.

This is also a great way to review the parts of a plant! Use the diagram to walk students through the roots, stems, and leaves of plants, and have a plant on hand if you want to go even further.

Garden Planner

Even if you have no intention of planting a garden, letting kids use their imagination of what they’d grow if they could is still a fun activity. Don’t be limited to the veggies and fruits listed on the page. Add whatever vegetables, herbs, and fruits they like to eat and then research how much space it takes to grow them!

It’s just possible that all this garden planning may actually lead to growing a real backyard garden.

My hope is you’ll enjoy these free garden printables with your kids and be able to spend a bit more time out in nature. And a huge bonus if a garden grows as a result!

Kid's Garden Activities

Want to get the kids involved in growing a garden at home? Here are some fun activities to keep kids engaged in how things grow and they may even get their hands dirty!