MAY 18TH, 2010
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In years of teaching children, one thing we’ve learned is that kids love to care for something smaller than themselves. A seed fits the bill, and so do most plants! In the Growing Chefs tradition, we teach the kids the entire narrative of plant care. Plants need water, sun and air–and the attention of a good gardener, too. Sending this group of children home with a basil, we talked about its tender leaves, its delicious aroma, and its potential to grow under their regular care. We practiced holding our hands over the plant like a spider to protect its tender stem as we watered, how to look for signs of thirst rather than watering every day, and how, eventually, this little basil might feed our families a good pesto or pasta sauce.
Some of our favorite plants for children include all the easy-care herbs (mint and basil), with a strong aroma and kid-friendly recipes as an end reward. Thyme might grow mightily, but children love to use blenders (safe blades and stovetop free cooking) for pesto or make smoothies (mint fits the bill for salad garnish, ice cream, and smoothies). Seeds we start with include peas and beans for easy handling, and radishes for fast germination.