Pulling up the weeds – and strengthening finger muscles!

What you need 

• Some weeds that need pulling out 

What to try 

• Pop your toddler in suitable outdoor clothing and head outside for some weeding.  
• If you don't have a garden of your own, see if you can visit family, friends or maybe a local community garden where you can help.  
• Sit near the weeds and show your toddler how you pull them out.  
• For bigger hand movements you might choose to pull out dandelions. They often have lots of leaves that spread out on the ground which are great for encouraging a larger hand grasp. Show your toddler how to gather the leaves and stalks up and grip them in their palm, before pulling up to lift away as much as they can.  

Make sure you know what plants you are pulling out, and ensure your toddler does not put them into their mouth. If you’re unsure what a plant is don’t encourage your toddler to touch it, or only do so wearing gloves. You can use a plant identifier app to learn more about a plant.  

Good to know 

Weeds are simply any plant that you don’t want growing where it has seeded. They come in all shapes and sizes, giving your toddler lots of opportunities to experiment with getting the best grip on each new one they discover. 

Remember, your toddler won’t always know when to stop, so stay close and be clear about which plants you want them to pull up (and maybe don’t try this near your favourite flowers!).