Safe gardening with children

Getting outside and involving your child in gardening is a great way to spend time together and learn about the world. While gardening is a fun activity to enjoy together, there are a few plants you need to be careful of when gardening with your child. We thought it would be helpful toprovide some tips for safe gardening. Here are some ways to help teach your child to be more cautious and mindful around plants when out and about:

Wash your hands when coming in from the outdoors and encourage your child to do the same.
You and your child should wear gloves when gardening, planting, and handling plants.
Remind your child not to eat any parts of any plant that they may find.
Dispose of any cuttings or prunings immediately.

If you think that your child has come into contact with or ingested a harmful plant, take them to your local accident and emergency immediately and try to take a sample of the plant with you.

There are many different ways that plants can affect people negatively – some are poisonous, and some are irritants to the eyes and skin. For a full list of plants that can cause reactions, please see here.

There is plenty of fun you can have together safely by following these simple tips. And we’re sure your little helper will enjoy helping you water the plants afterwards!

Safe gardening with children

Further reading