Your baby probably won’t be able to help with gardening in a practical sense, but being outside with you provides a range of sensory experiences that will help them to learn about the world around them.
Talking about real things that interest your child in the moment when they can see, feel and hear them is a brilliant way to help them build their vocabulary.
When you’re outdoors you can comment on the things that you notice them looking at or touching, or you could let them smell some herbs and flowers, and tell them the names of the things that they smell.
You might want to set up an area for your baby to explore; bring over items you think will interest them at first.
Once your baby can move confidently, they will probably choose what they look at and where they explore.
Being outside provides so many opportunities for you to respond to your child’s interests. Hearing language linked to the things that interest them will help them to learn new words.
If you can, set up a small patch or tub of mud (or find space at the park) and give your baby some spades or spoons. They might be interested in digging – in which case you’ll find that you spend lots of time looking at dirt, bugs and worms!
If you have space in your garden, or for some pots inside, and you decide to plant some vegetable plants or seeds, your gardening might lead to some cooking activities – and even more ways of enjoying time with your child and supporting their learning and development.
On top of all of this, we know that spending time outside is good for the wellbeing of both you and your baby.
Experiencing the weather, taking a break from home and seeing different sights are all fantastic opportunities for you to talk to your baby about what’s around them, which will help them as they develop their understanding of language.
Make sure your baby is always supervised as they will want to taste-test new discoveries, and if you don’t know what a plant is don’t let your baby touch it. There are lots of free plant identification apps available; downloading one of these can be really helpful when you’re exploring outside.