Gardening with Kids: 5 Easy Projects to Try These School Holidays

The last week of term is here, and the school holidays are just around the corner. If you’re looking for ways to keep the kids entertained (and off their screens), your garden is the perfect place to start.

Gardening is hands-on, creative, and full of little lessons in patience, responsibility, and wonder. Whether you’ve got a big backyard, a small courtyard, or just a few pots on the balcony, here are five fun and easy garden projects to try with your youngest family members these holidays.

1. Plant a Pizza Garden

Turn a garden bed or large pot into a mini pizza pantry! Let the kids plant their own:
- Cherry tomatoes
- Basil
- Oregano
- Capsicum
- Thyme

They can paint a sign that says “Pizza Garden” and take charge of watering and checking on their plants. Later, you can use the harvest to make real homemade pizzas together!

Try this: Download our 2-ingredient yoghurt pizza dough recipe from the activity book for a full garden-to-table experience.

2. Create a Butterfly & Bee Buffet

Get the kids involved in attracting pollinators by planting flowers like:
- Lavender
- Marigolds
- Buddleia
- Salvia

Add a DIY sign that says “Insect Café”, and then keep a daily count of who visits—bees, butterflies, ladybugs, and more. We’ve even included a Pollinator Tracker in our printable activity book.

3. Paint and Plant Pots

Grab some plain terracotta pots and set up a painting station. Let the kids decorate their pots however they like, then fill them with:
- Mint
- Petunias
- Alyssum
- Strawberries

It’s a fun way for kids to express themselves—and they'll love seeing their pots on display.

4. Sunflower Growing Race

Sunflowers are quick to grow and exciting to watch. Give each child a sunflower seed, let them plant it in their own spot, and track its progress weekly.

We’ve added a Sunflower Race Chart to the activity book so they can record their results!

5. Start a Compost or Worm Farm

If your kids love gross science facts, they’ll love composting! You can build a basic worm farm or compost bin together and teach them how food scraps break down to become plant food.

Start with:
- A bucket or bin
- Some soil and worms
- Food scraps like veggie peels and eggshells

It’s eco-friendly, educational, and kind of magical.

Bonus: Free Printable Kids' Garden Activity Book!

To help make the holidays even more fun, we’ve created a free printable activity book for kids, packed with colouring pages, word games, trackers and garden planners.

Here’s what’s inside:

🖍 Colour Me In – A garden scene to spark imagination
🔍 Word Find – A fun puzzle with garden-themed words
📊 My Garden Tracker – Record weekly garden updates
🎨 Design Your Dream Garden – A blank page for creative plans

Download the Flora scope Kids' Garden Activity Book and make some memories together this school holidays.

Final Thoughts

These holidays, let the garden be a place of connection, curiosity, and calm. Whether you're planting herbs, building bug hotels, or just getting your hands dirty together, you're creating more than just memories—you're planting the seeds for a lifelong love of nature.

Need help creating a family-friendly garden space?
Contact Flora scope—we’d love to help you grow something beautiful.