If you’re a regular visitor to my blog you’ll know that getting children into gardening is a passion of mine. Gardening fits so well with lots of the things that kids tend to automatically like: hands-on activity, exploring nature, and helping the grown-ups spring instantly to mind, not to mention getting grubby!
I’m always on the lookout for products, activities and crafts that encourage a love of gardening in children, and my latest discovery is a rather fab new book from Dorling Kindersley. I’ve got five copies to give away too!
I Can Grow A Sunflower is produced in association with the RHS, and is aimed at children aged 3-5. The book takes budding gardeners on the journey of a mystery seed, learning how to plant it, what it needs to grow, and what it looks like when it flowers. There’s a height chart and a packet of seeds included, so children can create their own version of the seed’s journey and learn about the plant life cycle first-hand.
So what do I like about this book? Well for starters, it does a great job of balancing the fun of gardening with the science and facts behind the subject matter. There are facts and information dotted throughout the book, but it’s not dry or overwhelming. The sunflower-themed height chart and packet of seeds included take it beyond a storybook and into a hands-on activity, which for me is absolutely the right approach to getting kids into gardening. Having read about planting seeds, they will naturally want to get out there and plant some!
The book is also really nicely illustrated in a style that will appeal to young readers, with clear print and bright, easy-to-follow pictures. I think it’s brilliant that the actual flowers and seeds featured are real images with name labels, rather than illustrations; this makes them so much more useful for children when it comes to identifying plants in the real world.
There’s a gentle, subtle introduction to lots of basic gardening facts; we learn about things like what plants need to grow, why it’s a good idea to sow extra seeds, and the role of garden insects and minibeasts.
At six years old Lily is slightly older than the target age of this book, but she thoroughly enjoyed reading it and exploring what was behind the flaps. She was particularly fascinated with the underground pictures that show what’s going on before the seed pokes above the soil, this is obviously something she hasn’t really seen before and it really grabbed her. She has grand plans for growing a sunflower that’s taller than the height chart, so watch this space!
I Can Grow a Sunflower is a lovely way to introduce young children to a fun gardening project and the gardening principles behind it. If you’re looking to encourage young children to have a go at gardening it’s ideal, and with seed sowing season officially here now’s a great time to get stuck in! Do you know a budding young gardener who would love to receive a copy?
Win a copy of I Can Grow A Sunflower
I’m giving away five copies of I Can Grow A Sunflower, each with an RRP of £12.99. To enter, just follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
GIVEAWAY CLOSES: 15th APRIL 2018 11:59PM
UK ENTRIES ONLY
FULL T&C’s IN THE RAFFLECOPTER ABOVE
Dorling Kindersley provided the books for review and prize purposes. All opinions and comments are honest and genuine.
This would be lovely for my little Grandson!
My neice – loves helping me plant my seeds
To my daughter, who loves to help me in our garden!
to my niece
I am trying to get the children interested in gardening so this would be for our youngest.
This would be for our youngest.
My granddaughter, we always do the gardening together, she loves it.
to my daughter x
My grandson who loves to help me in the garden.
My grandson, has grown sunflowers in previous yeas, but has trouble with slugs and snails
I will give a copy to my daughter. She will love it.
It would be for our youngest as I am trying to get the children interested in growing things.
I’d give it to my daughter.
I would love to win it for my two sons!
I would give the book to my cousin
My granddaughter Shaylen
I would give it to my daughter Morgan
My daughter, I’d love her to start doing garden bits and pieces with me
perfect for my youngest two
Perfect for my grandchildren. We have a competition every year to see who can grow the tallest sunflower, coming along nicely in our conservatory.
This would be great for my youngest son.
my nephew
To my niece she would love this
My granddaughter would love this
For my daughter as she loves gardening with my mum.
This would prefect for my god daughter!
Lovely giveaway prize
my daughter would love this
I would gift the book to my niece so we can grow a sunflower together.
To my boy 🙂
I would give this to my daughter Ava
It would be for my niece- we grew a sunflower last year and it was great fun
my son
My grandchildren would love this wonderful book
My grandchildren would share the book because they enjoyed growing sunflowers that I started off for them last year!
It’s going to be a little treat for myself as I am feeling greedy. 🙂
I would give this to my daughter. We are trying to find lots of fun things to do together before she starts school in September. This would be perfect 🙂
id lvoe to give a copy to my nephew 🙂
great for my young girl!
Fantastic idea for getting the kids interested in gardening
for my grandaughter x
My grandchildren now have a garden so this would be perfect
For my son. We love growing things together in our garden
My son would love this as he’s fascinated by things growing in the garden x
For my daughter, harriet
To my grandson
My niece, me and my sister used to have sunflower growing competitions every year to see who’s would be the tallest. Time for her to start growing her own!
My two girls who are 3 and 6. They would love measuring it and seeing how much it’s grown.
I would give it to my son who is 5 years old
I’d give this to my son who would love to grow flowers
My son would love this
My daughter would love this
Youngest grandson would love this, he’s a little outdoor lad
To my 7 & 3 year old kids!
I’d love a copy of the book for my toddler son Ethan – he’s very ‘hands on’ in the garden and I want to channel his enthusiasm to get him growing lots and learning lots this summer!
My son would enjoy growing his own sunflower in our garden
I would give it to my little granddaughter who loves helping me and her mummy in the garden.
I would give the book to my Granddaughter
My two daughters as I’m trying to inspire them in the garden and we are growing sunflowers
to my son xx
My little boy is just at an age where he would love this!!
id give this to my nephew
Our eldest is beginning to appreciate plants and flowers so this would be for her.
my kids
My son and daughter would like this as we want to do the garden this year and grow lots of flowers in it x
I would give it to both my kiddies, this is exactly what I have needed, i’m not from a very outdoorsy family so feel like I need to get my two involved from a young age 🙂 xx
my cousins daughter
would give it to a reception teacher
I would give to my daughter Sheriah 5
I’d give this to my granddaughter. She enjoys “helping” her parents in the garden. I think this year she will be old enough to understand the content of this book, as she will be 3 at the end of April.
I would love to win this for my nephew. Good luck everyone!
I would love to give a copy of this to my daughter, she loves Gardening and always helps me in the garden, this would be something special just for her to do!
I would give it to my daughter
my children but when they grow out of it give it to the nursery
I would give it to my son and daughter as a joint activity for them to do together
My daughter – tbh I need the help too I’m not very green fingered!
I’d give it to my son.