If you're looking for a way to transition your kids from screen time to green time, gardening might be just the answer you're looking for. It’s such fun to watch plants grow from a tiny seed or starter plant, and bonus points if you grow flowers that attract butterflies and flowers that attract hummingbirds in your garden. Plus, fresh air, sunshine, and getting your hands dirty might just lead to a clearer mind—it’s worth a try, right?.
When picking plants, consider your kids’ interests. Have a future chef in the house? Let them try their hand at growing snap peas, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, or herbs. Does your child love color and art? Try planting bright and cheerful flowers like marigolds, sunflowers, and some of the best flowers that bloom in summer. Many adult gardeners keep journals about what works and what doesn't—challenge your kids to document the progress of their flowers and plants in their own garden journals.
Whether you have a large piece of land with lots of play space, a small backyard that makes a big statement, or a set of steps for a few containers, there’s always room for growing pretty, low-maintenance plants and flowers. Not only will they add a lot of life to your outdoor space, you can also cut them and enjoy the blooms of your labor indoors as well.
We’ve rounded up the 15 best plants for kids that are safe and easy for budding gardeners to care for. Now, get growing!
1
Succulents
Succulents are super easy to grow, and they come in a rainbow of colors and hundreds of shapes and sizes! They prefer mostly sun, drought-tolerant once established, and many types tolerate extreme cold. Some can be grown indoors as houseplants too.
Varieties to Try:
Lemon Coral Sedum
Burro’s Tail
2
Sunflower
These bold, sunny-faced flowers come in an array of sizes ranging from a foot tall to 15 feet tall! Plant seeds directly in the garden or in pots in full sun after the last frost. Many types have large edible seeds you can enjoy with your kids, or share them with the birds.
Varieties to Try:
Supersnack
Fire Catcher
3
Cherry Tomato
Many tomatoes are actually long vines that require staking, but newer cherry tomato varieties have been bred to be compact and tidy so they grow best in pots. Plant a few different kinds so you’ll have a rainbow of colors to harvest.
Varieties to Try:
Sweetheart of the Patio Hybrid
Yellow Pear
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4
Mint
Fast-growing mint is a fun and rewarding plant to grow. You can grow it outside in the ground, in an outdoor container, or inside on a windowsill. It's a great addition to brewed tea and kicks up the freshness in desserts and savory foods alike.
Varieties to Try:
Spearmint
Chocolate Mint
5
Nasturtium
These easy flowers to grow, with blue-green leaves and gorgeous blooms, grow in climbing or mound forms. They come in an array of colors from peach and red to coral and rose and show off all season until frost. But the coolest thing about both the flowers and the leaves is that they're edible, so kids can toss them on summer salads and tasty no-bake desserts.
Varieties to Try:
Baby Rose
Peach Melba
6
Sweet Potato Vine
The sweet potato vine's claim to fame is its starring role as an ideal "spiller" in containers and window boxes. But did you know that this eye-catching chartreuse stunner is also the result of a super fun science project your kids will love?
To grow a vine from a whole sweet potato:
Take a whole sweet potato (pointy side down) and poke four toothpicks around the middle, then rest the potato on the lip of a clear glass (a Mason jar works great). Fill the glass with water to cover the bottom of sweet potato. In 7-10 days, a single root will begin to form in the water and sprouts will begin to show on the top. Watch it grow, then transplant to a pot or into the ground.
Varieties to Try:
Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Lime
Sweet Caroline Bewitched After Midnight
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7
Butterfly Bush
Long, spiky flowers in shades of red, white, pink, or purple on this hardy bush attract oodles of butterflies and hummingbirds all summer long. This shrub likes full sun and comes in a variety of sizes, from two to five feet tall, so read the plant label to make sure you give it ample space.
Varieties to Try:
CranRazz
Pugster Blue
8
Elephant Ears
Leaves that grow bigger than their heads? You kids will be amazed by the size of elephant ear plants. (Also be sure to point out that they're shaped like hearts.) Bonus: These bold, jungle-like perennials come back year after year.
Varieties to Try:
Fordhook Giant
Black
9
Daisies
Is there any flower happier than a daisy, with its bright yellow center and crisp white petals? With the right amount of water and sunshine, it's easy to grow daisies. To keep blooms coming and plants looking neat, teach your kids how to "deadhead" (remove old flowers).
Varieties to Try:
Snow Lady Shasta
Crazy Daisy Shasta
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10
Pumpkin
Pumpkins take up a lot of space in the garden, with vines that may stretch up to 20 feet long, although newer varieties are more compact. That’s a relative term though, as smaller types may still require about six square feet of space! But they’re awfully fun to grow because they come in every size and hue, from the palest white to bright orange. Plus, they’re versatile: Eat them, decorate with them, roast the seeds, or try your hand at these easy pumpkin-carving ideas.
Varieties to Try:
Pepitas
Kandy Korn Plus Hybrid
11
Lamb's Ear
This hardy, best perennial for your garden with an adorable name has velvety, silver foliage (that resembles lamb’s ears, of course!) and unique flower spikes. It’s not particularly fussy and tolerates drought and poor soil. Kids will love the unique texture.
Varieties to Try:
Big Ears
Cotton Boll
12
Strawberry
Kids love picking bright berries fresh off the plant. New strawberry varieties are pretty, compact plants that produce fruit all season long and thrive in containers and hanging baskets. It's possible to grow these from seed, but it takes time. Look for plants, which will bear fruit the first season.
Varieties to Try:
Delizz
Berried Treasure
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13
Marigolds
These sturdy annuals are likely a familiar sight to you, and there's a reason Grandma always grew them. Known for their heat and drought tolerance and natural insect-repelling characteristics, they're cheerful little fellas too, making them an old-fashioned favorite. Pro tip: Save dried flower heads for next year's seeds.
Varieties to Try:
Endurance Yellow and Orange Hybrids
Queen Sophia
14
Pole Bean
Beans are incredibly easy to grow, and the more beans you pick, the more your plant will produce. Plant seeds in a sunny spot once the danger of frost has passed. Some types, such as the heirloom variety Scarlet Runner, attract hummingbirds too.
Varieties to try:
Seychelles
Scarlet Runner
15
Sweet Alyssum
This lacy-looking annual plant has a sweet fragrance that’s easily carried on in the breeze. Pollinators love it. Plus, it’s a sturdy plant that looks wonderful cascading out of window boxes and hanging baskets alongside other plants. And because it can withstand a light frost, it lasts a long time in the garden.
Varieties to Try:
Royal Carpet
Carpet of Snow
Arricca Elin SanSone
Arricca Elin SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more. She’s passionate about gardening, baking, reading, and spending time with the people and dogs she loves.
