[SnooziSuzi]

So.... all hope is lost with 15yo but I might be able to salvage something 00with 8yo...
what am I talking about?... getting kids interested in GYO!!!

How can I get 8yo interested to tear himself away from fantasy roleplay games (I blame his dad  ) and into growing at least some veg for himself.

I've tried promising him his own veg patch on the lottie (which I'll probably end up looking after) with the caveat that he tends this himself which he's kind of agreed to, but he will probably lose interest.... what can I do to keep his interest!!!??

[peapod]

Suzi
Ive got the EXACT same prob, (except hes 9) even down to the game choice!! I have to drag him off it to go to bed!

Ive given DS his own containers and veg patch before now, but he wasnt too keen for a long period of time (just humouring me methinks). However,  DD has sent him his very own addressed to him only envelope full of seeds today,and he was delighted  .  So maybe that extra year has made a difference, or maybe he could get an important present in the post  ??

[Bombers]

Come on girls it's obvious... We boys are a competitive bunch.
 You need to have a competition.
How about... who can grow the biggest pumpkin/Sunflower/cabbage???
loser has to buy the other a pressie? that should capture his interest

[SnooziSuzi]

Hey that's such a good idea I might just steal it!!!  thanks peapod!!

[peapod]

Trouble is Bombers, my lad is competitive with games and footy with his much older brothers, but competing with old ma doesnt cut the mustard.

Hmmm thats actually a good idea B!! ....maybe I could persuade at least one of the olders to pretend hes growing something 

[SnooziSuzi]

Well, have promised #1 son his own part of the lottie where he can grow stuff either on his own or with a friend....  *sigh* he just may not be ready for it... like so many of us, until later in life

[Salmo]

Ask them if they will look up how to grow something for you on the computer. Does not matter if you already know all about it.
Get them starting off a few fun plants ready to plant out. Big seeds that grow fast. Pumpkins, sunflowers, beans, sweet corn. You will probably have to do all the hard work like keeping watered but does that matter.
Designate their own area of plot to plant them in. Encourage them to plant out their plants or seeds. Again you will probably do the weeding and watering, maybe also the planting, but the produce will be theirs when it is harvested. You never know they might even volunteer to help plant some of your plot once they become "the expert".

[Rangerkris]

We are trying to get ours interested and out in the fresh air more thats why we got our plot, at the moment we get a YAY when we say were of down to the allotment.  Isobel wants a pink raised bed and callum wants a blue one.  I reckon thats the least we can do for them really.   

When clearing the site we got litter pickers and gloves for the rubbish and they both took part in clearing the site.  As forest school leader i have lernt that children get so much from letting them get on with using tools like loppers hacksaws and even around fire.  (we watch them but only ask them to stop if it cause a danger or they are going to ruin something thats been done.

We make sure there wrapped up warm and we take note of how cold they are so they dont get to cold and think i dont want to do that it makes me cold.  My two love being out side must come from me i guess fishing since i was 10 and working outside as a Park ranger for the last 16 years. 

I just hope that the guy next to our plot dont have any problems with children being on the site as he will get a shock when he see's the 4 ou us down there next time. 

He might think great, i dont have to look at the mess any more and not give a dam the site manager says hes a great guy. we will have to wait and see. 

Im sure you will see many pictures from me here of our 2 little monsters. We will also be making paper pots as well in the next few days.

[Duracell]

Well my 2 (7 and both join in every year so I asked them what they like about it so I will share the answers with you.

Son said: Bug hunting, testing the soil and getting muddy with mom, oh and eating it!

Daughter said: Choosing the seeds, Seeing how it goes from mud to pretty to tasty and getting muddy with Mom.

I always get the veg catalogues in my sons name and the flower ones in my daughters and they draw a pic of the garden and we plan it all out together and plan when we can plant and harvest. Mostly I think they enjoy the time spent with me and the attention away from distraction. Aldi had a range of children's tools in last easter and so instead of eggs they got spades and hoe's and rakes ect and they love these as they are good quality but smaller for them to handle. They also like to share their produce, giving grandma a home grown pressie for tea just lights up their face with pride.

Ohh and last year and prob this year too all the extra plants we had (I always sow way too many as the failure rate with kids is higher) were sold off at a car boot to raise funds for the charity I work with. They loved that.

[Allotment Jon]

My son 12 lived in front of his Play Station and ate very little veg. I gave him his own raised bed and directed him to the spare plant table we have on the allotment. He picked various plants such as Kale, Celeric and Brocolli. He ate all of it and has already planned this years bed. I,m sure he will loose interest eventually, however we will do our best.

[digalotty]

competition sounds great 

[chimaera]

A friend of mine got his 2 boys interested by not only having them compete between themselves for largest pumpkin, but also pointing out that they could make good money selling them at halloween; the money a kid can get for a few large pumpkins comes in useful in the run up to Christmas. (It may be bending the rules of the lottie a bit, but I am sure no one would care).

Charlie

[peterjf]

hi , we encourage all families to bring their rug rats to the plots , we have introduced a

junior membership , scarecrow comps , growing comps , tallest sun flowers etc etc , its

nice to see the kids on the plots , give it a try , after all the kids will be old and grumpy

one day ,  just like us ,

cheers , pete in hull

[Debbie D]

In WHSmith at the moment they've got a grow your own magazine for kids reduced from £9.99 to £4.99, it comes with 10 packs of seeds as well and has a scrapbook bit in the middle for them to record their progress.  I got one for my daughter (or was it really for me) and magazine seems quite well written and easy to follow.

[Rangerkris]

Thanks for that DD what a great idea.