Grow Your Little One's Green Thumb with These Gardening Tools for Kids

By Southern Living Editors Updated March 18, 2021
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Credit: Williams Sonoma

Spring has sprung, so it's time to get your garden ready. Equip young green thumbs with a few essential tools for planting their first garden. Spending sunny spring days tending beds and watering blooms are activities the whole family can do together. If your little tots want to be just like you tending to the garden, give them their own set of tools so they can work alongside you and learn. Gardening is a healthy hobby that all ages can enjoy, and children can learn valuable skills by interacting with nature. These skills, while just plain old fun in the moment, will be ones they can carry with them as they grow older and start gardens of their own. Having tools that are the right size for your little ones (or even big kids too!) will make their experience all the more fun. These kid-friendly tools, accessories, and activities will have budding gardeners ready to start planting.  

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Garden Tool Set

Credit: Courtesy of Lee Valley

Recruit younger members of your crew to help prepare beds for planting with their own child-size set of classic gardening tools, like a rake, hoe, and shovel.

BUY IT: Children's Garden Tool Set, $20; leevalley.com

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Gloves

Credit: Courtesy of The Home Depot

Protect kids' hands while working outside with durable work gloves. The latex coating of this pair improves grip for handling tools, and the cinching wrists block out water and dirt.  

BUY IT: Kids All Purpose Gloves, $6; homedepot.com

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Wheelbarrow

Credit: Courtesy of Amazon

Children can assist with backyard chores with their own pint-size wheelbarrow. This sturdy wheelbarrow can tote plants and dirt from one spot to another.

BUY IT: Kid's Wheelbarrow, $38; amazon.com

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Plant a Pizza Garden

Credit: Courtesy of Faber-Castell

Kids can grow their favorite pizza toppings with this interactive starter kit. Sow basil, oregano, tomato, and pepper seeds indoors, and once they start sprouting, replant them in larger containers outdoors. Young gardeners will learn about nurturing seeds from germination through harvest.

BUY IT: Plant a Pizza Garden, $25; fabercastell.com  

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Butterfly Garden Seed Kit

Credit: Courtesy of Williams-Sonoma

Here's a fun project for kids: Plant easy-to-grow seeds like zinnias and cosmos in mini pots, and watch these colorful flowers attract butterflies to your garden as they grow.

BUY IT: Butterfly Garden Seed Kit, $30; williams-sonoma.com

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We Are the Gardeners

Credit: Courtesy of Magnolia

Little ones will be inspired to start planting after reading We Are the Gardeners, written by Joanna Gaines and her children about their backyard gardening adventures.

BUY IT: We Are the Gardeners, $20; shop.magnolia.com

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Raised Bed

Credit: Courtesy of Gardener’s Supply Company

Introduce gardening with a child-size raised bed. It's small enough to place on the patio, and easy to take care of thanks to its easy-fill self-watering system. 

BUY IT: Kids Garden Self-Watering Planter, $80; gardeners.com

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Trowel and Fork Set

Credit: Courtesy of Terrain

Gift budding gardeners a handsome set of tools, which are handmade from stainless steel and ash hardwood.

BUY IT: Sneeboer Kids' Trowel + Fork Gift Set, $60; shopterrain.com 

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Critter Case

Credit: Courtesy of Toysmith

The mesh walls of this container allow kids to safely inspect and admire insects before setting them free.

BUY IT: Critter Case, $12; shop.toysmith.com

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Watering Can

Credit: Courtesy of Melissa & Doug

A whimsical watering can makes caring for flowers all the more fun.

BUY IT: Giddy Bug Watering Can, $13; melissaanddoug.com

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Garden Bag

Credit: Courtesy of Discovery Toys

Essential tools, a water can, and other supplies can fit in this durable, convenient carryall.

BUY IT: Jr. Garden Tote Set, $25; discoverytoys.com

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Sun Hat

Credit: Courtesy of Sunday Afternoons

When you spend your days in the yard, it's important to protect your little ones from the sun. This moisture-wicking, wide-brimmed hat protects them from the rays and keeps them cool. The best part – it's reversible for double the fun. 

BUY IT: Kids' Clear Creek Boonie, $32; sundayafternoons.com

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