Here at The Montessori Studio, our children find endless ways to explore the outdoors. I love watching how something as simple as a dandelion puff, the treasure to beat all treasures, a wriggling earthworm, inspires their awe and curiosity. Young children want to connect with the natural world… and gardening is a great way to honor that desire! Gardening offers a beautiful, hands-on way to explore this drive while quietly reinforcing Montessori principles of independence, responsibility, and care for the environment.
But if you’re picturing elaborate raised beds or weekend-long weeding sessions, take a breath. You can start small—really small—and still reap big developmental rewards. Below are six tried-and-true garden activities I’ve used both in my classroom and at home with my own children. Each is simple, budget-friendly, and brimming with opportunities for language, sensorial exploration, and practical-life skills.
Set up a small outdoor workspace or tray to contain spills.
Invite your child to fill a pot with soil using the child-sized trowel. Spills happen!
Help them make a hole for the seedling, place it inside, and gently press down the soil.
Use the craft stick to write the name of the herb together, reinforcing early literacy.
Water the plant using the child-sized watering can and place it in a sunny spot.
Last summer, my daughter chose basil for her pot. For weeks, she faithfully watered it each morning, whispering, “Good morning, Basil!” Watching her clip her own herbs to sprinkle over pasta reminded me how capable—even tender—young children can be when trusted with real responsibilities.
Gardening Activity Two: Sprout Observation Jar
Montessori Focus
Scientific observation, sequencing, and sensorial exploration
What You’ll Need
Clear glass jar (wide-mouth works best)
Paper towels
Dried lima beans or mung beans
Spray bottle with water
Magnifying glass
Observation journal (blank notebook or stapled pages)
How to Do It
Line the inside of the jar with a damp paper towel, pressing it against the glass.
Slide 3–5 beans between the glass and towel so they’re visible from the outside.
Spray lightly with water and place in a sunny window.
Check daily and record changes in the observation journal with drawings or notes.
In our classroom, the “bean jar” became the highlight of the work period. Our preschoolers loved checking for tiny roots each morning and drawing them in their journal with growing precision. It’s a quiet ritual that turned into a months-long fascination with how plants grow.
Care of the environment, sequencing, and math readiness
What You’ll Need
Cardboard egg carton
Organic seed-starting mix
Vegetable or flower seeds (zinnias, lettuce, marigolds)
Small scoop or spoon
Numbered stickers or a marker
Spray bottle
How To Do It:
Cut the lid off the egg carton and poke small holes in the bottom of each cup for drainage.
Fill each cup with damp soil using a scoop or spoon.
On a piece of paper, write the numbers 1-12 and write the name of a vegetable or flower next to each number.
Label the egg carton cups 1-12. Let your child match seed types to each number.
Gently press seeds into each cup and mist with water.
When I did this with my class, we numbered the cups and made a planting chart. One child realized “carrots are in number three—like I’m three!” The activity quietly reinforced sequencing and number recognition while the children took great pride in watching their seedlings sprout.
Gardening Activity Four: Rainbow Salad Patch
Montessori Focus
Food preparation, color sorting, and care for self
What You’ll Need
Seedlings or seeds in rainbow colors. Look for seed packets that show a picture of the colored part of the plant:
Lay out your rainbow reference and let your child match plants to the colors- this will be the order they will use to plant the seedlings.
Dig shallow holes and help your child plant each seedling, one color at a time.
Water gently and place markers with each color/plant name.
When ready, harvest and let your child help chop and serve their own salad.
A little boy in my class once refused salad—until he saw his yellow tomatoes and red lettuce in the bowl. That day, he tried everything and proudly announced, “This is MY rainbow!” The connection between growing and eating is truly empowering.
Gardening Activity Five: Daily Watering and Weather Check
Montessori Focus
Routine building, care of the environment, and executive functioning
Show your child how to check the soil’s moisture using their finger.
Let them check the weather using a computer or smart phone.
Encourage them to use this information to decide whether or not the plant should be watered.
At the end of the day, visit the plant(s) again – how do they look? Was the decision your child made the correct one? How can this information help us make better informed choices in the future?
One family I worked with turned this into a daily “plant patrol.” Their preschooler woke up excited to be the “Garden Captain,” checking soil and announcing, “Rain’s coming—no water today!” This kind of responsibility gives children real purpose.
Colored pencils or crayons (I love using high quality materials- it makes the activity hold more value)
Garden magnifying glass
How to Do It
Head outside with your child and find something “new” in the garden: a bud, a bug, a leaf.
Encourage them to draw it as closely as possible.
Ask what they notice and help them write a label or description.
Add to the journal weekly and celebrate their observations over time.
My daughter once spent 20 quiet minutes drawing the curve of a slug’s path across a leaf. Later, she explained, “It looks like a moon!” I hadn’t even seen it. Journaling helps children slow down, observe, and form a deeper bond with nature—and with you.
Conclusion
You don’t need a sprawling garden or perfect weather to get started. With a few simple tools and a spirit of curiosity, your preschooler can:
Practice independence and responsibility
Explore nature with all five senses
Build early literacy, math, and science skills
Most importantly, feel capable and connected to their environment
Whether you start with one pot of basil or a full rainbow patch, each activity plants more than seeds—it plants confidence, wonder, and lifelong learning.
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