Grow Gardeners. Kid-Tested Gardening with Children

Grow Kids into Gardeners

When children associate the outdoors with fun, growing gardeners is easy.

Written by a young gardener and her horticulturist father (me), this book brings together kid-tested fun and practical gardening information. They share their anecdotes and pointers for growing. They also look at outdoor play, exploring, and collecting—other important elements for budding gardeners.

It’s colourful, easy-to-read, and packed with kid-friendly pictures. It’s a book adults and children can enjoy together.

By Steven Biggs and Emma Biggs
Page count: 70
Paperback
Full colour throughout
ISBN - 978-0-9868144-2-6
No Guff Press, 2015

My Daughter Sowed the Seed for this Book

I remember the day clearly. I watched her playing at her pretend kitchen, arranging small plates, utensils, and cups in the cupboards.

In this kitchen, she loved to “cook” treats for everyone. The main ingredient in her imaginary recipes was little bits of paper. We would often find Emma with paper and scissors. “What are you doing?” my wife, Shelley, and I asked. “Making treats,” she always answered, matter-of-factly, as bits of paper flew everywhere.

One day, I came home to find something new in the kitchen: A large, yellow “M” cut from construction paper was taped onto the cupboard. Was it a seagull, I inquired? “No, McDonalds,” she chirped.

So young… and already won over by corporate marketers.

That yellow M is a fine piece of marketing. That yellow M was the seed for this book. To Emma, that yellow M equalled fun.

I realized in that moment that as adults—and as gardeners—we must help kids realize how fun the garden can be.

That is what this book is about. That what this website is about. Making gardening for kids fun.

“The kid-friendly text, in short, easy-to-read paragraphs, is coupled with lots of pictures, cartoons and candid commentary by Emma that will resonate with kids her age. Yet there’s also realistic advice for parents who despair of ever persuading Jake and Madison to stop texting their buddies — and go outside.” Sonia Day, Toronto Star

Videos Based on Grow Gardeners

After Grow Gardeners came out, Emma and I gave a lot of talks about gardening with children. Then, she made a couple of videos to share ideas from the book with other kids.