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Gardening Tools for Children:
It is important that children are provided with equipment that they can use comfortably.
Children should be provided with proper miniature versions of adult tools as opposed to plastic toy tools which will not be fit for purpose.
Tools will need to be age appropriate e.g. tools for very young children will need to be lighter and have a shorter handle than those for older children. Also the handle grip size will need to be taken into consideration.
Children should also be taught how to look after the tools so that they are kept in good condition.
The tools required are likely to be a wheelbarrow, spades, hoes, forks, rakes, trowels, hand forks and watering cans.
Children should also be taught how to use the tools safely.
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Constructing a Raised Bed System:
Raised beds can often be a very good system to use in a school garden especially if the soil in your area is heavy clay or suffers from waterlogging. The use of raised beds with children also means that soil isn't being trampled and compacted and also that children's shoes avoid being caked with mud. The size of the raised beds should be appropriate to the age of child for which they are intended. Children should be able to comfortably reach into all parts of the beds without stepping onto the soil. Raised beds can be constructed using untreated railway sleepers, old wooden scaffolding boards or gravel boards. Alternatively many gardening suppliers sell raised bed kits made from timber or plastic.
Gardening Gloves:
Many gardeners – especially those on TV – will tell you that they prefer to garden with bare hands as they feel this puts them more in touch with the soil. I wince every time I hear this or see them scrabbling at the soil unprotected.
Covering hands for protection is – I believe essential – especially where children are concerned. Pieces of debris such as broken glass may be present in the soil and the area may have been used by animals as a toilet. Access to school garden areas is often less easy to restrict than to private gardening spaces. Not only does a stout pair of gloves protect the hands from pricks and cuts which incidentally can lead to tetanus but they can also guard against exposure to animal faeces. Dog faeces can infect humans with Toxocariasis with and cat faeces can infect with Toxoplasmosis.
Even when wearing gloves children should wash their hands thoroughly after any gardening activity. Also up to date tetanus protection is essential.
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