6. They Clean the Air
Depending on which plants you get for your kids, they might purify your indoor air by removing pollutants and allergens. If you want this health benefit, present a list of these plants to your children so they can pick the ones they like and learn about how the plants will keep them healthy.
7. They Make Science Personal
It’s one thing for kids to learn about science in class when they’re bored and tired. It’s another thing to make it personal at home.
After they pick out their plant, name it and decorate the container they’ve chosen, and they’ll form an emotional connection with it.
Learning about how to take care of it and what that plant does makes it easier for kids to care about science.
8. They Cultivate Patience
Plants don’t grow from seeds to maturity overnight. After children plant a few seeds, they’ll need to become more patient while waiting for those first green buds. Kids often only want instant gratification, so teaching patience with houseplants minimises their ongoing need to get what they want right when they want it.
9. They Require Gentleness
Sometimes children don’t have great control over their fine motor skills. They might squeeze something too hard or accidentally break something. Plants require gentleness that they can develop through daily care. Kids can use this gentleness later in life to handle other fragile things like hamsters or other small family pets.
10. They Include Learning Opportunities
Learning opportunities are abundant when kids start to raise indoor plants.
Encouraging curiosity and exploration develops your children into excited students, resulting in engaging classroom experiences and better grades.
Start With Something Easy
Research houseplants for kids before letting them pick what they want to grow. Some varieties are more challenging to care for than others. After selecting a few different ones that the kids can handle, they’ll experience these 10 benefits while watching their seeds blossom into fully grown plants.
Emily is the editor of Conservation Folks and a sustainability and conservation blogger. Follow her on Twitter to see the latest updates.
