A Guide to Planting Spring Flowering Bulbs with Children

How is Planting Bulbs Educational and Beneficial for Children? 

Bulbs are very easy for little hands to get involved with (under close supervision – they may look like onions, but not all are safe for consumption!). As different varieties of bulbs come in different sizes, small fingers will have to manipulate them to be the correct way up as they go in the ground, as well as practicing using child appropriate gardening tools to dig the holes. Both are excellent activities for strengthening muscles in fingers and hands to improve fine motor skills.  

This activity sneaks in a touch of Numeracy as well, as children can measure out compost into pots using measuring jugs, as well as using measuring tapes or rulers to make sure the bulbs are being buried at the correct depth. It’s also possible to teach about the months of the year and seasons as you discuss how long it will be between planting and flowering.

All along, you will be promoting a child’s independence and encouraging exploration of the world around them. There is an increasing amount of research that shows countless benefits to children who are connecting with nature. It is a well-known fact that spending time with hands in the earth and being a part of a project is hugely beneficial to mental health no matter what age you are, and giving children motivation and opportunity to see the fruits of their labour is only going to improve self confidence and be a mood booster! 

How to Get Planting

Bulbs are generally extremely easy to plant and grow, whether you have a whole garden space or a few pots here and there – or even just one, bulbs will be happy anywhere that has well-draining soil, sunlight and moisture. They go dormant once they have finished producing and most can sit quietly underneath summer flowering plants waiting for their time to shine next year. Once the tops start to brown, you can use secateurs to cut off the top, so that they can put all their energy towards the bulb ready for the next growing season. 
If you’re looking for children’s sized gardening tools check out our full range of affordable real world tools here.  

What to Plant and When

Here are a few easy bulbs that are often found in garden centres, supermarkets and markets. You can also share bulbs from other gardens as they do reproduce under the ground from year to year, especially tulips. Ideally plant as soon as you can after purchase to increase the viability of the bulbs.  

Making a Bulb Lasagna  

As you can see, some bulbs prefer to be buried deeper than others. This means we can create something called a ‘bulb lasagna’, so named because of the layers it creates, which will provide you with a constant flow of flowers from Late Winter through to Early Summer. You will need: 

Crocus bulbs flower very early, around January – March, Daffodils and tulips flower around March – April and Alliums will lead you into Summer by flowering in May – July.