10 Easy-to-Grow Vegetables for Kids: A complete list for greening their thumbs!

Are you ready to embark on a thrilling gardening adventure with your little ones?

At Kids Growing City, we believe in nurturing green thumbs and cultivating a love for nature in children.

When growing with kids it's important to have small wins and avoid huge setbacks. Let's dig into our complete list of 10 easy-to-grow vegetables that will captivate your kids and turn them into gardening enthusiasts.

Let's dive in and sow the seeds of excitement!

1. Carrots:

Crunchy, colorful, and oh-so-delicious, carrots are a must-have in any kid's garden if you have an outdoor garden for them to dig into.

These root veggies are super easy to grow and come in various shapes, sizes, and colors.

Plus, who can resist the joy of pulling up a carrot straight from the ground? The sudden shine in your kids' eyes when they do that, is priceless!

Carrots may take a bit longer to grow but they rarely get into diseases and pests rarely bother them. That's why they are easy to grow. Also, carrots are cold-hardy which means they can stay in the ground all winter and you get to harvest them next spring or even leave them to give you carrot flowers and seeds the second year. 

The potential of learning for kids is endless with carrots!

2. Cherry Tomatoes:

Bursting with flavor and perfect for tiny hands, cherry tomatoes are a hit among kids.

These little gems are low-maintenance and thrive in containers or small spaces. They are usually indeterminate meaning they will need trellising. But they constantly produce throughout summer. And they are heavy producers too, which heightens the opportunity to share with family and friends. Cherry tomatoes are true community builders!  

Your little ones will love plucking these juicy treats right off the vine and experience the burst of juice under their teeth and into their mouths!

3. Snap Peas:

Snap peas are a fantastic choice for young gardeners.

These sweet and crunchy pods are a delight to munch on, and they grow quickly. Peas are also cold hardy which means you can start them earlier than most other plants and be done with them when it gets too warm. You could also leave the pods on the vines to get dry and "seed-save" with your kids. So much fun and learning!

These vines also need trellises but their cute tentacles that hold on to the trellis are the cutest thing and watching them climb is truly joyful!

With their vibrant green color and satisfying snap, snap peas are sure to be a hit at the dinner table!

4. Radishes:

Ready to harvest in just a few weeks, radishes are the superheroes of quick-growing veggies. And quick results are the best when growing with kids. radishes are so quick that your kids can literally see them grow with naked eyes! They poke their heads out of the soil in 2 days and they visibly grow a whole bunch every single day.

These vibrant root vegetables come in a range of colors and flavors, adding a zesty kick to salads and sandwiches.

Your kids will be amazed at how fast they can grow and just like carrots, pulling them out of the soil is a super exciting act!  

5. Basil:

Let your kids explore the world of herbs by growing their very own basil plants.

This aromatic herb is easy to grow and adds a burst of freshness to any dish.

From homemade pizzas to pasta sauces, your little chefs will love using their homegrown basil in their culinary creations.

Basils are one of the fastest of annual herbs to grow, they are hot-loving plants so make sure you start them when it's warm and won't get cold for a while. Planting them is easy as they don't need spacing. Just sprinkle them around and cover them with a layer of sprinkled soil! Super easy!

6. Leaf Lettuce:

Growing leaf lettuce is a fantastic way to introduce your kids to leafy greens.

With a variety of types to choose from, your little gardeners can enjoy a colorful salad straight from their backyard all throughout spring, summer, and fall or even on the window ledge indoors throughout winter.

Just like Basil, they are easy to sprinkle and grow but unlike Basil, they are cool-loving plants and they grow much much faster too! If you plant a new batch every week, in 2 months after the first batch your kids will have salad greens forever and ever!

Lettuce is a cool-season crop, making it perfect for spring and fall gardens.

7. Parsley:

Get ready to add a pop of flavor to your dishes with homegrown parsley.

This versatile herb is a breeze to grow and can be used in soups, stews, salads, and more.

They do take a long time to poke their heads out of the soil, so they do teach your kids patience at first, in comparison to radish or even basil. But when they do start growing, they give food for a very long time! Your kids can plug leaves out of the parsley bush every day and it keeps producing even after the first snow. It's a very hardy herb!

Your kids will love snipping off fresh parsley leaves to garnish their favorite meals.

8. Green Beans:

Watching green beans climb up a trellis is like witnessing a mini jungle adventure.

These climbing veggies are easy to grow and produce an abundant harvest. These are even faster than radish to get started but of course, they take months until they produce bean pods. So they are a mix of excitement and good teachers of patience! 

Your kids will have a blast picking these long, crisp beans and enjoying them as a healthy snack or in stir-fries.

9. Swiss Chard:

Swiss chard is not only a beautiful addition to any garden but also a nutritional powerhouse.

With its vibrant stems and large, leafy greens, this veggie is a feast for the eyes. They make your garden so beautiful especially if you choose the rainbow variety. They grow fast, they grow strong, and they are also cold hardy. So they grow all the way to the end of fall and sometimes into the snow season.

Swiss chard is easy to grow and can be enjoyed in salads, sautés, or even as a substitute for spinach in recipes.

10. Arugula:

Add a touch of peppery goodness to your garden with arugula.

This leafy green is a breeze to grow, super fast, and adds a delightful kick to salads and sandwiches.

Your kids will love or hate the unique flavor of homegrown arugula! Arugula is one of those interesting greens. You either love it or hate it! But it sure is worth trying to grow it since it gets to harvest fast and is a good example of nature's abundance.

Congratulations, you're now equipped with the complete list of 10 easy-to-grow vegetables that will ignite your kids' passion for gardening!

At Kids Growing City, we believe in the power of hands-on learning and the joy of watching nature's wonders unfold. Share this post with other parents and grandparents who are looking for engaging activities to do with their kids.

Together, let's create a generation of young gardeners who appreciate the beauty and benefits of growing their own food. Happy gardening and may your little ones' green thumbs flourish!