DIY! Common Household Items for Gardening Modifications

Below are some suggested ways to use or modify common household objects to support children's independence in a variety of garden activities!

• To scatter seeds in a garden, put them in a clean, empty spice shaker. Then, shake the seeds out over the garden bed to distribute them.
• To make a homemade squeezable seedling watering can, use a paper clip to poke holes in the cap of a single-use plastic water bottle. Fill the bottle with water. Children can then tip the water bottle slightly and squeeze to release a small stream of water.
• Use a mug to scoop or dig in the soil. The handle of a mug may be easier to grasp than that of a standard gardening tool.
• Lengthen garden tool handles like trowels by attaching them with duct tape to a broom handle or piece of PVC pipe, so children can more easily reach down to dig in the soil. Make sure to test the sturdiness of these tools before having children use them.
• If gardening gloves are not available, use disposable gloves to keep your hands clean while digging in the soil.
• If you don't have seed starting trays available, use an old egg carton. Be mindful of over- saturating the egg carton with water, as it could break down if it gets too wet.
• Lay a beach towel, pillowcase, or a piece of cardboard on the ground as a homemade garden kneeler to prevent getting dirty or reduce pressure on the knees.
• Enlarge the handles of garden tools to make them easier to grip by wrapping them in sticky medical tape or rubber bands.
• Tie brightly colored ribbons or highly textured string around garden tool handles to help learners who have low vision see and keep track of items.
• Make garden tools heavier by taping pennies or washers to the tip of the handle and covering them with sticky medical tape to hold them in place.
• As a first step, when washing harvested produce, place it inside a kitchen strainer to rinse instead of washing each vegetable or fruit individually. A more thorough rinse is recommended after using a strainer to clean produce.

Adaptive Gardening Tool Examples

Below are some pictures and links to helpful tools you can purchase to support children's independence and participation in garden activities such as watering seedlings, planting or weeding outside, and harvesting produce.*

*These products are provided as a visual representation and starting point for adaptive tool shopping. KidsGardening does not endorse or sponsor any of the products included here. Please do your own research as a consumer before purchasing any products.

Adaptive Gardening Tools

Garden Kneelers

Seed Sower