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By The Educators Spin On It 6 Comments

The Learning Garden – Making Plant Labels to Teach Reading

A fun print rich idea for making plant labels with kids for your backyard garden. A great way to extend reading outdoors with your child this growing season.

strawberry garden marker for backyard gardening with kids

We went outside the other morning and saw that the first of our strawberries have begun blossoming!!!  I just put these plants in the middle of our flower garden and they are doing well, but didn’t have a place marker or label to say what they are. 

Although it is obvious to even a 2 year old, I am trying not to just garden, but to use the garden as a resource to make learning real and connected. 

My 2 year old is learning his letters, so I wanted to make these the focus of the label. My 5 year old has begun reading, so I wanted to include simple sentences that use sight words and words that can teach her a vocabulary word or connect to a different subject matter. 

I am sure that you can guess all the amazing things we can talk about in just this strawberry marker; geography, writing conventions (when to capitalize a word), and food groups.

I have tried many different types of labels; premade, Popsicle sticks, cut up milk jugs, painted on sticks, rocks and more, but these are the quickest, easiest way to add more letters and words to your garden.  They will not last forever, but should do for a year or two! 

I use contact paper, but if you have a laminator, that would work too.  Just remember to leave a big space around the card so that water doesn’t leak in.

Making Plant Labels to Teach Reading to Kids

Materials Needed

  • 3×5 note cards
  • Markers
  • Paper
  • Scissors
  • Contact paper
  • Chop stick / craft stick / any old stick

What to do:

  1. Make your card.  Cut the contact paper double the size of your card plus space for the wide edges.
  2. Make sure to leave 1/2 inch or more all the way around the edges.  Seal.
  3. Tape the stick to the backLet your kids place the marker near the plant it describes!
  4. Read it often! Words are just words unless you interact with them.

Go a step further and create these simple garden labels for extra reading in the garden!

Happy Gardening!

For more ideas in the garden with kids try these…

10 Flowers to Grow with Kids
Pink Flowers planted inside of painted cinder block
Vegetables harvested from a backyard garden with kids

Save

Like this idea? Pin for later or share now with a friend!

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Filed Under: Gardening, Reading Tagged With: Amanda, Art projects, Garden Packets, grade school, Kids in the Garden, Preschool, Reading Comprehension, strawberries

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Comments

  1. Brittney says

    January 28, 2012 at 5:13 pm

    What a great idea! I don't garden, but I wonder if my in-laws would let me do this to their garden since my kids like to help them!

    Reply
  2. Little Wonders' Days says

    January 28, 2012 at 8:38 pm

    These are great! I love the way they look and the info you put on them. We did a sensory garden, incorporating elements to interest all your senses, but didn't mark some of the herbs well. I couldn't tell some of the varieties apart,especially some of the sages, after awhile. We'll have to do something like your markers this year!

    Reply
  3. Raising a Happy Child says

    January 28, 2012 at 10:10 pm

    Nice idea! I wish I had more variety in our garden so I would actually need labels 🙂

    Reply
  4. Melissa says

    January 29, 2012 at 4:10 am

    What a fabulous idea! I know what we will be doing this week for our garden. Both my two little ones love helping out in the garden. Thank you for the inspiration!

    Reply
  5. Amanda says

    January 29, 2012 at 9:22 pm

    Thanks all – we love them too! Brittney, I do hope your in-laws let you! Little Wonder Days, I am going to go back and check your blog to see if you have posted about your sensory garden. I have considered moving my herbs and adding more. Natalie – I am going to be reviewing some seeds in the next month and hoping to find some that are easy and fun for kids to grow. Melissa – I would love for you to send us a picture of your labels that you make with your kids – I'll post them on our From Our Readers page!!!

    Reply

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Early childhood teacher, author, speaker and mom of 3. Kim Vij shares ways to make learning fun and parenting an adventure by sharing developmentally appropriate activities.
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