Literacy Tips in the Family Garden: Part 2

A quick note: There is no right or wrong garden! My focus is on outdoor gardening, but there are plenty of options for indoor gardens, too. 

kid garden checklistNow that you’ve planted a seed and planned out your family garden project, it’s time to get growing. BUT! Before digging in, we need to check our supplies.

Checklists are a simple – and incredibly valuable – literacy tool. First, they can help us focus. Second, “push” our brains to organize our thoughts. Third, we always feel successful when we check things off a list. 

Use brainstorming to create your checklist. Ask everyone to add their ideas as to what they think will be needed for starting and maintaining your family garden.

  • Ask for help in “grouping” similar items (like tools) to create a working list.
  • Pick a spot where you can gather the items that you already have. Then check off those items.
  • Create a new list – aka shopping list – of the items you need to purchase.

Bonus benefit: Budget tracker! Putting prices next to items is a great way to help kids learn a little financial literacy, too! 

Check out this Family Garden Checklist that covers both planning and prepping for your family garden. We also included some of the books we’re featuring in this series.


*List contains affiliate links. The Reading Tub can receive income from the links, at no additional cost to you.

picture books gardening

garden family picture book

FARMER’S MARKET DAY by Shanda Trent.
Find at: Indiebound.org | Smile.Amazon.com

HOME LOVELY by Lynne Rae Perkins
Find at: Indiebound.org | Smile.Amazon.com

JO MacDONALD HAD A GARDEN by Mary Quattlebaum
Find at: Indiebound.org | Smile.Amazon.com

LITTLE YELLOW PEAR TOMATOES by Demian Elaine Yumei.
Find at: Indiebound.org | Smile.Amazon.com

MOLLY’s ORGANIC FARM by Carol L. Malnor and Trina L. Hunner.
Find at: Indiebound.org | Smile.Amazon.com

MOMMY’s LITTLE SUNFLOWERS by Angela McAllister.
Find at: Indiebound.org | Smile.Amazon.com

SPRING IS HERE: A STORY ABOUT SEEDS by Joan Holub.
Find at: Indiebound.org | Smile.Amazon.com

VEGETABLE DREAMS / HUERTO SOÑADO by Dawn Jeffers
Find at: Indiebound.org | Smile.Amazon.com

WHEN GRANDMA GIVES YOU A LEMON TREE by Jamie L. B. Deenihan.
Find at: Indiebound.org | Smile.Amazon.com

YUCKY WORMS by Vivian French.
Find at: Indiebound.org | Smile.Amazon.com


LINKS TO THE FULL LITERACY TIPS IN THE FAMILY GARDEN SERIES