Children love to take interest in what their parents are interested in whether it be video games, painting, writing, or plant identification. My middle son has made my heart come alive with his interest in plant ID. We have lots of herbal bliss in our backyard that just a few years ago were considered WEEDS!
I have been super excited to find all sorts of medicinal plants that we can use for herbal remedies right in our backyard. Boy does this save time and money! I do not have to order online or drive to a local health food store for Plantain, Dandelion, Wild Violet to name a few.
I have to admit I have planted some things out front like Yarrow, Coreopsis, and Phlox. I have been blessed by God with Evening Primrose and even a Mullein plant!
How I Teach my Children Plant ID:
I take a more natural approach to teaching just about anything. When we are outback and the little boys are playing. I will either just start picking the chosen herb of the day or ask if they know what that herb looks like. If they say they do not know what it looks like then I will show them. Then we will go around the yard and try to find it in a couple of more spots. Since I have been harvesting Plantain on a somewhat daily basis to dry and mail to Heart Leaf Clinic that has been the first herb learned by Big Red.
When I just start walking around the yard and bend over to pick plants this usually sparks some curiosity in one or two of my children. If they come over then I usually am very quick to explain what it is. I ask them to pick a leaf. Feel the leaf. Ask what shape the leaf is. I even found a super helpful free printable from The Christian Herbal that we printed and use for plant ID!
We have created a 2nd plant ID sheet for all of our newsletter subscribers!
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