The weather has definitely turned chilly in many parts of Australia so now is the perfect time for kids to be planting some winter crops in the garden. Many people think that not a lot can be grown in winter however this is not necessarily the case. There are still plenty of great fruit and vegies that can be planted now that kids love.
Snow peas are a great vegie for children to grow at this time of year. Their larger seeds make them easy for little hands to sow and kids love their sweet flavour. Silverbeet and spinach continues to grow well at this time of year and can be included in a wide range of recipes. Radish seeds can be sown in winter and are quick to grow producing fast results for kids. Carrot seeds are also great to sow now and come in a number of different varieties. Kale is another vegie that children can plant at this time of year. This interesting vegie comes in a range of colours which make them appealing to young ones.
In terms of fruit winter is the time to plant deciduous fruit trees such as apricots, apples and plums.  Other smaller fruiting plants can also be grown now. My students at school are often asking me if we can grow some fruit so in the last few weeks we’ve planted two rhubarb seedlings, two passionfruit vines and a blueberry bush.

If the weather is simply too cold for you to face heading outdoors with the kids why not try some indoor gardening? Sprouts grow quickly on a window sill, are interesting for children to observe and are highly nutritious. Mushroom kits are fascinating for kids and can be grown indoors inside a cupboard. Seedlings for spring can also be started indoors now so consider sowing some tomato, capsicum and watermelon seeds into pots and keeping them inside in a warm spot to help them germinate.
The Gardening 4 Kids shop sells a wide range of organic seeds that are ideal to plant during winter.
It can often be a challenge to find the motivation to get outdoors when the weather is chilly however it can be a rewarding time and kids especially will appreciate the effort when it comes time to harvest  the crops. So, what will you plant this winter?