This week I heard my 9 year old bump into something in the other room. She was half-way crying when the 3 year old walked up to her and said, “Don’t worry, just put Boo Boo Salve on it and it will be OK!”
Why Teach Kids About Herbs?
When you use herbal medicine and teach children about it at a young age, it is all they know. It is completely natural for my kids to drink teas when they are sick or find plants in the yard to eat.
If a child has grown up using herbs, by the time they are grown they will have a deeper understanding of herbal medicine. Kids retain information so much better when they learn something at a young age.
I want to share a few reasons why I think it is important to teach kids about herbs.
1. Children love nature.
From the time they are itty bitty, children will find a leaf, a feather, a bug…you name it…and bring it to show mama. God created the natural world of plants and animals for our enjoyment. I think it gives God great pleasure to see his children delighting in His creation.
2. Herbs are God’s gift to our children.
God has provided medicine for our physical ailments in the form of plants. Teaching kids about herbs teaches them to use the things God has given them and not be totally reliant on an often broken medical system.
3. Builds life long health habits.
When kids learn to make their own medicines, over time they begin to take responsibility for their own health. They slowly understand the correlation between being healthy and eating healthy foods, getting fresh air, sunshine, and exercise, and taking herbs to restore balance.
4. Learning about herbs integrates science.
When you learn about herbs and treating the body with herbal medicine, you have to learn about botany, chemistry, anatomy & physiology, and so much more. Learning about herbs is an easy way to teach even very young students about the parts of a plant, what kinds of chemicals the plant is made up of, and how these affect our bodies.
Herbal Lessons for Kids
This week I will be posting several ways that you can begin to teach your kids about herbs. I will show you how to make plant identification cards that can be used to identify herbs. You can then plan your herb walk and work on art journaling. After your walk, why don’t you sit in the shade and sip on a glass of vitamin rich, herbal “Kool-Aid”.
In the meantime, you can check out my Teaching Kids About Herbs Pinterest board. I am always on the lookout for ways to teach my kids about herbs and I have found some great ideas on Pinterest!
You might also like to read my Apologia Botany review. My kids enjoyed the course and it really helps give them a solid foundation in their plant studies.