Grow your own
Planting, growing and harvesting fruits and vegetables is a lot of fun and very rewarding.
Growing your own food teaches children about the food life cycle, helps develop an understanding of where fresh food comes from and basic nutrition.
Creating your own vegetable or fruit patch outside can also help children learn how to care for the environment and introduces lots of sensory experiences all year round.
Where to begin
Start small and manageable.
You can grow most things in a large planter or container. Raised beds are also an ideal place to create your own mini vegetable patch.
Easy and fast yield producing vegetables include courgettes, carrots and tomatoes.
When to sow and grow
You can sow and grow fruits and vegetables all year round. Many have a quick harvest time which makes the whole process more visible and you can enjoy the end product sooner.
If you don’t have a garden there are many things you can grow indoors.
It’s not just fruits and vegetables that you can grow either. You could grow your own herbs to use at meal times.
Vegetables and fruit to grow at home
You can find an easy to grow selection of fruits and vegetables below:
Courgettes
Growing instructions
Sow: April/May
Plant: June/July
Harvest: July to October
Tomatoes
Growing instructions
Sow: January to March
Plant: May/June
Harvest: July to November
Runner beans
Growing instructions
Plant: Late May / early June
Harvest: When beans are about 15-20cm long.
Instructions: Plant out and use bamboo canes for the plant to grow up.
Potatoes
Growing instructions
Plant: March to May
Harvest: June to October
Carrots
Growing instructions
Sow: April to May
Harvest: June to October
Strawberries
Growing instructions
Plant: March or April
Harvest: June onwards
Instructions: Grow in containers, the ground or hanging baskets. Make sure they have plenty of sunshine.
Blackberries
Growing instructions
Plant: Early Spring
Harvest: August and September
Instructions: Suitable to grow in most locations around the garden
Blueberries
Growing instructions
Plant: January to March
Harvest: When berries have turned blue (normally late summer)
Instructions: Grow in a pot/container or border in a sunny sheltered spot
Gooseberries
Growing instructions
Plant: October to March
Harvest: July to August
Instructions: Plant in pots or a border
Raspberries
Growing instructions
Plant: November to March
Harvest: June onwards
Instructions: Plant in raised beds or pots
Harry and the Giant Pumpkin Digital Book
Please click on the book image to open a digital version.
Harry and the Giant Pumpkin was released in Autumn 2019 as a gift to Childbase children aged 2 and above.
In this book Harry and his friends plant seeds, water and maintain the vegetables with some surprising results.
The pumpkin is harvested and Harry takes to the kitchen to create a delicious dish for everyone to enjoy.
We recommend viewing in landscape mode on your phone.
Fruit Sundae
Once you have harvested your fruits why not make a delicious fruit sundae. Click on the activity sheet image above for a fun activity to try at home.
Cress heads
Growing cress is a simple and fun activity for all ages. Click on the activity sheet image above for instructions.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers are a fun activity for children to enjoy at home. Seeing how tall your sunflower can grow introduces maths skills for all ages. Click on the activity sheet image above.
Harry's colouring sheet
You could draw your own picture of Harry and his friends or colour in one we’ve drawn. Click on the activity sheet image to download and print it.
How well do you know your fruits?
Take our fruity quiz below...
Results
CONGRATULATIONS you answered all of the questions correctly. You must eat a lot of fruit.
Sorry, you didn’t answer all of the questions correctly. Why not have another go?