Growing a victory garden during World War II was a way for the people here in Canada to both better feed themselves and also help support the troops in Europe, since it was possible to send more food overseas due to less needs here. It gave many people a sense of being able to actively participate in supporting the war that they really weren’t able to otherwise. Teaching your kids to grow their own garden offers so many learning opportunities – not just about how gardens helped during the war, but also around nutrition, patience, responsibility, hard work, botany, and much more.
Plant a Victory Garden
Whether you live on a farm or in an apartment, it is totally possible to plant, grow, and harvest your own garden. Kids love to watch things they’ve planted and to pick what grows.
Materials needed:
- Somewhere to put your garden
- Some basic tools
- Access to water and sunshine
- Dirt
- Seeds/Plants
If you don’t have the space to create a large garden in your backyard, try a raised bed or a square foot garden. Use containers. Our neighbours put out several flower pots with tomato plants across the front of their garage every summer since their backyard is too shady. My husband built us a garden that looks like 3 steps, with 7 boxes across each one.
If you really can’t find space, try a little container of herbs inside your window. You can even get creative and create a vertical garden or make a community garden on a central plot of land. It is possible to grow something, somewhere.
What can kids do in the garden? Here are some handy tips for gardening with kids. Plus check out my Teach Your Kids About Gardening post for lots of great ideas.
He Plants for Victory, National Film Board of Canada
See all 31 Days of Hands-on Canadian History.
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