“Start ‘em young.” That’s my motto. Well, it’s not really mine but I say it all the time when it comes to houseplants. And for this episode, I’m sure plant parents are gonna be happy to learn how to connect the younger generations to plants and nature at a young age. 

So I want to share this conversation with my plant friend Priscille Joseph, who is a Canadian author, illustrator, and plant lover. She wrote My First ABC Book of Houseplants and she’s all about helping kids connect with nature.

 

In this episode, we learn:

• [03:07] How did Priscrille become a plant lady?
• [06:04] How ‘My First ABC Book of Houseplants’ was created
• [10:46] Launching workshops with sustainable brands
• [13:12] What are the ways to engage kids with houseplants?
• 15:22] Nurture your plant babies safely from toxic chemicals with Espoma Organic’s premium gardening products!
• [16:57] Let kids enjoy a sensory experience
• [17:27] Connect plants with stories
• [21:39] Involve kids in hands-on activities
• [22:34] Make it interactive
• [24:18] Get creative with plants
• [26:52] Bonus tip: give kids responsibility
• [28:46] Where can you get Priscille’s book?

 

 

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Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

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A Bit of Priscille’s Background

As with most plant lovers, Priscille grew up surrounded by plants — her grandma and mom had houseplants everywhere, in every nook, bathroom, kitchen, absolutely everywhere.

But like many of us, she didn’t develop her own appreciation until adulthood. During a high-risk pregnancy, she was diagnosed with cancer — and houseplants became her healing companions.

Her doctors advised her to spend at least 30 minutes a day outside, rain or shine, every single day as part of her recovery. This connection sparked something within her and she became the plant lady we know today.

 

 

The Birth of “My First ABC Book of Houseplants”

What do you say to your kids when they start asking curious questions? For Priscilla, she said that she doesn’t simply say “This is a plant,” or “This is a tree.” She actually began teaching her kids about each plant’s personality, needs, and even their Latin names!

In fact, because she knows how to draw, she decided to illustrate each plant they had in the house, and her daughter would spot them and say things like, “ can I have two cups of water for this Benjamina tree?”

So these illustrations eventually became her book, “My First ABC Book of Houseplants.”

 

 

5 Ways to Get Kids Excited About Plants

Talking with Priscille made me realize that kids are so smart and we don’t give them enough credit. There’s even research from the Journal of Environmental Health Education that says nature helps kids develop better mentally and physically.

And I thought I need to pitch this to my local garden center or even do this with my niece.

But Priscille shared many unique ways to capture kids’ curiosity.

 

#1: Sensory Play

Let kids touch fuzzy leaves. Let them touch an aloe vera or an African violet. Let them smell your lavender plant or mint. It's all about engaging their senses! Let them discover how a snake plant feels different from a monstera leaf.

 

#2: Storytelling

Kids love stories, so make plant learning fun by connecting them with stories. Talk about how snake plants are like superheroes because they clean our air. Share stories about where the plant came from, or maybe even the story of how you got that special plant from grandma.

Prisicille even used stories to help her daughter overcome a fear of spiders by naming them Charlotte from Charlotte’s Web. And she became fearful of bugs, “The Bug Girl” by Sophia Spencer completely changed her perspective.

 

#3: Hands-on Activities

Priscille lets her kids play in potting mix (like a potting mix sandbox) while she does the dishes. Put a mat down, give them shovels, let them feel the soil, and plant small propagations.

Yes, it is messy, and it’s not fun cleaning, but these are the “seeds” that you are planting for your kids.

 

#4: Make It Interactive

Take them on a greenhouse scavenger hunt! (Priscille has a free downloadable hunt guide.)

Play “I Spy” with plants: “I spy something green… I spy a snake plant!” It's a fun way to spend an afternoon, and you don't even need to buy anything.

 

#5: Get Creative with Plants

You can get overly creative with plants around kids and turn them into art projects. You can try leaf rubbing — place a leaf underneath paper and rub over it with pastels or crayons to reveal the leaf's texture. You can make collages with fallen leaves or flower petals. This is also something to teach kids about the life cycle of plants. You can discuss composting, what happens when leaves decompose, and how they feed the earth.

 

Bonus Tip: Give Them Plant Responsibilities

Kids LOVE having responsibilities. Priscille gives her daughter weekly misting duties with a simple chart showing which plants need two mists, which need three. Sure, there might be some water on the floor, but that's okay!

We're planting seeds of responsibility and care that will grow for years to come.

 

Start ‘Em Young

Remember, plant friends, when we care for plants, we care for ourselves—and when we share that with kids, we’re growing joy for generations.

 

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Download Priscille’s books:
  • My First ABC Book of Houseplants: Exclusive Edition
  • My First Abc Book Of House Plants | Indigo
  • My First ABC Book of Houseplants | Amazon
  • Free Greenhouse Scavenger Hunt Printable
• Journal of Education in Science, Environment and Health (JESEH)
• The Bug Girl: A True Story by Sophia Spencer

 

 

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Espoma Organic

When you have kids or pets who are curious about your plant babies, make sure you're using nontoxic products on your houseplants! Espoma Organic is dedicated to making safe indoor and outdoor gardening products for people, pets, and the planet. They have an amazing variety of high-quality, organic potting mixes, garden soil, fertilizers, and pest control products that are organic and eco-friendly. To top it all off, they have a huge sustainability commitment with a 100% solar-powered plant, zero waste manufacturing, and eco-friendly packaging.

Visit espoma.com to find your local Espoma dealer or check my Amazon storefront.

 

 

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