Teaching future generations
Seeds of change
We all want a healthy, sustainable future for our children.
Healthy plants are essential to keep our air clean, improve the quality of our water, and offer the habitats that wildlife needs to thrive. Thankfully, we can cultivate plant health skills and knowledge from a very young age by showing children how it is intertwined with our daily lives, and the importance of making informed choices.
Learning about plant health offers wonderful opportunities to nurture pride, responsibility and participation… and enjoy bonding experiences.

Walk the talk together
From the local farm to the cereal aisle, from mealtimes to holidays, we can make plant health a fun family topic wherever we go. By showing children how it connects with our own well-being, we actively raise the plant health ambassadors of tomorrow.
Start your plant health journey in three steps
- Explore the garden or window box: Delve into watering plants, identifying different leaves, spotting the insects we need in our gardens (including pollinators such as bumblebees, butterflies, ladybirds, and more), and recognising pests — like Pesty! Highlight the importance of sunlight and natural plant protection methods and build little houses for pollinators together.
- Share the wonder of nature: Connect kids to nature and family traditions by sharing stories (remember the tallest tree you climbed as a child?), old recipes (the secrets of strawberry jam passed down through the generations), and how plants were key to family life (did your grandparents sell fruit, vegetables, baskets or wood?)
- Sow the seeds of change: Encourage them to roll up their sleeves and create a poster, presentation, or video to share their newfound knowledge and skills with their peers.
If plants could talk, they’d say “No More Pesties!”
In nature, tiny plant pests like Pesty can cause huge disasters, spreading diseases, reducing crop yields, and destroying local ecosystems. Help your children understand the impact of their everyday actions by instilling a love of nature, and an understanding of their role as stewards through responsible habits – like taking photos instead of bringing back live plant products home from holidays abroad.

Five fun facts about plants to share with children
- Plants make their own food. Plants use carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight to create sugars and oxygen in a process called photosynthesis.
- Plants communicate. They talk to each other using chemical signals to warn each other about approaching pests or diseases.
- Some plants move: Sunflowers can track the sun during the day and turn towards it in a behaviour called heliotropism.
- Not all plants are veggie: Venus flytraps and other carnivorous plants eat insects to get nutrients they can’t get from the soil.
- Nature has helpers: Ladybirds eat plant pests such as aphids, helping to keep plants healthy and pest-free.
Shaping the future
As parents, we play a crucial role in shaping our children’s understanding of plant health and its importance in so many areas of our daily lives. By engaging them in hands-on activities and discussions, we can spark their curiosity and empower them to cultivate a happier, healthier world for generations to come – and we are sure to learn a thing or two ourselves along the way!
Resources
- The great garden rescue: battling Pesty, the plant pest: Join Janet, Theo, and Grandpa Henric on an exciting journey in our vibrant outdoor adventure! Download our special colouring book and join the battle against Pesty. Let your imagination bloom as you bring their garden-saving mission to life with every stroke of your brush or pencil. A perfect activity for adventurous young minds and their creative families!