Kids Seeds Thumb

When we ask gardeners what first got them into gardening, one answer keeps coming up, time and time again: “I was inspired by my parents/grandparents”.

It seems lots of us have cherished childhood memories of garden time, spent with whānau. Many of us will admit to having valuable life skills passed down to us, in a special loved one’s garden.


Gardening with kids has always had a powerful intergenerational effect, but it offers a wealth of benefits that go way beyond simply growing plants. When we share our gardens with kids, they get a hands-on introduction to the value of patience, responsibility and caring for their world.

We can’t think of a better way for kids to learn about nature, sustainability…and healthy eating! And, like all the best types of learning, it doesn’t feel like work to anyone involved; it’s fun.

With fun in mind, we created our range of kids seeds (we certainly had fun putting it together) to encourage your littlies into the garden and get them growing. We’ve chosen varieties that reward kids for their efforts, so there’s a goal to keep them curious and motivated through the process. They’re all easy to grow and straightforward to care for. Above all though, they’re exuberant, colourful, and each one has a story that kids can pick up and run with!

If you’re looking for school holiday diversions, or a gift that’s creative, educational, and full of fun, the Yates Kid's Seeds range is a winner. Sowing and growing seeds is the perfect way to spark curiosity and a love for nature in children. These unique seed packs turn gardening into an adventure! Let’s introduce you to the options:

Pop Star! Strawberry Popcorn

Growing your own popcorn is an enticing, exciting idea for kids. These seeds produce adorable ruby-red, strawberry-shaped cobs. After drying, they pop into delicious popcorn for a homegrown movie night. It’s a hands-on project that encourages patience, that pays off with a tasty treat after the popping celebration!

Magical Creatures Fairy Flower Mix

This enchanting mix of pixie flowers brings a sprinkle of magic to the garden. Their vibrant hues attract butterflies and bees, creating a fairyland of imagination right outside the door. It’s a wonderful way to teach kids about pollinators and the beauty of biodiversity.

Little Ted - Fluffy Sunflower

Little Ted is a bushy, short-growing sunflower with super fluffy pompom flowers. Soooo cute! This fuzzy little guy doesn't take up much space, and grows really well in a pot. The happy golden-yellow flowers look amazing in a vase, and last for ages.

‘Behemoth’ Giant Pumpkin

This one’s for kids who love BIG challenges. Behemoth is the ultimate garden monster: these seeds grow into colossal pumpkins! Children will be amazed watching their pumpkin swell week by week. It’s a fun way to learn about caring for plants…and how perseverance is rewarded. The results make for an unforgettable photo moment!

Rainbow Team Power Carrots

Meet the superhero squad of the vegie world! These carrots come in a rainbow of colours—red, purple, yellow, and more. Kids love pulling up these colourful lucky-dip surprises. Linking fun and excitement with vegetables is a brilliant way to encourage healthy eating!

Dinosaur Gourds - Prehistoric Monster Mix

Turn the garden into Jurassic Park! These quirky gourds grow into warty, long-necked shapes that make excellent imaginary dinosaurs. Once dried, they can be painted and decorated for endless creative play. Perfect for kids who love crafts and imaginative games.

Yummy UFOs - Alien Scallopini Zucchini

Scallopini really do look like funky, bright coloured flying saucers. This is another great choice for imaginative play. This one also helps to encourage healthy eating of vegetables…as the packet says: “unlike real aliens, you can eat them! If you'd like to encounter some delicious extraterrestrials, sow these cute little flying saucers at your place.”

We’ll always encourage you to share some garden time with the kids close to you. For them, it creates lasting memories and fosters a sense of connection - to the whenua, and to you.

Related Products

Magical Creatures - Fairy Flower Mix

Find a special place in the garden to sprinkle these seeds like magical fairy dust, and grow a pretty blend of pixie flowers for fascinating creatures to live in.

Little Ted - Fluffy Sunflower

A bushy, short-growing sunflower with super fluffy pompom flowers. Soooo cute! This fuzzy little guy doesn't take up much space, and grows really well in a pot.

Rainbow Team 'Power Carrots'

Get ready for explosions of colourful carrots - POW! They come in all the hues of the carrot rainbow, there's red, purple, yellow, green and even orange carrot champs for you to chomp!

Pop Star! Strawberry Popcorn

Grow your own popcorn! This is a really special, old-fashioned type of corn, that grows cute little cobs shaped like ruby-red strawberries. If you dry the cobs, you can make your own yummy popcorn.

Behemoth - Giant Pumpkin

If you want to grow the biggest, most astounding pumpkin you've ever seen, have a go at this one! These seeds grow colossal monster pumpkins, up to 200kg. If they got any bigger, you'd have to move in and live inside one.

Dinosaur Gourds - Prehistoric Monster Mix

These crazy gourds grow in the weirdest dinosaur shapes you can imagine. They're all warty! They have super long necks! Grow a bunch of them, and let the dinosaur battles begin!

Yummy UFOs - Alien Scallopini Zucchini

Reports are coming in, of sightings of strange, unidentified objects in gardens all over New Zealand! These tasty alien critters are shaped just like UFOs, in funky bright colours. And, unlike real aliens, you can eat them!

More project guides & articles

Gardening Makes Memories: Growing with Kids

Gardening with kids offers benefits that go way beyond simply growing plants. It teaches patience and perseverance. It's a hands-on introduction to nature and healthy eating. But most of all: it’s fun!

Summer Vegie Care

Spring planted vegies & herbs are literally jumping out of the ground during summer’s warm weather! Here are some seasonal care hints for popular summer vegetables, to keep your plants in top gear.