Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/blackberries-for-toddlers/5021470/
Imagine you are 18 months old, walking around outside, investigating your world. Ah, sunlight, a gentle breeze, birds chirping overhead. A bug here. A leaf there. And then you come to the delightfully yummy berry bush. (A loving adult has shown you this bush before. You know it’s safe). You see the fat berries, reach your little fingers in between the leaves to pluck one out. And mmm. That tastes good! You want another, and another.Well, that was the story for my little 18-month-old son this summer. Our yard is wild with trees, bushes, gardens, wildflowers, and mint patches. One of the highlights for young JJ was the peak of the blackberry season with two abundant bushes filled with berries. He returned again and again, talking about them every time we went outside. “Blackberries. More berries!” It was a rich experience that he savored and looked forward to. It dawned on me: Why couldn’t every child have access to a berry bush? Why couldn’t every space for children have edible plants? They can!
But aren’t berry bushes prickly?
Couldn’t a small child get hurt?
Isn’t that dangerous?
Yes. And no. And maybe.
Like so many elements of a rich outdoor (and indoor) ...