Building a Natural Medicine Cabinet with Your Kids

Incorporating natural remedies into your family’s lifestyle is both empowering and educational—and it becomes even more meaningful when you involve your kids in the process. Building a natural medicine cabinet together creates space for learning about herbalism, responsibility, and body awareness.

We start by teaching our children that plants have powerful properties. Simple herbs like chamomile, calendula, lavender, and peppermint become the starting point. Kids help grow or forage herbs (when safe), and we turn these into teas, salves, or tinctures. These projects introduce basic botany and teach the science behind plant-based medicine.

For example, we might create a lavender and calendula salve for cuts and scrapes. The kids help dry the herbs, infuse the oil, and pour the mixture into tins. During flu season, we make elderberry syrup together, mixing it with raw honey and warming spices. These aren’t just crafts—they’re lessons in immune health, chemistry, and practical life skills.

Labeling jars, learning dosages, and knowing when (and when not) to use a remedy cultivates responsibility. We stress that natural doesn’t mean risk-free, and kids learn the importance of caution and respect for the tools we use.

As our cabinet grows, so does their confidence. They love being able to say, “I know what this herb is good for,” or “Let’s make a tea for that sore throat.” The knowledge they gain is foundational—not only for their health but for their independence.

Involving children in herbal remedies fosters a lifelong relationship with the natural world. It encourages them to listen to their bodies, understand how plants support wellness, and feel empowered to care for themselves and others in a gentle, holistic way.

Through these small but significant projects, we are growing more than medicine. We are growing capable, curious, and grounded children—rooted in nature and self-reliance.