Herbal medicine has been used for thousands of years to support the body’s natural ability to heal. Many herbs are gentle enough for children and, when used appropriately, can become a valuable part of your family’s everyday wellness routine.
Think of herbs as one tool in your parenting toolbox—not a replacement for nutritious food, quality sleep, hydration, or medical care when it’s needed.
These two herbal recipes (listed at the end) are an easy way to begin incorporating gentle, evidence-informed herbs into your family’s wellness routine.
🌿GETTING STARTED
One of the biggest misconceptions about herbal medicine is that you need dozens of herbs to begin.
You don’t.
A small collection of versatile herbs can treat many of the common illnesses families experience throughout the year.
Want to grow your own herbs?
One of the easiest—and most rewarding—ways to begin using herbs is to grow a few yourself.
You don’t need a large garden, expensive equipment, or years of gardening experience. A few pots on a sunny deck, patio, or front porch can provide fresh herbs throughout the growing season.
Growing herbs offers so much more than simply saving money. It teaches children where their food and medicine come from, encourages time outdoors, and helps families reconnect with nature. Children love watering plants, watching them grow, smelling the leaves, and helping snip herbs for dinner or a cup of tea. Those simple moments often become lasting memories.
There’s something incredibly satisfying about walking outside, clipping a handful of fresh herbs, and using them immediately in a meal or homemade remedy. Fresh herbs are fragrant, flavorful, and often more potent than dried herbs purchased at the store.
Many medicinal herbs are also beautiful landscape plants that attract bees, butterflies, and other important pollinators.
🌿TEN EASY HERBS TO GROW ON LONG ISLAND
These herbs thrive in our climate and require very little maintenance once established.
● Lemon balm
●Peppermint*
● Calendula
● Thyme
● Oregano
● Chamomile
● Echinacea
● Sage
● Rosemary**
● Yarrow
* Peppermint spreads aggressively and is best grown in a container.
** Rosemary is less winter-hardy on Long Island. Grow it in a pot so it can be brought indoors before the first frost.
Most of the other herbs on this list are perennial, meaning they’ll return year after year with very little effort. In late fall, simply trim back dead growth, apply a light layer of mulch if desired, and allow the plants to rest for winter. By spring, many will begin growing again on their own.
If you don’t have space for a garden, even one or two pots can provide plenty of fresh herbs throughout the season.
Not Ready to Grow Your Own?
That’s okay! Fresh herbs are becoming easier to find than ever before.
Look for them at:
● Local farmer’s markets
● Farm stands
● Garden centers
● Whole Foods Market
● Wild by Nature
● Local grocery stores with fresh produce sections
During the growing season, you’ll commonly find fresh:
● Basil
● Parsley
● Cilantro
● Dill
● Mint
● Rosemary
● Thyme
● Oregano
● Sage
You may also find medicinal herbs such as lemon balm, calendula, chamomile, or tulsi (holy basil) at local farms or specialty markets.
Whether you grow your own or purchase them fresh, herbs are one of the simplest ways to bring more natural wellness into your home. Start with just one or two herbs you’ll actually use, and let your family herbal garden grow over time.
🌿GETTING STARTED WITH THE RECIPE!
Understanding “Parts”
Many herbal recipes are written using parts instead of teaspoons or tablespoons.
This simply allows you to make any size batch without changing the recipe.
A “part” is any measuring unit you choose.
For example, one part can be:
- 1 teaspoon
- 1 tablespoon
- ¼ cup
- 1 cup
The only rule is to use the same measuring tool throughout the entire recipe.
Example Recipe
Recipe:
4 parts fennel seed
2 parts licorice root
1 part cinnamon
½ part ginger
If using teaspoons:
4 teaspoons fennel seed
2 teaspoons licorice root
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
If using tablespoons:
4 tablespoons fennel seed
2 tablespoons licorice root
1 tablespoon cinnamon
½ tablespoon ginger
Exactly the same recipe.
Only the batch size changes.
Small Batch or Large Batch?
When trying a new recipe for the first time, make a small batch using teaspoons. This lets you see if your family enjoys it before making more.
Once you’ve found a blend you love, simply switch to tablespoons or cups to prepare a larger supply.
The recipe never changes.
Only the amount you make.
A Simple Rule to Remember
The proportions always stay the same.
Whether you’re making one cup of tea or enough herbal blend for the entire winter, simply keep the ingredients in the same ratio.
That’s the beauty of using parts.
Adult Dosage Guidelines (as per RoseMary Gladstar, Herbalist):
When the Adult Dose is 1 Teaspoon (60 Drops):
Child Tea Dosage – When the Adult Dose is 1 Cup (8 ounces):
ROSEMARY’S RECIPES 🙂
🌿RESPIRATORY TONIC TEA
Best For
✔ Children who seem to catch every cold
✔ Seasonal allergies
✔ Mild asthma (as part of an overall wellness plan)
✔ Recurrent congestion
✔ Supporting healthy lungs throughout cold and flu season
What It Does
This tea is designed to nourish and strengthen the respiratory system over time. Rather than treating an active illness, it helps support healthy lung function and may reduce the frequency of respiratory infections when used consistently.
Think of it as “food for the lungs.”
Ingredients
- 2 parts fennel seed
- 2 parts red clover blossom
- 2 parts rose hips
- 2 parts lemongrass
- 1 part calendula flowers
- 1 part mullein leaf
How to Make It
Mix all dried herbs together and store in an airtight glass jar.
To prepare:
• Add 1 tablespoon herbal blend to 8 ounces hot water.
• Cover and steep 10–15 minutes.
• Strain.
• Serve with lemon/honey
• May serve warmed or cold
• May serve frozen as “herbal ice pop” if your little one doesn’t like the taste as a tea
Typical Adult Dose
2–4 cups daily.
Children: use the age guide in the dosing section.
Safety
✅ Generally considered gentle.
Use caution if your child has known allergies to plants in the daisy family (calendula).
What the Science Says
Mullein
* Traditionally used to soothe irritated airways.
Rose hips
* Excellent source of vitamin C and antioxidants.
Calendula
* Traditionally used for immune support and inflammation.
Fennel
* May help relax airway smooth muscle and soothe cough.
When to Call Your Pediatrician
Call if your child has:
- Difficulty breathing
- Wheezing that doesn’t improve
- High fever lasting more than three days
- Persistent cough lasting longer than three weeks
- Blue lips
- Poor drinking or dehydration
Simply Pediatrics Pearl
I like families to enjoy this tea 2–4 times each week during cold season rather than waiting until everyone is sick.
🌿 COUGH BE GONE SYRUP
Best For
✔ Dry, irritating cough
✔ Sore throat
✔ Tickle in the throat
✔ Cough that worsens at night
✔ Persistent cough after a viral illness
What It Does
This soothing herbal syrup helps calm irritated throat tissues while reducing the urge to cough. Several of the herbs coat and protect inflamed mucous membranes, while others help relax coughing spasms and provide gentle immune support.
It’s especially helpful for the dry, non-productive cough that often lingers after a cold.
Ingredients
- 4 parts fennel seed
- 2 parts licorice root
- 2 parts slippery elm bark
- 2 parts wild cherry bark
- 1–2 parts valerian root (optional for spasmodic coughing)
- 1 part cinnamon bark
- ½ part ginger root
- ⅛ part dried orange peel
- Honey*
Honey should only be used for children over 12 months of age.
How to Make It
- Combine all of the dried herbs.
- Prepare the herbs as a decoction by gently simmering them in water for 20–30 minutes or until volume is reduced by approximately half.
- As a reference for water:herb ratio= 1 ounce dried herbs to 1quart of water.
- Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth.
- While the liquid is still warm (not boiling), stir in honey to taste until completely dissolved.
- For every pint of concentrated tea: add approximately 1–2 cups of honey* or another sweetener.
- Alternative sweeteners include:
- maple syrup
- rice syrup
- organic sugar
- Allow to cool and store in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator.
- Optional additions: Some herbalists add-
- peppermint essential oil
- spearmint essential oil
- small amounts of brandy
*Avoid honey for children under 1year old
Properly refrigerated, the syrup typically keeps for 2–3 months.
Typical Adult Dose
Wellness/Supportive Care
- 1 teaspoon, 2–3 times daily as needed.
During Acute Illness
- 1 teaspoon every 2–4 hours as needed for cough or sore throat.
Children: Refer to the dosing guide in the pediatric dosing section.
Safety
✅ Honey should never be given to infants younger than 12 months because of the risk of infant botulism.
✅ Licorice root is generally safe for short-term use in otherwise healthy children but should be used cautiously in people with high blood pressure, kidney disease, or certain heart conditions.
✅ If using valerian, remember that some children become sleepy, while others may become more energetic. Every child responds a little differently.
What the Science Says
Slippery Elm
Forms a soothing gel-like coating (mucilage) that helps protect irritated throat tissues and may decrease the urge to cough.
Honey
One of the best-studied natural remedies for cough. Multiple clinical studies have shown that honey can reduce nighttime coughing and improve sleep in children over one year of age.
Licorice Root
Traditionally used to soothe inflamed airways. Laboratory studies suggest anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, although more pediatric studies are needed.
Wild Cherry Bark
Used for generations by herbalists as a cough remedy. Traditionally believed to calm the cough reflex and soothe irritated bronchial tissues.
Ginger
Contains natural anti-inflammatory compounds that may help soothe irritated airways while providing gentle immune support.
Simply Pediatrics Pearl
One of my favorite bedtime routines for a lingering cough is:
• A warm shower or bath
• Plenty of fluids
• A spoonful of this syrup (if age-appropriate)
• A cool-mist humidifier if the room is dry
Sometimes the simplest remedies make the biggest difference.
When to Call Your Pediatrician
Seek medical evaluation if your child has:
🩺 Difficulty breathing or breathing faster than normal
🩺 Wheezing that isn’t improving
🩺 A cough lasting longer than 3–4 weeks
🩺 High fever lasting more than 3 days
🩺 Coughing up blood
🩺 Persistent vomiting with coughing
🩺 Chest pain
🩺 Signs of dehydration
🩺 A cough in an infant younger than 3 months
🌿A PERSONAL THANK YOU
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Rosemary Gladstar. Her book, Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbs for Children’s Health, continues to be one of the most valuable resources in my own journey of learning and practicing herbal medicine.
As a pediatric nurse practitioner, I am passionate about combining the best of conventional medicine with safe, practical herbal traditions. Rosemary’s ability to make herbal medicine approachable, empowering, and deeply rooted in both wisdom and compassion inspires the way I care for families and the way I teach parents to care for their children at home.
My hope is that the recipes and information in this guide help you feel more confident reaching for simple herbs to support your family’s health. Whether you grow herbs in your own backyard, purchase them from a local farm or market, or simply brew your first cup of herbal tea, every small step is an opportunity to reconnect with nature, create meaningful family traditions, and build confidence in caring for the people you love.
Rosemary, thank you for your lifelong dedication to teaching herbal medicine and for inspiring generations of parents, caregivers, herbalists, and healthcare professionals. Your work continues to encourage families—including mine—to rediscover the joy and healing that plants can bring into everyday life. 🌿
