Start some gardening traditions with your kids. Give them their own garden patch and a spot to dig. Children love getting their hands dirty and watching things grow.
Be sure to buy good quality, child sized gardening tools. Plastic toy versions just won't hold up to the task. You will also need children's gloves and a watering can.
Mark off the garden area and turn the soil. Kids can help break up any lumps with their hands. Work in some organic compost.
Choose seeds that will grow quickly. Small children get impatient if their plants take too long to sprout. Radishes, Snapdragons, Cosmos, and Sunflowers will all germinate quickly. Carrots and strawberries are also easy to grow-- and yummy to eat.
Large seeds like beans and Morning Glories are easy for small fingers to push into the ground. You can start your seeds indoors in an eggshell carton. When the seedlings are an inch high, tear off the egg carton, and leaving the soil intact, transplant the seedlings outside.
Or, try placing beans on a wet paper towel inside a zip top bag. Tape the bag to a sunny window and wait for the seeds to germinate. I can remember, as a child, checking my beans every morning before school. The first shoots appeared to my delight and we carefully transplanted the beans outdoors.
Make garden markers by painting small rocks. This will help kids keep track of their selections.
Make it fun! Grow a sunflower house by planting the sunflowers in a circle with a space in the middle big enough for your kids to hide. Be sure to leave room for a door.
Grow a spaghetti garden. Plant herbs such as basil, oregano, rosemary, and parsley. My kids love to snip fresh herbs. They stuff their pockets full of scented "spaghetti" herbs.
Share your garden with butterflies and hummingbirds. Zinnias, Verbena, and Cosmos are butterfly favorites. Hummingbirds love the nectar from Nasturtium and Lantana, and Hollyhocks.
Children love to pick up bugs and worms. Poke holes in the top of an old jar. Add some dirt and a few, new found specimens. Be sure to release the critters back into nature after a few hours.
Arm your kids with cameras to take photos throughout the summer. They will enjoy remembering the fruits of their labor. And, the pictures will help your budding gardener plan for next year.
Happy planting. And, don't forget to pick a few bouquets for mom.
You have permission to reprint this article electronically or in print, free of charge, provided that each article is:
1. Printed in its full form with no changes
2. Includes an active link
3. And the following byline appears at the bottom of each article: About the Author: Rondi Hillstrom Davis is the co-author of the award-winning book Together: Creating Family Traditions. To check out her website that's jam packed with family ideas, visit http://www.togetherparenting.com
To subscribe to her online newsletter, go to http://www.togetherparenting.com
Please send us a courtesy copy of your publication to the above contact
Contact: info@togetherparenting.com
Copyright Nine Twenty Press
About the Author: Rondi Hillstrom Davis is the co-author of the award-winning book Together: Creating Family Traditions. To check out her website that's jam packed with family ideas, visit http://www.togetherparenting.com
limousine airport Glendale Heights .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareAnnie easily slipped into becoming the sole caregiver of her... Read More
Reasearch into children's friendships shows that those children who are... Read More
When David was nine and Laura was twelve, the battles... Read More
Several similar terms describe the central attribute of a character... Read More
Goal setting is essential for building a successful life. However,... Read More
It may seem obvious to many people why literacy is... Read More
Are men to blame for the divorce problem in this... Read More
Child Car Seat Safety:We know you love your children, but... Read More
There are many parenting styles. Yours may be very different... Read More
In 1996-97 we were contracted by VAXA International of Tampa,... Read More
There are only two ways to get more money:1) Increase... Read More
Ever blown your top to your children, only to regret... Read More
Assuming there are no serious motor problems present, what can... Read More
There are times when my ideas of raising a child... Read More
Q. Our 17-year-old son wants us to let his girlfriend... Read More
Recess has begun disappearing in states all around the country.... Read More
You need to smart to be able influence adolescents. You... Read More
'I felt great until I walked into the classroom -... Read More
Beyond cases reported to authorities, little knowledge exists on the... Read More
"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds... Read More
"There is nothing new under the sun," states Ecclesiastes 1:9.... Read More
The time you will need to teach your children the... Read More
For several years now, I've told the following story as... Read More
Moms and dads, are there times you think that parenting... Read More
Children bombard parents with many challenging behaviours. We are delighted... Read More
Lincoln Stretch rentals Willowbrook ..Whether children attend public or private schools, they benefit when... Read More
"I WON'T DO IT!" "YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"Whether parent or... Read More
I still remember the scene vividly. I was getting out... Read More
Dear Sir, It was with some interest that I read... Read More
What's hard for teenagersHaving people who don't understand you trying... Read More
Although it might seem pretty corny to a lot of... Read More
As a mother of two sets of fraternal boy/girl twins,... Read More
A parent writes in, ``We are having a hard time... Read More
So your little Susie wants to join a competitive gymnastic... Read More
Public education in the United States has never been equal... Read More
Using 14 "at" Flashcards To Teach Reading:This exercise helps your... Read More
Creating and making special memories with your child is very... Read More
Q. Our 17-year-old son wants us to let his girlfriend... Read More
We all scream for ice cream. Or, we don't, at... Read More
Are men to blame for the divorce problem in this... Read More
Question 1 "How do I get more time to play?"... Read More
Chiladult? Whatever you call them, teenagers are a changin' and... Read More
To the untrained eye, it might look like a piece... Read More
A while ago I received this story from David in... Read More
We take it for granted that children know how money... Read More
"Just turn the lights off and go to sleep"Do you... Read More
Vacations are fun ! Weekends with the family are nice.... Read More
We need a grass roots campaign targeted towards parents to... Read More
There is nothing quite like hiking with small children. The... Read More
In our last issue we posted some of our suggested... Read More
Parenting |