While he doesn’t always enjoy gardening the way I hope he will (he’s more into the bugs and worms and making dirt roads to drive his trucks down), he does get out there and help me do some planting and once in a while weeding.

I like to see kids outside learning about Mother Nature and getting to know their Earth and the natural world around them. Here are a couple tips to help encourage your child to get out and work in the garden or the yard with you this spring.

• Don’t make it all about work, take some time and enjoy your child’s company. Play some fun games, dig in the dirt with them.
• Let your child have their own little corner of the garden to plant what they want to grow, or make a worm or bug haven, truck road, or mud castle. Let them dig in the dirt and create whatever they want.
• Get them their own kid sized garden tools.
• Let them pick some of the vegetables or flowers you’ll be growing this summer, and help in the planning stages of the garden.

Do you have any tips or tricks you use to encourage your children to get out in the garden with you?

Image via istockphoto.com

Post from: Play Library

One thing I’m looking forward to doing with the kids this year is gardening. We made our first vegetable garden last year, and our oldest had fun with us planting and watching our little plants grow and produce great big tomatoes and banana peppers. Even the then 2 year old loved going out to the garden to harvest the veggies (I think he called it, “going to the jungle”). This year, I’m hoping to get the kids a little more involved. We’ll start with helping them pick some of their favorite fruits and veggies, and then figure out which will grow best in our yard. Flowers will be fun, too, I think! I’ll be looking to Rebecca who has joined b5media at Mother Earth’s Garden for guidance and ideas!!!!

We do have little gloves and gardening tools just the right size for the kids. It’s fun for them to have their own tools made for their own little hands to feel like this project really is about them, too, and not just a Mommy and Daddy project that they’re getting dragged along on, you know? That’s my hope for this season, that this year’s garden is a chance for all of our family to participate and feel ownership in the renewing of our garden. And, hey, it’ll be something to do to get out of this house! Cabin fever, anyone?

What spring traditions and activities do you share with your kids?

Post from: Play Library