Spring is
perfect time to plant a garden with your child. It's educational, good exercise, a great bonding activity, and great for self-esteem.PROPER TOOLS
Little hands need right sized tools or they'll be frustrated, and "toys" are not sturdy enough. Child's garden gloves are available here: www.mybackyard.com/acatalog/.mybackyard_Shop_Child_s_Garden_Gloves_110.html. Gardens4Kids ( http://gardens4kids.com ) offers a package: a set of 3 children's hand gardening tools, 1 set of children's gardening gloves, and a child's watering can.
They also offer a gardening kit with tips for planting with children. It contains: seed packages with instructions written for new gardeners and/or children; materials and materials needed checklist; a planting map; a harvest guide activity worksheet and calendar for predicting harvest dates; plant labels; a waterproof pencil; and 20 grid markers. (http://gardens4kids.com )
THEMATIC
Try planting a small plot around a theme - A Pizza Garden with tomatoes and herbs. A Salsa Garden with hot peppers, onions and tomatoes. A Butterfly garden with bright flowers and butterfly 'food' (see below).
MAKE A GRASS SNAKE OR SCARECROW
To make a grass snake, fill a sock with dirt and grass seed, place it in sun and keep it damp. In 7-14 days, 'snake' will have 'hair'!
To make a scarecrow, take a large piece of cardboard and let child lie down and get in a funny pose. Trace around child and then cut scarecrow out. Decorate him or her with yarn, waterproof markers, googily eyes, old pieces of clothing - whatever you have on hand. You can mount it on a stake.
TEE PEE
A bean tee pee brings great results and is easy to so. Use stakes, poles or bamboo poles 12' long. Arrange them teepee style in a 5' circle, leaving room for a small entrance and pushing ends into ground. Tie tops together with heavy twine or masking tape. Plant different kinds of string bean seeds (something that'll grow in your region) at base of teepee, and in a couple of months, teepee will be covered with beans, leaves and vines.
