By Donita Brannon
The last bell has finally rung and school is out for summer. Soon,
parents throughout the land will be hearing those three little words:
“Mom, I’m bored!” It seems we are all in need of some wholesome
summertime activities to share with our little ones. It’s time to get them
off of the couch, away from the video games and into the great outdoors!
How about some fun gardening projects? Gardening is a wonderful way
to enjoy nature, get exercise, learn about the environment, and bond
as a family. In doing so, you’re making memories and, hopefully, having
lots of fun in the process. But, the last thing you want to do when
attempting to “grow” new gardeners is to create a project that becomes
a chore. So, rule number one is…make it FUN! Here are a few ideas
for gardening with your kids that are not only fun but educational, as
well.
 A creative project for grade school age kids is an alphabet garden:
planting seeds or plants that begin with all the letters of the alphabet.
Begin by looking through seed catalogs and deciding what to plant,
anything from alyssum to zinnia. (This activity alone improves reading
skills.) A trip to the garden center to pick out the seeds or plants can
be a fun family activity. After the children have planted their alphabet
garden, have them create alphabet markers to place beside each plant.
They can cut and paste letters from magazines or draw and color their
own. As their flowers grow, they can make their own arrangements to
share with their family and friends. A science and art project all rolled
into one!
Children are much more likely to try a new vegetable if it’s one
they grew themselves. Planting something edible teaches important
lessons about where our food comes from. Not to mention the pride
a child feels in knowing they had a hand in providing food for a
family meal. Watering and weeding their garden plot also teaches
responsibility. Plant lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, parsley and radishes for
a “Salad Garden”. Radishes may not be a favorite food for kids, but
they are a rewarding crop for impatient young gardeners because the
young plants emerge from seed in just a few days.
What’s more “kid-friendly” than a “Pizza Garden”? Plant
tomatoes, basil, oregano, scallions, peppers and parsley in a large
circular bed, dividing each bed into a “slice” like pizza, with bricks or
pavers to separate each bed. When their garden matures the whole
family can celebrate with a pizza party!
Ever make a garden tee-pee? These are a huge hit with adventurous
youngsters! Place five or six long bamboo or wooden stakes into the
ground and secure them at the top. Plant fast growing vines such as
cucumber or morning glory at the base of each stake, allowing them to
grow up the stakes. Before you know it, your kids will have their own
little tee-pee where they can let their imaginations run wild!
For a great nature lesson, plan a trip to the library to check
out a few books about birds and butterflies. These books will have
suggestions for the proper bird and butterfly-attracting plants for
your area. Have your children plant some of these plants to attract
wildlife to your garden. The whole family will enjoy identifying the
new visitors. Have your children keep a journal, documenting the
creatures they have identified. If they’re lucky, your children might
actually get to see a butterfly lay her eggs beneath a leaf. Then they can
watch as caterpillars appear. Be sure to provide plenty of food plants
for the hungry caterpillars. In about two to four weeks the caterpillars
will stop feeding and begin to pupate and form chrysalises that can be
found throughout the yard. Carefully place a small piece of the twig
or branch that the chrysalis is attached to inside of a large jar or even
a small aquarium, covering the opening with mesh. In about ten days
you should be able to see the wings of the new butterfly through the
chrysalis; the new butterfly will be ready to emerge soon after, usually
in the morning. Watching a butterfly emerge from its chrysalis is a truly
wondrous sight, the miracle of metamorphosis right before
your eyes.
After your butterfly’s wings have developed completely, usually
in an hour or so, have your children release this flying jewel into your
garden for all to enjoy. The beauty of nature teaching your children the
wonder of science!
So, get those little gardeners off the couch! They’ll have so much
fun enjoying these summer gardening projects they won’t even realize
they’re learning.
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