I’m only two feet tall, but I see the world out there bright and curious for me to explore. A young child will taste, touch, listen and learn. Our children are our future. Bring to them a love for gardening, and it will be theirs forever. To develop this, let them play in the soil and sand. Let them touch, feel and smell the flowers and taste the vegetables. Let them follow behind you to see what you are doing when planting a garden. Let them dig holes and drop in the seeds. Make seed tapes for planting The following is an activity that can make it easier to plant the seeds. Use a roll of toilet paper, washable school glue, a ruler and seeds. Read the seed packet for seed spacing, then measure and mark it out on rolled out toilet paper. Put the toilet paper on top of a piece of wax paper in case glue seeps through. Place a small amount of glue on the mark with a Popsicle stick and then a seed. When the glue is dry, plant the seed tape in the garden and water. A garden space of their own Give children their own garden space to grow vegetables and flowers. This gives kids a sense of responsibility and they can try doing it all themselves. They can plant flowers that are easy to grow like statice, marigold or zinnia. Use unusual items for planters Place flowers or plants in worn out old shoes or boots. Place soil and seed inside, water them and place in a sunny location. Children love to water plants using a sprinkling can. It is a little more work, but it is fun for them. Also, provide children with tools that are their size. Old adult-sized tools can be cut down to fit youngsters. For example, take a rake with missing teeth, cut the handle down to fit the size of the child, and cut the outer teeth off to make a smaller tool just for them. There are also plastic or metal tools available specifically for children. Try a terrarium Children can also try an indoor terrarium. A 2-liter bottle or similar item can be used. Cut the top off and place soil 4-5 inches deep in the bottom. Place seeds such as grass, radish, bean, marigold or zinnia inside. Then water until the soil is lightly damp, a spray bottle works best. Turn the cover upside down in the bottle and then watch the terrarium grow. Children’s books on garden activities may be found at the local library, bookstores, department stores, etc. Source: JMG Gardening Handbook/Horticulture 4-H Cooperative Curriculum System.
