PROPER TOOLS
Little hands need the right sized tools or they'll
be frustrated, and "toys" are not sturdy
enough. Child's garden gloves are available at My
Back Yard. Gardens4Kids 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.
THEMATIC
Try planting a small plot around a theme:
MAKE A GRASS SNAKE OR SCARECROW
To make a grass snake, fill a sock with dirt and
grass seed, place it in the sun and keep it damp.
In 7-14 days, the 'snake' will have 'hair'!
To make a scarecrow, take a large piece of cardboard
and let the child lie down and get in a funny pose.
Trace around the child and then cut the 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 the ends into the ground.
Tie the tops together with heavy twine or masking
tape. Plant different kinds of string bean seeds (something
that'll grow in your region) at the base of the teepee,
and in a couple of months, the teepee will be covered
with beans, leaves and vines.
BUTTERFLY FEEDER
This
is exactly what you'll see in botanical gardens.
Take a plastic pot saucer, sand and about 1 T. of
cow or horse manure and an overripe piece of banana,
apple or pear. Place sand and manure in saucer with
small amount of water and add fruit. Voila! Butterflies
will come!
SIMPLE BIRD BATH
OR BIRD FEEDER
Here's an idea for a simple and inexpensive bird
bath or feeder. Use a tomato cage, anchoring it firmly
in the ground. Put one plastic plant saucer inside
the top ring of the cage. Plant vining plants such
as nasturtiums or morning glory around the bottom.
Fill the saucer with water for the birds, of poke
a few holes in it for drainage and fill it with birdseed.
EDUCATIONAL
by