Gardening with Kids is a life long adventure and opens a whole new world of learning. Consider all of the aspects of gardening that kids can learn: planning, material choices, weather considerations and environmental concerns. Break all of the complexities down to the simple - just get your hands dirty and get started in your outdoor (or indoor) gardening classroom:

1. Begin with a bit of planning. Let's say your're planning an outdoor garden and have some space concerns. Take a sheet of paper and layout your proposed garden with the kids using a ruler, to scale, if preferred. Determine factors based on the future growth needs of your planned flowers or vegetables and how much space will be required. Do you have any space that ought to be set aside for transplanting needs?

2. Visit your local nursery (or online store!) and choose from a variety of seeds such as flower seeds or vegetable seeds, or perhaps plants. Part of the fun is watching the seeds germinate, but if you're looking to get a quick start, obtain some plants already grown at the desired stage.

3. Provide the kids with their own garden tools that they can use as their own. Kids love ownership and having a set of tools for the garden which they can turn to will help keep them interested.

4. Instruct them on the care of the garden as it begins to grow. Pulling weeds is part of the process. Let them water the garden and observe all that lives amongst the plants - worms, insects, etc.

5. Consider making a stepping stone - one with words on it that kids can place in an area all their own. Stepping stones with a child's name on it or perhaps a word stepping stone with a plant name on it make great garden markers and add personality to your garden.

The more time you spend in the garden with the kids, the more they are going to consider it a habit and they will naturally want more. And of course, there is always the harvest!

For more ideas on the wonderful, and easy ways, of involving kids in gardening, visit our Learning Directory. You may also find some helpful gardening resources for your classroom or family by visiting our online store and browsing our categories of products that help teach kids gardening and horticulture.

Enjoy your Garden Together!

Kim Hummert