It’s the first day of spring, and despite the lingering cold here in the northeast, I find my thoughts turning to branches and blooms. I’m looking forward to starting a garden with our son soon, bringing to life some of the ideas he’s read about in Planting a Rainbow and Growing Vegetable Soup. For those of us without verdant opposable digits, or those looking for how to transform their gardening skills into something kid friendly, there are numerous online resources. Here are a few of the best I’ve found:
- Kidsgardening.com, published by the National Gardening Association. offers a ton of resources for parents and teachers, including pointers on what types of gardening activities to expect at various ages, how not to make your kids hate gardening, ideas for small, kid-friendly gardens, garden safety tips, and practical information on what to plant where. There are also curriculum guides and information on gardening-related grants for schools.
- Gardening with Kids also has many good ideas, including suggestions for a “Nose Garden,” an “Odd Behavior Garden,” and how to explore the scientific side of gardening.
- Finally, the Brooklyn Public Library has a collection of links to even more gardening sites as well as a list of children’s books about gardening.
Asha of Parent Hacks also wrote about gardening today, pointing out the great (though not kid-specific) site You Grow Girl.