Johnsons's Garden Centers Text File document - copyright 2004
PDF file available at http://www.johnsonsgarden.com/newsletter/kidsgardening.html

Gardening wih Kids
Sept/Oct 2004
Jan Decker, Junior Gardeners' Activities Coordinator

    The other day I heard a couple of ladies on the radio talking about
childhood memories. Their fondest memories with parents or grandparents
were not of expensive vacations or trips to an amusement park, but
memories of just being together. These were times filled with laughter
and even times of working together and learning new things ... or just
doing something silly.

    It made me think of all the things we tend to leave the kids out of
around the house. Often it's because we don't want to take the time to
explain the hows and whys of doing it. A lot of your fall clean up and
winterizing projects can involve the whole family. When it comes to
work, kids aren't really that much different from adults ... if there
are immediate results to be seen or the long term benefits are
understood, there is value to the effort and that makes the job easier.
Just keep in mind the child's age or skill level and attention span. And
when the job is done, celebrate!

    For a project with immediate satisfaction, let the kids pull out the
dried up or leggy summer annuals and replace them with winter-hardy
pansies. Kids love the bright cheery colors.