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Sowing the Seeds of Science

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Kids and dirt are a natural combination -- just ask anyone who does the family laundry! -- but did you know that getting down and dirty in the garden can be a powerful educational experience?

Research has shown that children who participate in gardening have higher self esteem, perform better academically and develop better attitudes toward school than those who don't. They tend to show more appreciation for the natural world and work better in cooperative groups, and some studies indicate children who participate in gardening eat more healthful foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, and have a better attitude toward healthful eating overall.

Most of the research focuses on school gardening programs, but as parents we can extend those benefits by gardening with our kids at home. Besides, it's a great way to spend time sharing an activity everyone can enjoy!

Whether you're a lifelong gardener or a nature novice, consider the tips below to get your kids excited about the wonderful world of gardening:

Get Plant Happy: "One of the best things to do if you want your kids to be excited about gardening," says Charlie Nardozzi, a horticulturist for the National Gardening Association, "is for you to be excited about gardening." Most avid gardeners, he notes, were inspired in their youth by parents, grandparents or other enthusiastic adult gardeners. Even if you've never gardened before, says Nardozzi, don't worry! You can start with a simple houseplant or container plant and go from there. The key is to get kids familiar with plants and let them see the results of their efforts.

Focus on Fun: Especially with young children, says Nardozzi, it's all about enjoyment. In the beginning, just let them dig and play and explore. As they get older, they can take on more responsibility for planting and maintenance, but even then you'll want to keep their short attention spans in mind. "If they can be out for 10 or 15 minutes and be enjoying it," Nardozzi says, "that's a positive experience."

While older children can help with planning and designing a garden and might even like to take responsibility for their own small plot, a parent can help keep the experience enjoyable. "I would go in and do a little weeding for them and clean up things a little bit," Nardozzi says, "just so they feel like they planted something and they're going to get something out of it."

You can get your kids excited about indoor gardening by introducing them to novelty gardens like the Carnivorous Creations Terrarium Kit, with insect-eating Cobra Plants and Venus Fly Traps, or the Princess Garden Windowsill Greenhouse Kit, featuring beautiful, blooming plants in a setting your child can personalize with glitter glue, beads and jeweled insects.

Stimulate the Senses: Kids love to explore different colors, sounds, aromas, and textures, so try experimenting with fragrant plants like chocolate mint and lavender, textural plants with fuzzy, sticky or rough leaves, and grasses or trees that rustle in the breeze. "You can actually plant a garden just with sensory plants which is a lot of fun for kids," says Nardozzi. "They can go in and block one sense and see how the other senses are picking up things." What do you hear when you close your eyes? What do you smell? What do you feel? "Games like that," says Nardozzi, "help children learn more about nature and also learn more about their senses."

For an indoor sensory garden, try the Sensory Dome Terrarium Kit, with miniature plants to stimulate all the senses.

Sow Some Science: Gardening is a great way to introduce children to basic science concepts, from photosynthesis and life cycles to sorting, classifying and experimenting. What things are necessary for plants to live? How do plants generate their own food? How do different plants adapt to different environments? How are plants and animals dependent on one another for survival? For a great introduction to seed germination, check out the Plantarium Garden Lab, or visit www.kidsgardening.org for articles and activities from the National Gardening Association.

Mess Around With Math: There's plenty of math in gardening, too, from calculating planting and harvesting times and seeds per row to measuring garden beds and produce to graphing the results of your efforts. Visit www.kidsgardening.org for more ideas about exploring the mathematics of gardening.

Garden All Year: While outdoor gardening is a great way spend time outside and get some exercise, most of us can't garden outdoors year-round. "It's still beneficial to have an indoor garden," says Nardozzi, "just to have kids connecting with plants." To keep you gardening throughout the year, we've collected an amazing assortment of indoor garden kits sure to inspire and delight gardeners of all ages. So dig in and explore some of our favorite novelty gardens and plant-based science kits with the budding horticulturists in your life:






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Sowing the Seeds of Science