Summer has arrived! The days are longer, the sun is shining, and school is coming to an end. Which brings up a difficult dilemma… how are you going to keep your kids occupied all day long? You don’t want them to just lounge around all day, but you don’t have the time or the energy to make every day beach day. What you need is something you can do in your own backyard. Something simple that your kids will find rewarding and fun, but that doesn’t involve tearing up the rose bushes.
How about a wheelbarrow garden? These little gardens are simple, decorative, and best of all, portable! They’re also a great way to get your kids outdoors and teach them responsibility and patience. All you’ll need is a wheelbarrow, some good outdoor potting soil (you can get a recommendation from the people at the nursery), and some seeds or sprouts. You and your kids can have a great time picking out a few flowers, vegetables, or perhaps a strawberry plant. Then, just fill the wheelbarrow with dirt and plant those puppies… er… seeds!
Photo by Leta Paine (artistgal), www.flickr.com/photos/letabug/
Remember to check what each of the plants needs to survive: how much room they’ll need to grow, whether they prefer sunshine or shade, how much water they need, etc. Your kids can also do more research on the Internet to find out how to make their plants grow even better!
Another fun variation is the wagon garden:
Picture from Blossom Farm, www.blossomfarm.com
Here are a couple of recommendations for other tools to pick up while you’re at the store:
- A watering can
- A small spade
- B1 formula – this can be mixed in with the water in the watering can. It stimulates root growth and also reduces root shock when you first plant the new sprouts.
- Gardening gloves
- Bug spray and fungicide – with younger children, be sure to supervise them when spraying, or do this part yourself.
- Organic plant food – the chemical kinds can sometimes kill more delicate plants
- Small gardening shears – this one should also be very carefully supervised!
Filed under: Just for Fun! Tagged: | crafts, fighting boredom
boooooooooooooooorrring!