Paul James, host of HGTV's Gardening by the Yard, offers advice on teaching kids how to garden.
There are lots of ideas for teaching children about gardening, but few, he feels, are practical. In fact, he encourages kids to make mud pies because it's a great way to let them get dirty and feel the soil. Soak a spot of ground, provide a few pie pans and old kitchen utensils, and let the kids go to it. Then you can introduce kids to flowers, leaves, seeds, etc. as decorations for their pies (figure A).
Next, he suggests, get children started in planting. Find something they like to eat that grows relatively fast, such as potatoes or broccoli. Kids often enjoy gardening more when they have their own garden, so construct a small plot just for them. If you don't have the space for a separate garden spot, teach kids how to contribute to and maintain the compost pile. Let them place a few items on the pile to check on periodically. This teaches them about the role of recycling in the garden. You can educate them further by explaining how earthworms have their own recycling plan. After watering the garden or having a good rain, show kids the worms that have come out, and explain how worms eat organic matter and replenish the soil with their droppings.
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