Monthly Archives: August 2009

Plant some great ideas in young gardeners’ heads

Summer time is here and what better place to enjoy the rays and days than in the garden? Gardens are the ideal place where children can play, explore and learn. Arts and Crafts companies like Yellow Moon stock some great garden-based activities to inspire green-fingered youngsters. Grow Weird Plants is one such product – a wonderful kit which will show kids just how amazing nature can be. Inside the kit are accessories including bio-degradable flower pots, compost and seeds; all the tricks of the trade to let children cultivate crazy plants like the mimosa. The mimosa can almost be described as half-pet, half-plant – it folds its leaves when touched or exposed to heat. This touch-sensitivity is why its name translates as ‘mimic’.

Square tomatoes can also be grown using the kit; an innovative way for children to learn how they can influence nature’s shapes and sizes.

A My Little Garden Tool Set arms kids with the essential tools they need to help their gardens grow: a shovel, a fork and a spade. Apart from a resourceful imagination, a good gardener needs little else!

Gardening often involves the gardener pitting their wits against nature but there is no reason why it can’t involve a bit of friendly competition between children. The Great Sunflower Race game has enough seeds for kids to have a game against their friends. The measuring tape provided will allow players to play the game – whoever has the tallest sunflower wins.

If anyone wants a few pointers on how to ensure they win the game by producing the tallest possible sunflowers, then they could take a sneaky look at Gardener’s Tips for Children (http://bit.ly/9zRK3u). (Adults might be interested to know that the website gives advice on how to make a beer trap to deter slugs from ruining sunflowers!) Lifting the lid on an I Can Grow Strawberries metal bucket kit will give kids access to another deliciously exciting activity. Inside are all the seeds, plant pots and compost needed to become a little strawberry farmer. When the berries turn from green to red it’s time to crack open the cream! Of course, arts and crafts activities are great fun for kids to do in the garden – and they can help improve the garden environment too! Kids will love the creative work involved in making your garden a home for a gnome. Paint Your Own Giant Gnome lets children create and paint their own ceramic gnome.

You could combine a morning of gnome painting with an afternoon trip to see the new movie Gnomeo and Juliet, a children’s animated film about feuding gnomes which is very loosely based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

Gnomes are not the only things to live in the garden. Take a look at the bottom of the garden and you might find a colony of shy fairies. If none can be found, then don’t despair. The Fairy Garden kit lets children grow flowers from seed to attract these mythical creatures: Candytuft and Poached Egg Plant are two of the best fairy-attracting plants.

If these activities get the children interested in gardens then it might be time to visit a professional one which runs kids’ activities.The Royal Horticulture Society has a list of RHS gardens which have activities suitable for kids – the gardens are all beautiful enough for people of all ages to enjoy!

About the Author

James has been a journalist for four years.

Wee Enchanted Fairy Garden

DISNEY FAIRIES BOOK AND TOY ORGANIZER $36.86 TB84580FR The Fairies Book and Toy Organizer is perfect for any room in your home and is perfect for keeping your little ones toys and reading materials organized in style. Features: -Book and toy organizer. -Top two tiers can hold books and or magazines. -Medium sized bins perfect for storing art supplies, toys, stuffed animals and more. -Perfect for keeping your little ones toys and reading mat…

Disney Tinkerbell Garden Treasures 4 piece Toddler Set, Lavender $44.99 Disney TinkerBell Garden Treasures 4pc. Toddler SetFly into fairytale land with this TinkerBell toddler bedding. Four piece set fits standard 28×52 mattress. Includes; Comforter, Top Sheet, Fitted Sheet, Reversible Pillowcase…

Schylling Flower Fairy Jewelry Box $16.99 This darling fairy jewelry box is part of the Flower Fairies Friends Collection. This jewelry box has a domed lid, as well as an extra drawer on the bottom. It measures 6″ x 4″.Part of the Flower Fairies CollectionHas separate drawerGreat for storing little treasuresHave slots to store ringsMeasures 6″ x 4″Recommended Ages: 3 years & Up…

FunToSee Princess Room Makeover Decal Kit, Castle $50.97 …

Dragonfly Dragon Fly Ceiling Fan Pull Chain $6.88 Dragonfly Dragon Fly Garden Fan Light Pull Chain…

Winged Fairy Pixie Fairies Kid’s Ceiling Fan Light Pull $6.88 Winged Fairy Pixie Fairies Kid’s Fan Light Pull…

Daisy Flower Headband (More Colors…) Select Color: purple $2.55 This adorable headband is adorned with an over-sized daisy with a jeweled center. Add this to a fairy costume or wear it as a fashionable head piece….

Daisy Flower Headband (More Colors…) Select Color: Lavender $2.55 This adorable headband is adorned with an over-sized daisy with a jeweled center. Add this to a fairy costume or wear it as a fashionable head piece….

Daisy Flower Headband (More Colors…) Select Color: green $2.55 This adorable headband is adorned with an over-sized daisy with a jeweled center. Add this to a fairy costume or wear it as a fashionable head piece….

Amy Brown Under Garden Air Freshener A-0379 $2.49 Hang in your vehicle, home, or office for weeks of scentual pleasure! The air freshener measures approximately 3 inches and comes with a hang string. Comes packaged in cellophane….