Gardening with children is not for the compulsive, impatient or faint-hearted. But little else is more rewarding than watching them eating the fruits–and vegetables–of their labor.

And there are a lot of impressive reasons to garden with your children, most notably that in this era of concern over childhood obesity, gardening is a great way to get them outside, away from the TV and computer.

Educators also say working in open green spaces seems to boost a child’s attention span. Plus, scientists are learning that lawns, backyard gardens and trees may play a significant role in improving air quality.

Here are four simple rules to follow:

1. Everything is fun, pulling weeds, digging holes, even failures.
2. All projects run at the child’s pace. It may take two weeks to plant a flower bed, but in the end, he/she is attached to that bed and watches it grow.
3. Each child should have his own tools, including a shovel, rake, gloves and boots.
4. Accept less-than-perfect results. If your child is involved, not every bulb or plant ends up as planned. But they get planted and that is what he/she will remember.

My grandkids were started with planting simple herb seeds in pots. Then we cooked with them. This year, we expanded them to more herbs and tomatoes.

Gardening expert and instructor Andrea Heidinger said every season and every age is perfect to introduce children to the wonders of sprouts, shoots, nests and eggs.

There is always something to do in a garden!!!

TIPS TO GET STARTED

• Do not start the children with weeding your garden.
• Never tell kids something you could show them.
• Young kids have a short attention span. Make sure that you have lots of options available so they can get started immediately and stay busy. Digging holes is one thing that seems to fascinate them.
• Instant gratification helps. Plant radishes even if you don’t like them–they come up in three or four days.
• Avoid wearing brightly colored clothing. If you look like a flower, wasps and bees will be attracted.
• Avoid standing water in the yard to cut down on mosquitoes. Avoid gardening at dawn or dusk. Use insect repellent. Wear loose clothing.
• Some plants can be dangerous: castor bean seeds, wisteria seeds, berries produced by jasmine and lantana, and bittersweet, which has bright orange berries that look like candy. Rhubarb stems are edible, but the leaves are toxic.

NOW GO OUT AND ENJOY GARDENING WITH THE KIDS!!