Mother Earth's Garden

Scholastic and Welch’s are teaming together to help schools grow gardens to help children learn more about growing their own food.
Starting this month, K-8 teachers are able to enter to win one of 100 Harvest Grants through the Scholastic website: scholastic.com/harvest.

Entries are judged by the experts at the National Gardening Association. The panel will select two schools in every state to receive a Welch’s Harvest Grant: Welch’s will award 100 garden packages, together valued at $35,000, to the winning schools.
Five schools will receive $1,000 packages; 25 schools will receive $500 packages; and 70 schools will receive $250 packages. Each package …read more

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I recently had the pleasure of reading “Emily the Chickadee” by Carol Zelaya. It’s an adorable true story about a little chickadee that takes up residence in a flower box outside a little girl’s window.

As the little girl watches over the next few weeks little Emily starts and raises her family in the nest she builds in the window flower box.
“Emily The Chickadee” is one of three heartwarming stories about Emily by Carol Zelaya. In the series Carol hopes Emily will inspire other children to love nature, like the little chickadee inspired her while she was growing up.
I really enjoyed …read more

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I wrote a little last Spring about getting your children out in the garden with you, and this morning I wrote about encouraging children to garden at Play Library.
Here’s more gardening with kids to help you get your children outside digging in the Earth:

6 Ways To Encourage Your Children To Enjoy Gardening
Encourage Your Children To Eat What They Grow
Go Dig In The Dirt For Earth Day

Do your kids enjoy gardening?
Image via stock.xpert.com

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Gardening with your children can be a great way to get your children to eat more vegetables. If children see where their food is coming from, and help grow their food, their more likely to give it a try.
I love this song by the Banana Slug String Band, called “Dirt Made My Lunch.” It’s a catchy tune, once you hear it you’ll be singing it yourself. I love all their songs and videos, they’re great for kids. All the songs have a good message to help kids understand their Earth.

Kids will find joy watching the seeds they planted grow …read more

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If your kids won’t eat their vegetables have them wear them instead. Check out these cute new jammies for kids. New Jammies is the first certified organic collection of infant and children’s wear, in the U.S.
These cute pajamas come with companion books that help encourage your children to eat their fruits and vegetables.
New Jammies are made from 100% natural organic cotton, which is a huge plus (to me). You can put your children to bed at night with visions of oranges and bananas, and know that they’re sleeping in 100% natural comfort.
Image courtesy of New Jammies 
Technorati …read more

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Gardening is a great way to get reconnected as a family with Mother Earth. You can start a garden even in a small space, or container. Earth Day is a great day to start your garden this year if you haven’t already started digging in the dirt. Go plant a new tree, or some beautiful native wildflowers.
What better way to teach your children how to respect our Earth than to let them get their hands in there and witness natures beauty first hand. Unplug the mp3 players from their ears, turn off the TV and video games. Show …read more

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Gardening doesn’t have to be a dreaded chore for children, a way for parents to torture them every summer (unless you want to torture your children every summer).
Here are a 6 ways you can encourage your children to enjoy their time in the garden.
1. Let them have their own spot in the garden to dig for worms, catch bugs, or just dig in the dirt. My son loved to build dirt roads to drive his tractors and cars on when he was younger. He also got excited when he unearthed an earthworm.
2. Let your children have …read more

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Why should you get your children involved in gardening? Here are some reasons I came up with, please feel free to add your own in the comment section.
1. Gardening is a great outdoor hobby for children, they have plenty of indoor hobbies (watching TV, playing video games Ugh!). Get them outside in the fresh air digging in your garden.
2. Gardening is an excellent learning experience for children. There is so much science your children can learn just from hanging out with you in the garden. Your children can watch as a tiny seed turns into a beautiful …read more

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