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Gardening is an activity that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Aside from family bonding, it can also be a very practical way to save money by growing your own food. And- what better reason for a picky child to try new foods than because they grew it themselves?

The first thing to do is start small. Think about what type of garden you'd like to have, and what type of garden your family has room for. If you plan to grow food, what would be most useful? If there is limited space, make the best of it by planning it out first. Also, don't try to plant a huge garden the first year. A small backyard vegetable garden or some pretty flower beds are a great start, and they will probably evolve year by year into something bigger and more impressive.

If you are introducing a child to gardening, try simple, hardy plants and flowers that don't need a lot of care. Tomato plants are fairly easy to grow, and children love getting to pick the tomatoes off later. Try growing sunflowers that will be fascinating with their height, or pumpkins that can be picked and carved for Halloween in the autumn. Have children make their own signposts to say what's growing where, or paint small stones to decorate the garden space. Don't forget to include them in the hard parts, too- the digging and weeding aspects, but make gardening fun as well. Give each family member their own tasks and chores associated with gardening, or give each child an area of their own to tend to. Allow them to participate in the entire process, from planning what to grow and planting seeds to picking and enjoying the rewards of the end products.

Carry the garden into the home, also. Once vegetables are grown, have the child help pick and prepare them for meals. Allow a child to pick or cut fresh flowers and bring them inside in a vase. If your child likes bedtime stories- and I've yet to meet one that doesn't, go to the library and find books about gardens and growing food. For springtime, the "Peter Cottontail" books come to mind.

Gardening is a wonderful family activity because not only can it be enjoyable and a good way to bond, but it also gets everyone outside, off the couch, and away from the television. Helping to create a garden or even just a beautiful yard makes that yard a destination that everyone can enjoy, and gardening also teaches children some responsibility. In fact, there are many lessons that can be linked to gardening, from learning about weather and the science of nature, to learning about food groups, taking care of the earth, recycling and eating well, and much more. For both recreation and health, gardening is a wonderful family activity that children will remember as they get older, and will probably incorporate into their own routine when they have families of their own. In the mean time, you will also have a beautiful outdoor living space that everyone will love to spend time in.

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