Garden Crafts for Kids

Book excerpt: Get ready for plenty of gardening fun as kids become adventurers, explorers, scientists, chefs, inventors, and friends of the earth -- all in one! They can plant their own family tree, camp out ill a bean teepee, start a garden in a boot, or grow potatoes in old tires. Whether they live in a house or an apartment, in the country or the city, kids can grow vegetables to eat, flowers to smell (and even eat!), and other plants to enjoy. They'll learn to test soil; water, weed, mulch, and fertilize their garden; make friends with earthworms; and see how to use the moon as a planting calendar. Projects grow out of gardens, just as plants grow in them. Make a wooden caddy to transport supplies, or spruce up tools with brightly colored painted designs. Create homemade cards with pressed flowers or sweet-smelling sachets stuffed with herbs. Make a birdhouse out of a gourd or a toad villa with flowerpots. There are plenty of tasty treats to try, too -- gourmet flower cupcakes, sweet forest honey, ginger soda, apple leather, herbal tea, zucchini cake, and nasturtium delights. Instructions are even included on how to put together and operate a produce stand to sell homegrown produce and homemade items. Featuring plenty of full-color photos and fascinating facts, these fifty great activities will inspire kids to get their hands dirty and keep their thumbs green throughout the year!