The Easter holidays are almost upon us and there's no better time than spring to engage the kids with gardening projects, or take them to outdoor places which will both inspire and delight them.
It's surely time to redress the balance of children's lack of connection with nature. Some 12 per cent of children in England have not visited a park, forest, garden or any other natural environment for at least 12 months, according to a new Government study.
So, have a look at Easter events with the National Trust (www.nationaltrust.org.uk), whether it's an Easter egg hunt, crafts, cookery or bushcraft skills.
The four RHS gardens (www.rhs.org.uk) will also be holding a range of events, from Lindt Gold Bunny hunts and spring 'I-Spy' - a journey around the garden looking for spring plants, animals and equipment - to themed storytelling and birds of prey displays.
But you can also sort out simple projects in your own garden, says Matthew Appleby, deputy editor at Horticulture Week, author, garden blogger and father-of-two, who is concerned that children are losing touch with nature.
"I see a 'disconnect' between children and nature - largely due to the rise of the internet," he says.
"A poll by Persil found that more than half of parents encourage their children to avoid messy activities such as gardening and baking. One in three children say that they did not like getting dirty, their preferred activities being television-watching and playing on video games."
Some companies have made inroads into tempting youngsters into the garden with their child-friendly products. Seed Pantry, for instance, has launched a new Children's Me Seeds Starter Kit, containing seeds to grow cress, sunflowers, pumpkins and sweetcorn, as well as all the compost discs, pots and labels you need to get started (£12.50, www.seedpantry.co.uk).
Attractive children's tools and clothing have also made their mark, with companies such as Briers (www.briersltd.co.uk) providing everything children might need for their garden adventures.
There's also plenty of ideas for children's projects in Appleby's latest book, The Children's Garden. These include:
The all-you-can eat hanging basket: The beauty of this idea is you get so many mini-projects in one basket. Fill a lined basket with potting compost, plant a strawberry plant in the centre and add basil and dill plants round the edge. Marigolds provide edible petals and colour. Tumbling tomatoes can cascade down the sides. Hang at children's eye level so they can feed and water.
Plant up an old handbag or high-heeled shoe. Adults need to make a hole in the bottom, add some compost and let the child put in a plant, such as a pelargonium or chilli plant.
Seed bombs: Seed bomb some waste ground by mixing seed, compost and dry clay powder to stick your bomb together.
Create a miniature garden: These projects take gardening down to children's eye level and make plants seem less intimidating. Use an old washing-up bowl or clean litter tray with some drainage holes in the base. Including children's own toys - dolls, dinosaurs or fairies - gives them a sense of ownership. For a dinosaur garden, use prehistoric-looking plants such as small ferns and moss, plus creeping mint and thyme for the dinosaur models to creep along. An indoor mini garden follows the same principle. Use cacti and pebbles to create a desert cowboy scene.
If it rains, take growing inside. The old favourite of a cress head grown in an old pair of tights is great, but update it by using popcorn seeds - children prefer popcorn to cress. Use seeds sown on cotton wool stuffed in a pair of old tights and tied at the top. Place on a pot and water for a quick introduction to the magic of growing your own.
Plants for free. If you're on a budget, cut-off tops of carrots, turnips, parsnips or beetroot will grow again on a saucer of water or in a pot. Or try pineapple tops using the same method, or avocado stones, balanced half over a glass of water.
- https://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/tips-getting-kids-garden-Easter-holidays/story-28925330-detail/story.html
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