Gardening is a wonderful way to introduce children to science, nature and responsibility while simultaneously providing them with a fun opportunity. Gardening is a great warm weather activity for the entire family and involving the children in the process can provide them with a series of memorable lessons. Consider these proven ways of getting children involved with your garden!

Make Kids Real Participants

Children whose only garden task is pulling weeds will soon lose interest in the process. Although it is tempting to use the kids as "free labor" and to direct them to simple, rote, and generally undesirable activities, the likelihood of engendering long-term involvement and an active interest is heightened when the role of children is expanded.

Give children an opportunity to be responsible for a row or two of their own. Involve them in watering, hoeing between rows, tying up plants, building garden scaffolding and other aspects of the adventure. Yes, they need to learn to weed, too. However, converting the garden to a dull labor camp won�t excite children. Children learn more and have more fun when they feel they are full participants. By giving them an important role, you can enhance their gardening experience.

Give Kids a Chance to Succeed

Put children in charge of some of the plants. Pick hearty plants that are likely to succeed even if they are not perfectly tended. Although many children do a great job in the garden, they will be learning and will be prone to mistakes. By selecting plants that offer a greater degree of "lee-way," you can improve the chances of a successful harvest in a children�s portion of the garden.

Choose plants that have a track record of success in your area and that are not particularly delicate. These hearty, resilient plants are a great garden learning tool for kids. They will see their work result in an edible harvest, instead of confronting too many failed efforts that might develop if they deal exclusively with harder-to-grow plants.

Take the Lesson Inside

Making children participants in the entire gardening experience increases their level of understanding and interest. Involve them in garden planning, shopping excursions for supplies and other facets of the hobby.

Additionally, make sure your children get a chance at watching the product of their effort become their tasty suppers and lunches. Involve them in the preparation of harvested items for consumption and in cooking. This allows them to directly appreciate their own efforts and to take pride in the hours spent working in the garden.

The garden does not have to be a "no kids" zone. In fact, it can be a great area for supervised family fun. By embracing a few guiding principles of involving children in your garden, you can provide them with an awesome experience that couples fun with learning. Keep kids truly involved, give them a chance to succeed and take the lessons learned from the garden inside.