Children's Gardening Projects

Building a teepee is really simple and after your plants have enclosed it, it makes for a great club house too. Click the image above to zoom.

The children get lessons in planning and planting, plus a neat place to hide that is just their size. The vines provide cover and food.

1. You will need 3-6 poles or stakes at least 6 - 8' long. The more poles, the larger the teepee can be.



2. Lay the poles side-by-side.



3. Tie a weatherproof cord or rope around all of the poles, about 6" down from the end. Do not tie too tightly - the poles need to be able to move.



4. Stand the teepee up and spread the poles out about 3' apart to form the teepee shape. Push the poles into the ground a few inches to keep the teepee from toppling over.



5. Wrap twine around the teepee sides from top to bottom. The vines need the support the string supplies. Be sure to leave one of the teepee sections open (without twine). This will be the entrance to your teepee.



6. At the base of each pole, plant pole beans, peas, cucumbers, morning glory or moonflower. Plant several seeds and thin them after they sprout, keeping the biggest 3-4 seedlings.
   

Your kids will love germinating, planting, growing and picking these delectable flowers.

The bigger, the better - and they don't get much bigger than sunflowers. Give them a head start on the growing season and provide a quick lesson in seed germination.

1. On a dinner plate, place a folded paper towel.



2. Spray the paper towel with water to dampen (not saturate).



3. Lay sunflower seeds on the moistened towel. The seeds should not be touching each other.



4. Lay another paper towel over the seeds.



5. Spray the top towel with water (do not saturate).



6. Keep the towel moist. In 10 - 12 days the seeds should have begun to sprout.



7. Carefully plant the seedlings in the garden, about 1/4" deep.

Go back to the Children's Garden how-to.