What do you get when you mix a pile of soil, some seeds or fledgling plants, and a couple of children eager to spend hours digging and playing in the mud? You have an afternoon of fun you would have never expected! And your kids can develop a lifelong love of gardening in the process.

With an array of materials for digging and pouring, like peat, soil, and sand, combined with the sense of accomplishment and excitement little ones can receive when they see their plants grow and flourish, gardening is one of those activities tailor-made for little hands and imaginations. Gardening can also foster skills like responsibility, patience, and perseverance, as children become solely responsible for the survival of a living thing.

GETTING STARTED

Before you introduce gardening to youngsters and give them free reign in the backyard, it may be wise to start out on a smaller scale. Keep in mind their age and ability level. For example, don't expect wonders from a toddler or kindergartner. They may be content just by picking dandelions, chasing toads or worms in the soil, or planting seeds from apples or watermelons. Try this simple activity for little ones:

 Take a clear-plastic 8-ounce drinking cup.

Fill about three-fourths of the cup with moistened cotton balls.

 Sprinkle grass seeds on top of the cotton balls.

Cover seeds with more moistened cotton balls.

Place the cup in a sunny window.

 Have your child keep the cotton moist, but not sopping. After a few days, the grass seeds should start to sprout. Your child can delight in seeing the root system form and be clearly visible through the clear-plastic cup, as well as the grass that starts to grow tall over the rim of the cup.

You may also want to start your children out with other potted plants. Empty egg cartons make great separated "planters" for little green thumbs to experiment with. When heading out to the garden center, pick hearty seeds that germinate quickly so your child will be able to see results relatively quickly.

MOVING OUTDOORS