You can create a fun family project in so many different ways with a variety of plants and examining nature. Children at any age love to explore. Our lives have gotten very high tech and time is precious to all of us. Think about what you as a family can do to get back into a simplistic mode.

One of the great qualities we have on earth in any geographic location is nature. There are trees and flowers blooming at one time or another. There is a world of education in plants.

Different colors and textures along with learning creative ways to do a small landscape garden, plant a tree, or have your own indoor container garden year around. All of these ingredients add up to doing a family fun project along with great memories for many years.

This article is about ideas that can not only bring quality time with your children at any age, but also teach us about the beauty that surrounds the entire planet. Here are a few suggestions on different ideas to create a project for you and your child or children.

• If you have young children consider making two sand boxes instead of one. The box doesn't have to be large. In sandy soil, many plants and herbs grow great.
  
  You know what your child's favorite color, find a small shrub, flower or herb and plant a garden in the sandbox. Add a couple of figurines of your child's favorite animal. Make a sign with his or her name on it, identifying the ownership of the garden. Do research on the plant and depending on the child's age, explain the characteristic of each plant.

• Create a small garden out in a landscape bed. Make it a family garden. Each of you can pick out your own plant specimens. Take the time together to plan, prep, and plant the entire project.
  
  Delegate different jobs in each of the plan, prep, and plant phases. Work together as a team. Now you know how some family projects can materialize and someone gets mad and quits or someone loses interest. Keep the momentum going and focus back on creating and finishing the garden or walk. Just like any business, families working together require time and energy. Have everyone make the commitment before you begin the planning phase.





• Look into playground mulch instead of regular mulch. The playground mulch tends to be a little more expensive, but a safer product for children. Put a landscape bed around a swing set. Have a small area for your child to plant a few vegetables. Many children don't like eating vegetables, but try growing a few together. Put a small bench or chair in the garden so your child has a place to sit. Create an area with benches, wooden, concrete, or iron will give a great addition to any space.
  
  If you have a small child, create a little area where he or she can play. Preteens and teenagers love music. Give them an area where they can listen to the music or of course talk on their cell phones.

• Yes, those teen-age and older years can be more difficult to get a child's involvement, but not hard to do. Many different horticultural programs and organizations are involved in childrens education today. Find one in your community that involves nature.
  
  When going to the zoo or coming home from a sports event, take time to notice what trees or flowers are in bloom. Stop and discuss the colors and textures. If you can't identify the plant specimen, work together to find out about the plant. Go for walks during each change of the season.

These pictures represent a little different side to the natural world of landscaping.

My goal was for you to see the beauty of natural habitat and how you and your children can experience the outdoors in a very simplistic way. Create a landscape garden or take the time to walk in nature is a very simple solution to any family project.

• If you live in an area where there isn't much climatic change, research with your children a colder or warmer climate and different plant specimens. The tropics section has many different plant specimens for warmer climates. Let them pick out the geographic location. Find pictures of the plants and their descriptions and create a family book on that particular location.

• In climates where the season changes, fall is a great time to visit an apple orchard or a pumpkin farm. Point out the changes in the autumn leaves and talk about why there are so many varieties of vibrant colors. Some places during the summer months experience the blooming of beautiful wild Rhododendrons. Take a walk on a nature trail and see the brilliant different color in the Rhododendron flowers or other wild flowers.
• Plant a small tree. Discuss whether you want it to be evergreen or deciduous? Explain the difference why the evergreen has its leaves year around and the deciduous tree loses its leaves in the colder months. Create a chart for your child's growth patterns and also one for the tree. This is a great for your child to see a plants maturity and growth patterns year after year.

• Plant flower bulbs or wild seeds in the fall or early springtime. Have a family journal or individual journals of the plant specimens. If your space is limited, do a few small container gardens together. Buy existing plants or start the growing process from seeds.

These are just a few creative and simple suggestions on different family outdoor projects in landscaping as well as getting out into nature. Relaxing and enjoying your family outside can be as satisfying and rewarding as spending time inside.

Return To Learning Center | Return To Landscape-Solutions Home