Plant a Kids Vegetable Garden
and Grow Healthy Kids

Get your kids healthy by planting a kids vegetable garden. How will a garden make them healthy? Easy. It's a secret plan to get them interested in the process... so they become interested in the end result.

They don't have to know it's a secret plan to get them to like vegetables. You don't even have to use the word "vegetables." Say you are planting a garden for them and need some help. They hear "for them" and are instantly interested. The only explanations needed are when the cute little sprouts turn into big plants and sprout vegetables. Then you might have some explaining to do.

Is your child on the fence about vegetables? The act of participating in or helping with the kids vegetable garden may do the trick. Take them shopping with you, and ooh and ahh over the pretty seed packets. Have them pick out one of everything if they think it looks good. Don't tell them yet that they are going to have to eat it. That ruins their mood. Make it fun and pick out a seed packet for every color.

Make an event out of planting day. Let them get dirty. Let them plant the seeds. Who cares if the rows are crooked – your kid might willingly eat those vegetables in a few weeks. Give them small responsibilities so they have a vested interest in the garden growing. Pass out watering duties or weed patrol duties. The key is to make it not sound like a chore.

And don't stop cultivating their interest as soon as the kids vegetable garden is planted. Buy wooden sticks and have them write the name of the vegetable and draw a picture. Ask them to help when you weed or put up stringers for plants. Invent games to play in the garden or create contests:

• Who can spot the first zucchini blossom?
• Who finds the longest green bean?
• Give each child a plant to care for... See whose plant can grow the biggest tomato... see who grows the first tomato... and so on.

If a vegetable garden isn't possible for your family, try the farmer's market. You can still ooh and ahh, they just have a firmer grasp on what you are trying to do now. Let them pick out as many things as they want to try. If they don't seem to cooperate, tell them they only have to pick two. When playing the numbers game, give them the option of two or four. They'll always choose the low side, of course, but you've made it sound like they won. If they still complain, what do you do?

You know... Make a game out of it! Who can pick the strangest-looking vegetable? Who can guess what's inside this thing they call a spaghetti squash? Act like you don't know how to cook the chosen vegetable (whether you do or not) and let them help you research the web - this site of course - for recipe ideas.

Believe it or not, some kids truly like vegetables. They don't require bribes, pleading or empty promises to "just try one bite." They willingly eat their vegetables, and sometimes even ask for more! If you are one of the lucky parents of a child like this, a kids vegetable garden is still a good idea. It will foster the love of growing and nurturing, and make them healthy for life. Next thing you know, they'll be designing the garden layout and buying their own seeds.

And a bonus, if your kid already likes vegetables, they will have no problem eating from the kids vegetable garden. The games are a bonus and only make them eager for next year.

Have ideas of your own for a kids vegetable garden? Please share them!

Want to read more about kids vegetable gardens? www.kiddiegardens.com is a whole site all about just that! The site offers step-by-step guides on creating fun and inviting gardens for children, including activities and equipment suitable for each age group.