My friend Carol, a long-distance grandparent herself, is growing vegetables in her garden.* (Check out her fabric pots above). I caught that “grow-your-own food” bug, too.  Not in a big way, mind you. It’s more like a “dip your toe in the dirt” version. Still, I’m in awe of how each plant grows.  My grandkids get excited about this, too! While gardening virtually with my grandkids, I hope to help them discover new ways to appreciate the wonders of nature. With a long distance between us, my creativity is being put to the test!

There’s lots of information online about gardening with kids, so I’ve taken a different approach. Instead of trying out random activities, I focused on ideas that would hold a child’s screen interest. Most of the ideas below can work with the simplest of gardens: from pots on a windowsill to a large backyard garden. Your grandchild might also have a home garden. If so, then try some of these together! Read more