Gardening Lab for Kids has 52 fun experiments to learn, grow, harvest, make, play, and enjoy your garden.
How to make rain barrels is one of the projects in the book.
Creative Gardening Projects for Kids
The book has instructions for 52 projects plus ideas for ‘digging deeper’.
If you have kids, grandkids, homeschoolers, unschoolers, campers, or students and want creative outdoor projects, this book is packed with great ideas. I don’t have little kids at home now but I still found a bunch of projects I want to make as well.
Consider it a great resource for nature nuts (or kids who just need a little nudge) who just want to get outdoors and do fun stuff.
If you want to see an excerpt from the book, have a look at this DIY rain barrel project. Good for those who like building and art.
The list below shows some of the projects you will find in the book plus links to related projects here on Empress of Dirt.
The images below, by Dave Brown, are from the book. The commentary is my own.
1. Make A Bird Feeder
What a great way to start a relationship with the garden: make a bird feeder and see who comes to visit! Some kids who have never had the opportunity to really play in the mud and watch insects can be really squeamish about getting outside and exploring. A bird feeder can bridge that gap as they see the direct cause and effect: Hey, I put out that bird seed and look who came to visit us!
Other bird-related tutorials
Make a bird feeder from water bottles
Make a hummingbird feeder with mason jars
2. Seeds In A Bag
How beautiful is this? This project is a great way to see not only the new growth that would be above the soil, but what goes on underground. Very cool.
My best tips for starting seeds indoors are here:
3. Rock Bugs
A fun idea for the crafty kids: research various bugs, paint your own, and then display them or play with them in the garden.
I have two rock and stone painting tutorials:
4. Pollinator Palace
I love how bug hotels / pollinator palaces have become so popular lately, combining funky garden art with the intention of attracting a variety of wee wild things.
More on wildlife houses:
How to Choose a House for Birds, Bats, Owls, and More
5. Rain Barrel
Food grade containers can be transformed into functioning rain barrels with some plumbing supplies.
The tutorial is here:
More projects/ labs in the book:
- Make a rain gauge
- Grow mini pizza and salsa gardens
- Make your own seed tape
- Grow a butterfly garden
- Make a clay pot fountain
- Create a compost bin
- Make a toad abode
- Make a plant press
- Grow a sweet pea teepee
and more!
I would have loved a book like this when I was a kid and I found plenty of projects I want to make now.
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛
Carol says
This looks like so much fun. My grandchildren love to do crafts and help in the garden.
Jamie says
Oh, I would so love to win this! How fun!!
darlene says
This is perfect for my 4 yr old granddaughter. I want to help her love the garden as much as her gramma and greatgramma
Judi says
I would enjoy doing these projects with my Grandsons.
Thank you.
Brandi Longfellow says
Can’t wait to try some of these projects my kidos are going to have so much fun this summer.
Vera Wiest says
As a teacher and a grandmother I would love to use these activities with the children I’m fortunate to work with. Thanks for a terrific blog. I always look forward to it.
Liz says
My daughter would love it!
Susan C says
What a fabulous book…….my 2 grandchildren would live to share in the fun, in their garden and mine!
Becky says
Love your blog…kids love to dig in the dirt! Would be fun to win! Thanks
Judy says
I think I need this just as much as the kids..haha..looks like lots of fun things to try & DO!!
Valerie Hohenberger says
This books looks like so much fun! Thanks for giving me this opportunity to win a copy! I have 3 grandsons that NEED to get outdoors!
Mary P says
Fun! Would love to win & do these awesome activities!
Darlene Tucker says
This book has inspired me already! With 10 grandkids there should be something for everybody to have fun with in this book. And hopefully it will encourage some of the pickier eaters to actually try “green things”. lol. The only one I see having a problem settling on one activity at a time is Grampa… he’s the biggest kid of them all!
Jim Lipscomb says
Wow a bunch of cool science ideas all in one place! My daughter would enjoy doing these with me.
Susan says
I would love to win this book for my school Garden Club students. I am always looking for new and creative ideas that give students a chance to blend nature together with crafts.
Thank you!
Sandy Douglass Abalos says
Thanks for the chance to win this awesome prize!