Book aims to get kids into the garden

Whitney Cohen and John Fisher look at gardens as playgrounds with a purpose.

The two are garden education directors at Life Lab, a California nonprofit that offers farm- and garden-based programs. They're experts at getting kids engaged in gardening, and they've compiled their ideas into "The Book of Gardening Projects for Kids: 101 Ways to Get Kids Outside, Dirty, and Having Fun" (Timber Press, $19.95).

They urge parents to make their gardens places where kids feel free to play and explore as well as work. They offer ideas designed to be affordable and achievable for busy parents, from such simple activities as making mud pies to more involved undertakings such as building an owl house.

They also offer pointers for designing family-friendly gardens, involving kids in the work of growing and encouraging them to eat the fruits of their labors.

Akron Beacon Journal