Did you know that the most important part of a plant is the bit you don’t see? This activity – which you may remember as a biology experiment from your own schooldays – is educational as well as fun. Your children will thoroughly enjoy watching their seed come to life, start sprouting and form its root … Continue reading Rooting Around
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The Long and the Short and the Tall
I’m taking a break from housework, idly pondering over a coffee how many pieces of Lego would fit into a vacuum-cleaner (and – more importantly – what percentage of them (once in) you’d realistically be able to fish out again) when the phone rings. It’s my mother-in-law. “We’d like to buy James a couple of … Continue reading The Long and the Short and the Tall
Van de Caractère
Author's note : in the interests of anonymity, the caravan pictured is a stunt double.“Come with us!” urges Beth, swirling her glass of chardonnay in my direction. “We’re camping on site! It’ll be fun!” “No tent!” I counter. “No problem!” she replies. “We know a lady who rents out vans on a casual basis …” Whereupon follows … Continue reading Van de Caractère
It’s a Date!
Don’t discard the pits from your boxes of dates - they can be germinated to produce elegant palm plants. Your kids will enjoy the challenge of making their own mini-incubator and watching the seemingly-dead stones sprout into life. Here's how you do it ... Clean the flesh off the stones Leave them to soak in … Continue reading It’s a Date!
How to grow a Peanut (Groundnut) Plant
Children will love growing the unconventional peanut, or groundnut. Peanut plants are attractive, quirky and - best of all - easy to raise. Even if they didn’t do anything offbeat, peanut plants would still be worth cultivating for their delicate little yellow flowers and penny-shaped paired leaves which close, as if in prayer, every bedtime. But it’s … Continue reading How to grow a Peanut (Groundnut) Plant
Growing oranges and lemons from seed
The shops are full of yummy citrus fruits all year round. Don't discard the pips along with the peel - keep them to sow. Raising citrus plants from seed is an easy and rewarding windowsill project your children will love. Lemons, limes, grapefruit and their various cousins in the orange family can all be successfully germinated to … Continue reading Growing oranges and lemons from seed
40 reasons why you should garden with your kids
The main reason - it’s fun! It’s an ideal opportunity to spend quality time with your children They’ll love getting involved with the project you’re working on together Kids (and secretly, many adults) love getting their hands dirty! It’s a healthy, outdoorsy activity Children get a real buzz out of growing – and eating … Continue reading 40 reasons why you should garden with your kids
Breaking up is hard to do …
“You know, Mummy,” says six-year-old James as I tuck him in, “the reason I love holidays is because we’re all together.” “That’s lovely!” I smile, dropping a kiss on his forehead. His heart-warming wisdom stops me in my tracks and adjusts my priorities. But it also makes me feel slightly guilty. As I turn out … Continue reading Breaking up is hard to do …
