A simple, fun and easy indoor table garden craft for kids.

Do you have a Lil' greenthumb who's always digging in the dirt or planting whatever they can find whether it is something that will grow or not? As you planted the summer garden was your Lil' greenthumb at your side, with seeds and watering can in hand, planting a little harvest of their own? My Lil' greenthumb recently took the seeds from our halloween pumpkin carving and planted every one of them throughout the backyard and I even saw him pushing seeds into the potted plants, indoors and out. He is fascinated with how the seeds that he plants grow and particularly interested in how those plants produce seeds so that he may take them and grow even more.

A table garden is a fun and easy way to channel that interest and energy during this upcoming cold and rainy season. This table garden will actually be more like a miniature backyard. It will have grass, a fence (if desired), and a garden plot. Similar to your outdoor garden, you choose what to 'plant' and where to 'plant' it. This project is very simple to get started and most kids, I'm sure, will insist on doing all the 'dirty work' themselves. I know my son will. Here's what you'll need to get started.

First you'll need to grow the lawn for your 'yard'. Fill the tray or plastic lined box with the potting soil. For my son's garden, we removed the top to a pizza box and lined it with plastic. You'll want to pat the soil down to compact it. Don't over compact the soil or the grass seed will have difficulty rooting. Spread the grass seed over the soil and cover with a another layer of soil, patting down gently. Water the 'yard' and cover with clear plastic wrap.

You will need to occasionally 'mow' your yard.

 The yard is ready.   Now choose where you want your garden to be.  Remove the grass and soil from the area you choose and fill it in with fresh soil.  If you would like to, you can fence in your garden at this point.  To make the fence you'll need crafts sticks, glue and paint.  To give it a picket fence type look cut the tops of the craft sticks to a point and paint white.  This is where a grown-up may want to assist.  Paint some uncut craft sticks as well.  You'll need these to assemble the fence. To assemble the fence, simply lay the painted sticks together, spacing them as close or as far apart as you like.  Then glue an uncut  painted craft stick about 3/4 of an inch from the bottom of the row and then another about an inch above that.  Repeat until you have enough sections for your fencing needs.  Now simply press the fencing in where desired.  Fence the whole yard if you like.

It is possible to grow some flowers in a shallow garden such as this, but eventually they would tower over everything. If you choose to, plant only one or two seeds in each 5 inch square of garden. To simulate a vegetable garden, you can use various items to represent different vegetables. A walnut painted orange makes a great looking pumpkin. Green floral wire is great for making vines. Green pipe cleaners make great tops to all your veggies. This is where your imagination can run wild.

Your lil' greenthumb will love tending to thier own lil' garden. I know my son's garden will be in a constant state of flux as he plants and transplants, adds sticks and rocks and whatever else he fancies. He's even talked about adding a pond.  I think that would be fantastic. That is unless he wants to stock it with fish.