Fun Advice to Introduce Kids to Gardening

Warmer months are likely to have the whole family eager to dive into outdoor activities. This year, as you tackle the garden, find ways to get the youngest family members in on the action, too.

Not only is gardening an activity you can enjoy together, there are numerous ways to incorporate age-appropriate, teachable moments from counting and colors to responsible care of living things.

Creating a positive first experience with gardening can start with this simple advice:

* Dedicate a spot for a junior garden, which allows you to instill a sense of pride and ownership in the little gardener while protecting your own garden areas from ambitious young hands.

* Provide appropriate tools in child sizes. Just as you would teach a child the finer points of baseball using a bat and glove, demonstrate the joys of gardening with tools such as a rake, hoe and trowel, all of which can be found in sizes more manageable for little helpers.

* Let the kids choose what to plant. Whether flowers or food plants, allow children to make their own decisions (within reason) about what they would like to grow. This can help them engage in the magic of watching items they selected emerge from the ground and grow into their finished forms.

* Encourage exposure to unfamiliar plants that entice the senses with appealing smells and flavors. Herbs such as chives, mint and basil are good choices, or consider edible flowers such as pansies or violets.

* Set an example for your child to imitate by giving regular and proper care to your own garden.

Remember to bring the lesson full circle by enjoying the bounty of your garden together, whether it’s a small hand-cut bouquet or a meal featuring your child’s fresh-grown produce. Find more tips for gardening with your kids at eLivingtoday.com.

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The trail itself is a very accessible trail to try out if this is your first time or bringing family. The trail sits flat and provides a wide area for multiple visitors to pass by. The wide path also provides a very leisurely ride in the shade for those looking to get some exercise this summer.

Along the trail are unique spots that help bring a unique feel and look to the trail. For children visiting the trail, the tunnels that run underneath major streets along the path provide a fun area for races and funny echoes. While the tunnels along the path provide for a nice break in the shade for anyone else walking the trail.

Another unique aspect of the trail in Old Town is a free standing library drop where visitors can bring a book and take a book when visiting.

An aspect of the trail is the historical significance of some areas along the trail. One spot such as the Sugar Pine Trail commemorative rock that describes the history of the Sugar Pine Trail along the Old Town Trail.

“The trail property was purchased from the Southern Pacific Railroad in December 1997 for the purpose of establishing a pedestrian/bike path and preserving a corridor for future light rail.”

Finally for those visiting the trail, a must visit location along the trail is the “lock bridge” that is filled with padlocks from couples visiting the bridge.

Whether you visit the trail for exercise

Trail Fest

CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE three different areas to get into the Trail Fest: Railroad Park, Treasure Ingmire Park at the corner of Clovis Ave, and Sierra and Cottonwood Park. Volunteers along the three-mile stretch will be assisting with information and or just to get out of the house, there is something for everyone to find interesting along the trails in Clovis. There are nine trails to explore with more than 40 miles of area to walk or bike this summer and remain open to the public incase you are a person who wants to visit the trails early in the morning or late in the evening to beat the heat. other event-related tasks.

Whether you are wondering where a certain vendor is, or where the nearest bathroom is, there will be someone there to help.

After a huge turnout last year, the Clovis Trail Fest can only look to grow. To view the Trail Fest map, visit www.CityofClovis.com/ TrailFest.