Patience is a difficult skill for many children and waiting for seeds to grow and plants to develop is a way for kids to practice this skill. Let the kids make some of the decisions about your garden. Let the kids look through garden catalogues and choose one or two plants for their garden. Help them practice their math skills by reading how many days it takes for a plant to mature and bloom. Ask them to calculate when they should plant the seeds to have tomatoes for a picnic in August.
Flowers are fun and easy to grow.
Chose some that will attract butterflies or humming birds so you can enjoy the wildlife. As you look through seed packets or a garden catalogue, give your child a yard stick. Read how tall each flower will grow and ask your child to put their choices in order - shortest to tallest so you can plan where to put them. If you have a child who doesn't like to eat a certain kind of vegetable, you might find that the process of growing their own food is enough to entice them into eating it. Plant all of their favorite fixings for a toss salad.