Be Out There held it’s Gardening with Kids—How To for Beginners Facebook Chat just in time. With experts on gardening, such as NWF naturalist, David Mizejewski, Peggy Montgomery from American Beauties Native Plants, and Kelly Senser, an avid NWF gardener, we’ve got all the best tips and tricks to get you and your kids outside and those gardens blooming in no time. Weren’t able to join in the chat? No worries—keep reading for all the best highlights that are sure to help get you and your kids excited about your garden.

Q1: How does one get started with gardening?

This is often the hardest question and probably one of the most discouraging for beginners. There are options upon options of what to plant, when you should start, whether you’re in an area that grows certain plants better than other plants.

Here’s what we learned: The best ways to get started are: first think about what kind of things you want to grow. Do you want to plant fruits and veggies or would you rather plant your favorite flowers? Once you’ve figured that out, start small and test out a few options to see how they do.

Sometimes just getting down and dirty in the garden is the best way to figure out what you want to do. You’re also not limited to planting just one thing. Go a little crazy, section of one area of your garden for veggies or fruits and use the other section to grow some beautiful spring flowers. As Beth said, sometimes it’s just enough to “appreciate the beauty of a garden, and the potential of a little seed.”

Gardening is all about experimenting and seeing what works for you. Try what Tricia suggested, and plant some seeds from fruits and vegetables that you’ve already eaten. A watermelon seed might not grow in your stomach, like my older brother always told me it would when we were kids, but it could grow in your garden! NWF Naturalist, David Mizejewski, agrees that planting them and seeing what happens is the way to go. Be Out There’s new Family Garden Guide is a great resource to have when getting started with your family garden. It even has a check list for you to cut out, so you and the kids can check off each step as you go.

Q2: To beginners, gardening can seem like a lot of work. What’s the best way to manage the time and tasks it takes?

Taking care of a garden does take time and some commitment, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a lot of work.

Monzie suggests gardening plants that are low maintenance. You can go to your local gardening store, such as Lowes or Home Depot and talk to the experts in the gardening section. They can show you around and give you an idea of which flowers or other plants won’t throw a wrench in your everyday routine and busy schedules, but will also allow you to get the satisfaction of having your own garden. Or visit American Beauties Native Plants’ website and search what plants are native to your area. Sometimes starting small with potted plants, then moving them to the backyard is a great way to figure out how much time you have to put towards your gardening projects.

Peggy Montgomery, from American Beauties Native Plants, suggests starting small with the amount of time you put into your projects, too. Once you start putting in fiften to thirty minutes, it’ll become like second nature and soon you’ll be waiting for when you can finally get back outside and into your garden.

Q3. What are some ways to get kids excited about growing things and helping with the garden?

Letting your kids eat right from the garden is great! And don’t worry, the dirt doesn’t hurt! Actually, studies have shown that a little bit of dirt can go a long way with improving their immune systems. Plus, the kids will you’re the cool parent for letting them eat something picked right off the vine that they helped grow. Kids love getting messy, so let them! Making seed balls is another great way to get your kids elbow deep in some dirt while having fun gardening. Check out our Activity Finder for more great gardening activities that your kids will love doing.

Q4: Kids LOVE to watch the birds, butterflies, squirrels, and other visitors a garden can attract? What are some simple features you can add to make your garden an even more magical place for kids?

I think just about every kid that sees a caterpillar, butterfly, or bird poking around in their garden will be in awe. The life cycle, as Kelly Senser, of NWF, said, is really great to watch. Planting things that make great homes for caterpillars to start their cocoon and transform into a beautiful butterfly is a great experience for young kids. It allows them to grow an appreciate for not only the garden and the work that goes into it, but the wildlife that they’re giving food, water, and shelter to. Want to know more about gardening for wildlife or interested in creating a Certified Wildlife Habitat for the local wildlife in your backyard? Learn more about it here.

Gardening doesn’t have to be overwhelming or a huge project. It’s a great way to spend time outdoors with your family and relax while learning. As parents, you become the teachers of life and how things grow from a tiny seed smaller than a fingernail into something big and beautiful, and often times, very tasty. So this spring, take a deep breath and get gardening. You’ll be happy you did.

If you’re in need of more gardening inspiration or some great gardening projects you and the family can do, download our new Family Garden Guide, a step-by-step guide for novice gardeners and their handy helpers, chock full of activities ranging from a sunflower playhouse to making a mud volcano while testing your soil’s pH levels.

Like us on Facebook for more year-round activities to get you and your family outdoors.

National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) Be Out There is a national movement to give back to American children what they don’t know they’ve lost- their connection to the natural world. With a wealth of activities, events, and resources, Be Out There reconnects families with the great outdoors to raise happy, healthy children with a life-long love of nature.

According the American Psychological Association (APA) more than one third of Americans report high stress levels, and one in five say they feel very stressed at least half of each month. Stress impacts our health with physical symptoms like fatigue, headache, stomach upset, and back pain. It can affect our emotions, causing anger, depression, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping.

Children, as well as adults, feel the pressure from peers, schoolwork, and busy schedules. So what can we do?

Eating right, making time for exercise and spending time with friends and family are all important steps. But, a step outside may be the most beneficial. One study, from the American Journal of Public Health, revealed stress levels fall within mere minutes of being outside.

Here Are 3 Great Ways to Go Outside & Get Calmer:

1. Run (Walk, or Bike) Away From Your Problems

Everyone knows getting moving is great for you; moving around outdoors may be even better. According to Oprah.com, scientists have found that walks in nature reduce markers of stress within the body like decreased blood pressure, heart rates, and lower levels of cortisol.

Get outdoors and get moving with these activities or go to NWF’s Activity Finder for more ways to Be Out There:

• Kick a ball with your kids
• Climb a tree
• Play Tag or hopscotch
• Host neighborhood relay races
• Jump rope

2. Be Still Your Beating Heart

Meditation is an excellent stress buster. Why not find a quiet spot in your backyard or local park and enjoy some outdoor introspection? Here are some simple techniques from the Mayo Clinic:

• Breathe deeply. Focus all attention on your breathing. Concentrate on feeling and listening as you inhale and exhale through your nostrils. Breathe deeply and slowly. When your attention wanders, gently return your focus to your breathing.
• Scan your body. Focus attention on different parts of your body. Become aware of your body’s various sensations. Combine body scanning with breathing exercises.
• Repeat a mantra. You can create your own mantra, whether it’s religious or secular, such as “Om.”
• Walk and meditate. Combining a walk with meditation is an efficient and healthy way to relax. You can use this technique anywhere you’re walking–in a tranquil forest or a city sidewalk.

3. Get Grounded

There’s powerful evidence that digging in the dirt reduces depression and anxiety and strengthens immunity. According to Huffingtonpost.com, a 2008 survey showed gardening may help reduce stress, even among those caring for chronically ill family members. Huffingtonpost.com also reports gardening can help lower cortisol levels and boost mood among people who had just finished a stressful task.

So grab your trowel and some seeds or plants and start growing with your family. Get your kids in on the action with these great tips for gardening with kids.

This month, try an easy, healthy, and fun way to reduce stress– spend time outdoors. Where you’re gardening, exercising, or just “be-ing” a new, relaxed you is just moments away!

For other helpful resources and to learn more about NWF’s goal to get 10 million more kids spending regular time in the great outdoors, visit: www.BeOutThere.org.

Alyson Weinberg (Mom, writer): Alyson Weinberg is a Washington DC-based writer specializing in issues concerning children and families. She is an award-winning speech writer, feature writer and communications strategist and the former editor of Spirit, the magazine of the Special Olympics movement. Alyson’s articles and editorials have appeared in national print media, textbooks, and on the web. She and her husband Josh live with their two daughters, Josie and Raina, in Potomac, MD.

Here’s a quick, fun way to get families outside this spring. Invite your neighbors for a community clean-up!

In our neighborhood, folks shared their yard tools and gave each other gardening tips, while parents and kids cleaned up trash from the nearby stream. Find out three tips to improve your community clean-up by watching my video diary:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Some photos from our clean-up:

Here's all the trash we collected, including this baby stroller and styrofoam grave from Halloween - all in a nearby stream!

Daughter and father cooperate on trash pick-up

Have you organized a community clean-up in your area? What worked for you?

If you enjoy organizing community events, you might enjoy our Community Wildlife Habitat program where you encourage your neighbors to garden for wildlife.

National Wildlife Federation’s Storytelling Video Diary Series shares the candid tales of nine NWF staffers from around the country; armed with their cameras in the Great Lakes, California, South Dakota, the Pacific Northwest, Northern Virginia, and Washington, DC, these nine staffers will share with you their individual trials, epiphanies and stories as they unfold in their daily adventures.

I LOVE YOU

My husband and I both helped to instill in our two children an appreciation for nature. We encourage outdoor play, garden for wildlife and spend regular time exploring nearby green spaces (including the backyard!) with our family. While the benefits for our kids are well documented, I’ve become increasingly aware of the benefits outdoor time brings to me as well.

Parents and other grown-ups are just as tethered to electronic devices as our youth counterparts, it seems. It’s how much of business—and even schoolwork—gets done these days. But being focused on computers, smartphones and the like can steal opportunities to bond with friends and family—to make lasting memories—when we fail to tune out email streams when the workday is done and to afford ourselves the gift of disconnecting. That’s why I consider walk invitations and enthusiastic wildlife observations (“I see a butterfly!”) such loving expressions. They say simply but pointedly: Share this with me. Enjoy the natural world you helped me to discover.

Take Time Out

I encourage everyone reading this post to take time during National Wildlife Week (and beyond!) to step out the door with a loved one to tune in to nature’s wonders, refuel and open yourselves to unexpected joys. On a recent hike, my 7-year-old son spotted a “tail” in the leaf litter. I stood beside him, hoping to see what he saw. A garter snake! Thrilled by his find, he quietly pointed it out to every passer-by and told me I “should write about it for National Wildlife.” I’m doing the latter now, for it’s a fitting reflection. “This is awesome,” he whispered, as we admired the reptile. It was. And I can still feel the love.

Learn more about how you can celebrate EXTRA-ordinary species in your community and across the country during this year’s National Wildlife Week, March 19-25 >>

When it snows in October,
And it seems autumn’s over,
We go out and play
And have a great day
Building in a backyard wonderland.

Gone away is the cell phone.
Joyful smiles set a new tone.
We laugh with our friends.
It’s fun to pretend,
Building in a backyard wonderland.

In the garden we construct a snowman—
Leaves for hair that come from yonder tree.
He will melt but not our happy feelings.
They’ll live on in our family’s memory.

Later on when we’re older,
Thinking back to days much colder,
Mom and kids will both say
“I’m glad that we played.”
Our backyard is a treasured wonderland.

George H. Harrison

GEORGE H. HARRISON knew he was on to something. While serving as managing editor of National Wildlife in 1972, he heard about two U.S. Forest Service researchers in Massachusetts who were studying ways to convert suburban yards into mini-habitats for birds and other wild creatures. “Their study showed that the same basic principles wildlife managers had been using for decades—providing food, water, cover and places to raise young—worked beautifully on a smaller scale in backyards,” says Harrison.

He convinced the two researchers, Richard DeGraaf and Jack Ward Thomas, to write an article describing the steps homeowners could take to create such habitats. That article, “Invite Wildlife to Your Backyard” in the April/May 1973 issue of National Wildlife, helped provide the basis for NWF’s Certified Wildlife Habitat^® program, which celebrates its 38th anniversary this year.

Kelly: John Strohm, then editor of National Wildlife, called the article “one of the most significant articles we’ve ever published.” Why do you think the article was important?

George: The whole concept that suburbanites and urbanites could have a backyard filled with birds and other wildlife awakened people’s need to be closer to nature. It was a timely article because in the 1970s the American public had realized that our planet was in trouble (the first Earth Day, etc.) and that nature was no longer a part of their world. “Invite Wildlife to Your Backyard” opened a whole new opportunity for people, especially families, to interact with wildlife at close range, just outside their windows. For most people, it was—and still is—the one and only way to see nature and relate to wildlife.

Kelly: How did the article change the way you garden?

George: Though I had been feeding birds in my backyard since I was a child (we were a nature family), the concepts of increasing the kinds and volume of birds and animals in my environment by providing food, cover and water caused me to design my own model backyard wildlife habitat. I am Certified Wildlife Habitat^® #604. I have since designed backyard habitats in private and institutional locations.

Redpoll at feeder

George: The easiest way to get started learning and appreciating wildlife is to establish your own backyard wildlife habitat. You can start small with a couple of bird feeders, a bird bath and some potted evergreens. If you group those three items outside a favorite window in your house, birds and other wildlife will come, I promise you.

Kelly: Why do you think the Certified Wildlife Habitat^® program remains relevant today?

George: With each passing year, young people are removed farther and farther from the natural world. In Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv documents how children are living lives that are more distant from nature than ever before in our history. Involving kids in the process of creating habitat is a way to reverse this trend.

George H. Harrison is an award-winning nature writer and photographer whose accomplishments include authoring 13 books, hosting six PBS television specials and helping to start Birds & Blooms magazine. While working at National Wildlife Federation, he served as both managing editor and field editor of National Wildlife.

Broad-headed skink on tree snag

At the beginning of November, my friend Debi of Go Explore Nature posted this update on her Facebook page:

“I’m thankful for nature’s many splendors all year long, but the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday encourages a little more thoughtfulness. This month, I’ll be sharing some of the many reasons I am thankful for the time I spend with my kids exploring nature. I hope you’ll join in!”

I’ve enjoyed reading her daily reflections and appreciate the reminder to count the blessings in my own world. Here are a few:

I’m thankful my yard and the woodland it borders support local wildlife such as this broad-headed skink (left) and other once new-to-me species. It’s nice getting acquainted with these animal visitors, for such gives me the opportunity to nurture my sense of wonder and that of my kids. Make your garden a home.

I’m thankful for the American goldfinches that captivate my neighbor. He said he wouldn’t have stopped to admire them had he not spent time bird-watching with my family. Take time to share nature’s wonders and your fondness for them. IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

I’m thankful for my son, who calls regular “bug club meetings”—backyard explorations focused on the wee critters of our habitat. We tune in to insects, as well as one another. Disconnect from electronic media, step outside and connect with your loved ones. (I find myself laughing more when I’m outdoors. How about you?)

I’m thankful for the teacher who said yes when this mom full of daydreams asked if she was up for gardening. A community-supported schoolyard habitat project grew out of that conversation. We created an outdoor classroom! If you can dream it, you can do it. Believe. BEGIN!

As Debi noted, nature hosts many splendors. Which ones bring YOU joy?

What animals do YOU see in this photo?

Clouds fill the sky, and raindrops fall. But there is sunshine in the autumn leaves—so brilliant against the gray background.

I find myself reminiscing this day, recalling a damp afternoon last fall when my kids and I ventured outside. We gathered leaves and other natural materials and fashioned animals out of them. We had no plan when we stepped out the door, but that’s the beauty of unstructured play: Imagination guides you. And leafy critters—be it a jellyfish or bird on the wing (my favorites in this image)—connect you with nature and one another.

Our backyard is truly my favorite place. Plants, laughter and a sense of wonder all grow there. I hope your neighborhood supports joy-filled green hours too.

Cheers to outdoor play!

6 Ways To Play Along:

1. Tweet playfully: Whenever you have fun outside this week (leaf jumping anyone?), tweet about it with the hashtag #playoutdoors. Then go back outside.

2. Get inspired: Print out our free Fall Outdoor Family Fun guide for all sorts of activities and tips to have fun outside.

3. Behind the scenes at NWF: Keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter feeds for fun activities, photos, and a funny peek into how our own office is squeezing outdoor time into our busy workdays. (We may have meetings outside, using sidewalk chalk instead of PowerPoint. Just saying.)

4. Get involved: Sign up your family for Hike & Seek, an NWF-sponsored event that is a cross between a nature hike and scavenger hunt, aimed at bringing families together in the outdoors. This year, events will take place in Seattle, Washington, D.C., and Chicago!

5. Turn Off the TV: On Sept. 25, Nickelodeon is hosting its 7th Annual Worldwide Day of Play, when the network goes dark for three hours (12-3) and encourages kids to go outside and play. So on Saturday, make sure you play, play, play!

6. Share the joy: And finally, Sept. 24-30 is Take Your Child Outside Week. We think you’ll be plenty prepared to spread the word about that…

Have fun out there!

Find out more about National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There campaign!

Is there a more quintessential camping snack than S’mores?

For years, making S’mores around the campfire has provided a great opportunity for families to get together and create memories.

This year, HERSHEY’S sweetens the Great American Backyard Campout this Saturday, June 26th, by partnering with NWF to promote the event. Together, we are encouraging kids and adults to enjoy the outdoors while sleeping under the stars.

Making S’mores over a campfire or a grill provides the perfect activity while you’re enjoying the outdoors. Visit backyardcampout.org to register and find fun activities to enjoy this weekend. Have a safe – and sweet! – backyard adventure this Saturday.

- Kate McDonald