Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt written by Kate Messner and illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal (2015)

Spend a year in the vegetable garden both above and below ground. Above ground, Nana and the child prepare the garden, plant the seeds, weed, water, and harvest. Birds, bees, bats, ladybugs, skunks, and snakes all do their part to help the garden grow while below ground the worms, grums, beetles, and ants work in the dirt. Each page shows something that is happening in the garden.

Hmmm… what could we do to bring this beautiful picture book alive?

I wonder… maybe we should build a garden!

It can be a vegetable garden or a flower garden, your animal friends will be sure to help out too!

Below are 25 Gardening Activities for kids. The one pictured shows starting seedlings in an ice cream cone. Once the seedling is ready to be planted in the garden, the whole container can be planted since the ice cream cone is biodegradable. To attract butterflies plant some of these favorites.