Kids’ Korner

Spring Gardens

Spring is a time of renewal and greenness and there is no better way to experience the joy of this season than with a garden.  You can choose the type and size of garden you will have, from a small vegetable patch or flower bed to a decorative and showy cottage garden or simply a tiny treasure windowsill garden. 

To see a seed, covered with soil, watered, and then almost magically become a plant that might bear an edible fruit is very exciting.  It is a joy that should be experienced and savored by everyone.  You can create a simple windowsill garden with materials that are around your home right now.  What you will need to gather:  a container for your garden (such as a small wooden box, an empty gallon food container or a large plastic butter or whipped topping tub).  Choose a surface that can be painted or decorated with stickers, paint or markers so you can make it an art object that also holds plants.  You will also need a container full of potting soil and a saucer to set under your planter. 

Your choice of seed should match your container.  Herbs and small crops like radishes grow wonderfully in small containers such as large vegetable tins or plastic iced tea glasses, and flowers can grow in larger planters such as gallon tins or cutoff plastic milk jugs.  Crops like squash, gourds, pumpkins and most vegetables need more space than windowsill planters provide, so plan to plant them outdoors.

Begin by filling your chosen container with soil and tamping it gently into place.  Allow about one inch of space at the top of your planter for added soil and future watering.  Set your seeds onto the packed, flat surface.  Sift additional soil over the seeds to a depth equal to the thickness of the seed.  Pat the surface, then water gently, so the seeds are dampened but not uncovered. 

Place in a sunny window and expect exciting things to happen.  Watching the seed immerge, the tiny leaves start to form and the plant start to grow is fun.  Changes occur every day, so keep a close eye on the transformation.  Remember to water when the soil feels dry.

While you are enjoying your success, imagine what a larger space outdoors might be like.  Perhaps you and your friends could grow vegetables and share in the fun.  

Children’s Festival

The International Child Art Foundation will host the World Children’s Festival on June 23-25 on the National Mall at 4^th to 7^th Streets, between the National Gallery of Art and the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.  The Festival will showcase children’s creativity, imagination and talent and much more.  Activities are free and open to the public each day from 10:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.  Visit www.icaf.org for more info.

Book Awards

The American Library Association has announced the 2007 Literary Award winners:  Flotsam, illustrated by David Wiesner, is the Caldecott Medal winner for most distinguished American picture book for children; When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, illustrated by Kadir Nelson and written by Carole Boston Weatherford, received the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award; and Zelda and Ivy:  The Runaways, written and illustrated by Laura McGee Kvasnosky, received the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award.

Birthday and Literacy

In honor of the 50^th Birthday celebration of Dr. Seuss’ beloved classic The Cat in the Hat, kids have until May 1 to make a difference by participating in a literacy initiative:  Send a card to the cat as part of Project 236, a national program to raise awareness of literacy issues, and Random House will donate one new book to First Book (an international nonprofit literacy organization) for each card received. Visit www.seussville.com.

Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 17 No. 6 — April 2007