Organic gardening isn't about the plants or the bugs or the gardener, but rather how these work together, to become greater than any one single element. Children want to care for and help the garden by watering, weeding and feeding plants compost. They also love to explore the creature world! The critters that crawl and skitter, slime and slither, flutter and fly all help the garden, and we can help the creatures in return by building bug houses and creating habitat.

The invitation to garden
If you want to garden with your children, invite them into the garden world. Teach them where to walk, how to pick and eat the plants and how to use the garden tools -- then let them do the work. Nothing instills a sense of accomplishment and ownership better than entrusting children with good tools, teaching them how to use them and having them rescue an overgrown area from the stranglehold of bindweed.

Keep a critter journal
Great gardens start with great soil, so get down low and explore yours from a bug's eye view. Caring for bugs and spiders is critical for maintaining balance in the garden ecology, so why not spend the afternoon learning that all living things need shelter, sun, water, soil, food and air? Better yet, find a magic spot in the garden where you can keep a critter journal over time.

Make the space kid-friendly
Kids will be kids, so make space for them in the garden. Help them learn where their feet go by making paths wide and obvious (use straw or burlap sacks) and by keeping beds narrow (perfect for jumping across). Practice being aware of your feet by installing stepping stones and playing "hot lava" games.

Choose plants that are edible and easy to grow
Perennial herbs, annual vegetable and flowers, fruit trees and vines are perfect choices for family gardens. Use all your senses to learn everything you can about the garden environment. We learn so much about our world by looking carefully, smelling, touching, listening and tasting. Don't underestimate your child's capabilities. Anything you like doing in the garden, your children can also do with training.

Learn along with your child
Kids' science and gardening books are great resources. Read seed catalogs together, and track your garden's progress with a special journal. Make plant collages each month to remember what was growing.

Lastly, remember that you don't need a backyard to do this. Grow and eat plants, explore the creature world and experience nature in a community garden, or in a rooftop or container garden. Even growing a seed indoors or having a worm bin under the sink can be an amazing adventure in gardening. Grow on!

Lisa Taylor is the children's program manager for Seattle Tilth, a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching people how to improve their environment using organic gardening techniques. Learn more about Tilth at http://www.seattletilth.org .