March does bring in that good old spring fever of things coming up new, but also is the time to plant those seeds for spring flowers and grass. Yes, April showers do bring May flowers, but the seeds have to be planted first. What better time to ask your little one to be your gardening buddy.

Young children can learn so very much about our beautiful world when you include them in a time well spent lesson. In a few weeks they will be able to see the results of their digging and planting efforts. So let's get ready to not only nurture our yards, gardens, but to nurture our young children with time well spent.

Simple explanations of photosynthesis in explaining that it takes soil, sun, water and seeds for plants to grow can be done before planting. You can draw this on a piece of paper or poster so young children can visualize what is going to happen after they plant their seeds.

I love to plant rye grass because it comes up so quick and is such a beautiful green. Use a styrofoam cup or empty one-half pint or pint milk carton. Because I plant around Easter, in my classroom I put pink construction ears on the back of the cup or milk carton. You can add wiggly ears to the front to make a grassy head rabbit! The children love this seasonal favorite.

In showing how seeds germinate and grow try to pick up some large butter bean seeds. Use a small Ziploc bag, wet paper towel and tape. Tape the seeds inside the bag and put the wet paper towel to the back of the taped seeds. Tape the bag up on a window where the sun shines in.

Over a two week period observe how the sprouts begin to grow. Have your child record his/her observations by drawing what they see. By this experiment children are able to see a root grow which pushes the leaf up to the top. Your young scientist will be fascinated by this experiment.

Planting a rainbow for ages two to six is a colorful book you will want to check out at the library or buy at a local bookstore. This book is like a guide with child appropriate pictures on the whole planting process from buying seeds, arranging a garden, seeing a garden grow, and learning different flowers by their colors.

You can follow up this book by visiting a garden center or nursery to identify different flowers as well as touching, smelling and identifying the different flowers.

Going to the store to buy the seeds can be a learning experience. You and your child can look and choose seeds appropriate for our region of the country. Go to a dollar store to pick up an inexpensive plastic shovel, bucket and water pail If an indoor garden is chosen by you and your child a bag of soil will need to be picked up.

You and your child choose the kind of garden you want to plant. It may be out in the yard, in small pots, or an indoor garden. Read carefully the directions on the seed packets to know how deep each seed must be planted. The seed packets will tell you when and where to plant and how much sunshine is needed as well as water. Children can learn about measuring when planting seeds.

In planting your seeds, take time with your child by teaching and talking to them about the seeds they can plant in their little hearts.

The seed of kindness; the seed of helping others; the seed of self control; the seed of patience; and the seed of love will help them to grow to be a beautiful flower of a person that will be adored by all!

Beth Pinyerd serves as director of Young children at Faith Family Fellowship in Spanish Fort, Ala.