• Spruce up old flower pots with a little paint to add a pizazz to your garden.flower-pot image by Tomasz Wojnarowicz from Fotolia.com
  
  Gardening and crafting go hand-in-hand. They both require creativity and patience. And both activities are a great way to relax. Children and adults of all ages have enjoyed these pastimes for years. Help your children find their green thumbs at an early age with fun, easy gardening crafts.
  
  

Paint Pots

• Children will love decorating planters to grow their own flowers, fruits and vegetables in. All you need are some old ceramic pots, acrylic paints, brushes and creativity. Be sure to cover work areas with newspaper and cover children's clothing with an old T-shirt or smock before getting started. Have children decorate the pots with one or many colors of paint. One fun and practical idea is to have the children paint pictures of the types of plants they will be growing on the pots for easier identification of the plants later. Allow the paints at least 24 hours to dry before using the planters.
  
  

Garden Rocks

• Have the children collect rocks of various shapes and sizes from the garden. This is a great opportunity to teach preschoolers counting and numbers. Set up a workspace with old newspapers and cover the kids' clothing with smocks or old T-shirts. Let the children's imagination run wild when decorating the rocks. They can make faces or animals on the rocks or paint designs. Allow the paint to dry for at least 24 hours before placing the rocks in your garden.
  
  

Stepping-Stones

• Stepping-stones make a charming and functional addition to any garden. They come in all shapes and sizes. One easy way to make stepping-stones is to purchase a mold from a craft supply store, pour cement in it and have kids decorate the formed stones. Have kids place their handprints along with the date and engrave their names with a craft stick. Or use pieces of broken glass or stones to create mosaic-style designs.