When was the last time your dad went camping? If he is like my dad, he hasn't slept in a tent since he visited me and I was living in a tent on South Fork Mountain! The last time my dad took a real camping trip was when I was a child. Depending on the age and health of your father, you may need to go car camping or find a short trail for the adventure. Remember, it is hard for older bones to sleep on the ground, so an air mattress may be necessary. If camping is too big of an ordeal, how about taking dad for a hike or bicycle ride. My father was very good at taking us into nature frequently, despite our suburban upbringing. Revisiting one of our favorite childhood hikes would be a nostalgic moment we could share with the next generation. A bicycle ride would be a similar adventure, reminding Dad of the times when he taught you how to to ride a bike. When was the last time you made your dad a card or a gift? A gift made with your hands will bring a smile to his face. You don't have to be super crafty or an artist to accomplish this task. Find your talents, whether digital or by hand, and create something your dad can hang on the refrigerator! If you are musically inclined, write dad a song or sing him one of his favorites. If you feel you must spend money to honor your dad, there are plenty of ways you can show your green love. You can make a donation to No More Victims, a non-profit that brings injured Iraqi children to the US for medical treatment. Or, you could buy Dad a plant and help him put it in the ground. If you can't be there with Dad, Tree2MyDoor will send a living gift for you or a tree gift pack that supports a conservation project throughout the world. This gift includes a GPS map of the site, so when Dad takes his next trip to Chile or Belize, he can find his gift! Holidays, such as Father's Day, should not always be about buying gifts. Remember what your mother said, "It is the thought that counts," so be thoughtful this year. Let Dad know you love him and appreciate him by giving a truly sustainable gift.

Every child should have mud pies, grasshoppers, water-bugs, tadpoles, frogs, and mud-turtles, elderberries, wild strawberries, acorns, chestnuts, trees to climb, brooks to wade in, water-lillies, woodchucks, bats, bees, butterflies, various animals to pet, hayfields, pine-cones, rocks to roll, sand, snakes, huckleberries, and hornets; and any child who has been deprived of these has been deprived of the best part of his education.

The garden provides a unique environment for children to explore the natural world and combat nature deficit disorder. There are many tiny creatures to explore and the wonders of plant life never cease to amaze a child. Children also love to explore the garden with their friends. Here are ten tips for organic gardening with small children I have collected from experience and gardening friends:

1. Wear Your Baby: All over the world women can be seen working in the fields while wearing their babies. In The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck, a Chinese peasant delivers her baby in the field and goes back to work! Backpacks and other baby-wearing devices aren't just for hiking, as they can provide a secure place for your baby to rest while you pull weeds, hoe, water, etc.

2. Provide Child Size Garden Tools and Gloves: Children love to imitate their adult models, and imitation is an important part of their play development. By providing children with appropriately-sized tools, not only can they help in the garden, but also they work in their own garden beds.

3. Establish a Garden Bed Just For Your Child: One of the hardest parts about gardening with children is letting go of your perfect rows or plant spacing. By establishing a garden bed just for your child, you allow them their own space to experiment in, while you work on more delicate garden tasks. In addition, your child's garden bed will provide them with a sense of autonomy in the garden.

4. Plant a Strawberry Patch: This is my lifesaver in the garden! Not only does our organic strawberry patch provide us with delicious fruit, but also it entertains my children for countless hours as they hunt for strawberries. Children as young as two are quite capable of picking and eating their own strawberries in the garden. Plant everbearing varieties to have strawberries all summer long.

5. Read Children's Literature About Gardening: There are countless children's books about gardening. Connecting literacy to the garden will not only teach your children about growing food, but it will make them excited to work in the garden. My favorites are A Handful of Sunshine by Melanie Eclare, How Groundhog's Garden Grew by Lynne Cherry, and Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens.

6. Place Outdoor Toys in the Garden: Strategically placing outdoor toys in the garden allows parents to supervise their children while working with plants. A sand box is ideal for garden entertainment. Z Recommends suggests a plastic playhouse from Freecycle in their garden; however, aesthetics and ecofriendliness are to be considered before making this choice. A hanging art easel can be clipped to the garden fence to allow your budding artist another activity while you garden.

7. Get Dirty: One of the best organic gardeners and cooks I know provided this tip. Turn on a hose or sprinkler in a unplanted portion of the garden and let your children frolic in the mud. This is a great option when you already have a bath planned for your children.

A Seedling For Your Child8. Make Gardening Part of Your Daily Routine: Young children thrive on routines. By making gardening part of your daily routine, not only will your garden be beautiful and bountiful, but your children will look forward to this time of day. Soon your children will start to select their own tasks in the garden from their familiarity with this daily chore.

9. Wear Sunscreen, Hats, and Sunglasses: Protect your children from the elements. Your child will not want to return to the garden, if they associate it with getting sun burnt.

10. Involve Children From the Start!: If you start your plants in a greenhouse, be sure to include your child in this process. Young children love to fill up pots with planting soil and are quite capable of handling large seeds, such as squashes and melons. If you purchase plants and seeds, take your child with you to the plant nursery and let them select some of the seedlings and seed packets (including plants for their own garden bed). By being involved from planting to harvesting, young children will fully reap the benefits of organic gardening!