Kids Los Angeles - January 04, 2010

The Good Seed

Little Saplings Children's Gardening Service

Teaching kids to reap what they sow is a dirty job. But Ruth Steinberg and the team behind Little Saplings, a Venice-based children’s garden design company, does it with flourish.

Steinberg visits homes or schools to get to know kiddos and their spaces. (You don’t need a big yard; a simple pot or two will do.) Then through education, fantasy play, songs, and stories, she illustrates the basic elements of landscape structure and design to help them imagine — and grow — a personalized organic garden.

Plots can be built around different shapes, food themes (think pizza or salsa), or sensory experiences (like aromatic herbs). Secret gardens are also a big hit.

The verdict? Green thumbs up.

Little Saplings (310-383-4304 or littlesaplings.org).

SEE
Skateboard: Evolution and Art in California
What: Check out more than 275 rare boards, from crude wood planks used before 1950 to today’s state-of-the-art rides.
Why: It’s for wheels.
When: Thru May 30. Wed.-Sun., 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Where: California Heritage Museum, 2612 Main St., at Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica (310-392-8537).

MAKE BELIEVE
Pretend City Children’s Museum
What: Kids test out the grown-up world at this 15,000-square-foot mini metropolis complete with a farm, construction site, beach, and more.
Why: Role with it.
When: Mon., 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Tues.-Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: 29 Hubble, at Bunsen, Irvine (949-428-3900).

Photo: Courtesy of Little Saplings

  Comes to You, Educational, Outdoorsy