Submitted photo Teach your kids to garden this summer with the junior master gardener program.

Looking for a fun and meaningful summer activity for your kids? Would you like to get them outdoors, away from screens and engaged in something healthy and rewarding?

The Ohio State University Master Gardener Volunteers in Mahoning County have a perfect opportunity for you!

We offer a Junior Master Gardener program for youth in grades K-12! Participants will plant seeds, watch their plants grow and harvest their own crops. Along the way, they will learn about soil health and how quality soil supports strong plant growth and abundant harvests. This hands-on experience helps kids connect with nature while building valuable gardening skills.

In addition, our pollinator garden teaches children about the vital role plants and pollinators play in producing fruits and vegetables. Butterflies, bees and other pollinators are drawn to our garden, which features plants such as milkweed and verbena.

Through this experience, kids learn that many plants depend on pollination to produce the foods we enjoy every day. Scientists estimate that 1 in 3 bites of food we eat can be traced to the role of a pollinator!

Each year we host bug hunts for children to explore insects on plants and learn about the important role they play in nature.

Sunflowers, potatoes, tomatoes and herbs can be found growing in our garden along with a pesky groundhog that comes around. Last year we added roses and hydrangeas and devoted a whole bed to zinnias. We even entered our cucumbers and zinnias in the Canfield Fair and came in first place!

Our hope is to instill the love of gardening in kids. They will get their hands dirty, make new friends and enjoy the great outdoors. There’s something awesome about going into the garden and picking fresh vegetables for your meals!

In addition, research has shown that gardening boosts interest in school and learning, improves kids’ attitudes about eating healthy foods and caring for the environment. Plus, it is fun!

Starting June 1, we will meet at 5:30 p.m. Mondays for about one hour. Parental or adult involvement is required.

The garden is located at St Patrick’s Church Community Garden at 1420 Oak Hill Avenue, Youngstown. We hope you can join us! For questions call the Ohio State University Extension office at 330-533-5538.

Kacenski is an Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer in Mahoning County.