Spring is just around the corner, and that means spring showers, gardening and lots of farmers’ markets to peruse through on weekend mornings. Lucky for us, Bogs, a brand known for its durable, waterproof and super comfy shoes, has spring covered—at least your feet.

Bogs is also sponsoring local farmers across the country by giving them hardcore boots and gardening shoes to withstand anything Mother Nature can dish out. If you live in San Francisco, New York City, Seattle, Portland and Chicago, be sure to check out your local farmers’ markets this spring to show your support.

Check out this short video description of the Bogs Rue, a great everyday slip-on shoe for amateur urban farmers and advanced green thumbs alike!

Fall is the best time to start transplanting garden plants to the indoors or in a greenhouse for the winter. The kids can help too. A great preparation project the family can enjoy together is painting clay pots. Even if you don’t have a garden, your family can still do this fun outdoor project. The clay pots can be gifted to someone who can make use of them or you can buy plants for them and create an indoor garden.

Materials
Unglazed clay pots, sized according to your plants
Outdoor-safe ceramic paints
Paintbrushes
Clear acrylic coat spray
Old newspaper

Instructions
First, get started by determining what size clay pots you will need. The family can do this together by inventorying flowers and other plants that will be transplanted. Clay pots can be purchased at garden shops, home improvement centers and craft stores. When choosing them, be sure they have no cracks before heading out of the store. Also be sure to select pots that have not been coated or painted.

Once you have all the sizes you will need for transplanting, spread out some newspaper on an outdoor table or patio. This will be the work area. Split up the clay pots between everyone old enough to handle them and dole out paintbrushes. For easy access, paints can be squirted directly onto the newspaper like you would with a palette.

Each family member can paint a design on each of their clay pots. The designs can be planned for coordination or can be varied among individuals. Some may wish to use stencils. Once the painting is done, allow the pots to dry. Parents can then spray on a clear acrylic coat for added protection. Allow that to air dry outside as well.

The clay pots are now ready for some family planting ! To avoid contaminating the soil, avoid getting any paint on the inside of the clay pots where the plants will touch. Also, remember not to paint on any drainage holes in the clay pots. Those will be important to your plants when getting watered. For added fun, clay pot painting can be enjoyed along with friends and extended family as well.

Do you have little kids in the house? Little ones are always amazed by plants and how they grow. Why not take advantage of this and save some money in the process? Over the course of a few weeks, start a family garden club. Not only will this give you and your family time to bond, but it can also provide food and beautiful landscaping for your household. This week, gather your family around and get dirty with a garden club.

This activity will actually take more than one week. In fact, it’s an ongoing project your family can share together. During the first couple weeks, discuss what types of plants you would like to have. Have everyone in the family write down at least 2 types of produce and two types of landscaping plants.

The next week, sit down and draw the area outside your home and make close ups of certain areas. For example, draw an overhead of your property and then draw a close up of the flower beds in front of your home. This helps the family determine how much space is available and what space could be used for different types of plants. Remember to take into account what type of light each area gets.

On the third week, you can start deciding which plants would look best and what types of produce will grow best in your area. To help make your landscaping decisions easier, print out pictures of the plants you want to use in each area.

It’s finally time to start buying the plants and start gardening. Most families will have to work on their property in sections. Not only is it expensive to landscape your entire yard at once, but plants need to be planted soon after they are purchased. Don’t take on more than you can handle each week.

This is a great way to spend time together and teach your young children at the same time. Not to mention your family can benefit from the beauty of the plants and the nutrition of the produce. Even if you don’t have a large space, your family can still work with indoor plants and a window garden.

Spring Cleaning might not top the list of fun activities that you can share with your children, but in fact, involving the entire family in a spring cleaning weekend is a great way to share memories, collaborate and get the house in order, all at the same time. Rather than waste a weekend watching television or going your separate ways, spend a weekend together as a family. Spring cleaning offers the opportunity for toddlers and teenagers to get involved in your home and provides chances for family bonding, too.

Divide up the workload
Put everyone in charge of a task—be it a room they are responsible for cleaning, a closet they need to sort through, or the regular chores like vacuuming or ironing. Young children can get involved with Swiffer dusters and mops, while older children can pitch in with sorting toys and clothes for Goodwill or Children’s Aid. Be specific with kids about what you hope to accomplish. For instance, if your son’s room is fairly organized, but filled with clutter, talk about the importance of purging and make him responsible for selecting a few items to donate to charity. Giving everyone a task can help make the workload more manageable.

Get outside and welcome spring, too
Don’t confine all of your spring cleaning to the inside, either. Head out and weed the garden, cut the lawn, or plant some spring buds. One teenager handling the garden and another cleaning the living room strikes a great balance. Plus, if the sun comes out on the weekend, it isn’t necessary to spend it all cooped up. You can still get the house in order without wasting it inside when the sun comes out.

Stop for snacks and take out
If you are going to spend the weekend cleaning, be sure to break it up with family treats and the opportunity to sit around the table with the ones you love. My family loves monkey bread, made from Pillsbury biscuits mixed with butter, sugar and cinnamon. Start the morning off with a family favorite and break for snacks throughout the day. Finish off with pizza or Chinese food, whatever quick, easy meal your family loves the best. Or stop and make chocolate fondue for dessert. Find photographs of mom and dad when they got married? Or a toy that you’d completely forgotten about from your childhood? Be sure to share with your family now!

The change in the weather provides a plethora of opportunities for parents and children to get outside and get active. Turn off the television, leave the cell phones and laptops behind and relish the opportunity to get to work in your garden. With possibilities for the entire family to get involved, gardening with the kids is the perfect way to welcome the spring.

Start at Your Local Gardening Supply or Nursery
A trip to Home Depot or a local nursery won’t be wasted. Take stock of what gardening materials you already have and take the opportunity to fill your shed with the necessities. Remember gardening gloves , tools, seeds and plants. Purchase smaller, plastic gardening tools for young children. A bubble mower also works nicely. Let children help pick out the things you’ll need, including what they want to plant and watch grow this season.

Plant Seasonal Fruit and Vegetables
Don’t just plant flowers, which may not appeal to all of the children in your family. Consider creating a small vegetable garden by growing tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, potatoes, or even corn, depending on your location. Not only is the idea an environmentally and financially sound one, but it may capture the attention of otherwise uninterested gardening participants.

Don’t Worry About Getting Dirty or Wet
Make a day or a weekend out in the garden a fun time. Run the sprinkler for the kids to run through, if the weather is nice. Let disinterested toddlers play on the swing set or bring some extra dirt or sand outside for them to play in. If teenagers aren’t interested in mowing the lawn or trimming the hedges, suggest water balloon fights when the chores are all done as a way of cleaning up. Don’t worry about getting dirty while you are gardening with the kids – and make clean up fun while you’re at it.

The decision to get out in the yard and to garden with the kids might mean a mess, but the fun and learning that can accompany the day or the weekend is well worth it.