I don’t want to jinx it, but it seems like summer has (finally) settled upon our fair city. Sun shining, farmers’ markets open, sidewalk seating at every cafe. If only it was like this year ’round…!

Even though we live in a big city, I still want my kids to feel a strong connection to nature. I feel so much gratitude for our beautiful world, and I hope my little family appreciates just how hard Mother Nature works to make our planet such a special place.

We recently spent an afternoon planting rows of flowers by our front door.  I let each kid pick a flower, and it was no surprise when Evie chose pink and Mack selected blue.  I actually think the two colors look nice together!

On the balcony off the kitchen, we planted flowers, herbs and a few tomato plants. The morning ritual of watering the plants has quickly become fun for the whole family.

Despite my best efforts, a pang of guilt occasionally strikes: By choosing to live in the city, am I depriving my kids of nature??  To calm my conscience and give the kids something to do, I set out a big bowl of dirt on our balcony.  Just good clean dirt and let them have at it.  Sure enough, its been the hit of the season!

Like bumble bees to flowers, their chubby little kid hands are drawn to the dirt.

They fill cups with it.  They put their feet in it. They make little dirt piles. They transfer the dirt from one end of the balcony to the other. Hours of fun!

Of course they are filthy after a session with the dirt bowl, but isn’t that the whole point?!