Gardening with Kids at Home

Hello! 

I was looking up curriculums for the next school year. I found a state(?) Resource  called "prairie gardens" for a different state. It was published around 2010 and is no longer available. 

It covered all the prairie flowers and things like that plus tips on gardening. 

I was wondering if anyone knew of a similar resource?  Download? Book I can purchase? Anything? 

For background information, we are all mostly new gardeners with a few skilled/experienced ones to help occasionally. 

My individual brood are 6 to 12 years of age. We are doing mostly container or vertical gardening because we live in the eastern tn mountains. We  are looking to establish a prairie/ all natural flower spot with a lot of milkweed already thriving for butterfly's (about 1/4 acre, give or take). Then we have about 1/4 th of an acre cleared for a fruit/vegetable garden. 

Hi, Robin!

Thank you for sharing  your prairie and natural flower space. It sounds absolutely wonderful, especially with that thriving milkweed already supporting butterflies. I can see why the old "Prairie Gardens" curriculum would have been helpful, and it's always disappointing when a great resource disappears.

There are a few similar guides that might support what you're building:

KidsGardening Native Plant Resources which has several kid‑friendly guides on native plants, pollinator gardens, and habitat creation that align well with prairie-style learning.

Xerces Society Pollinator Habitat Guides offers free downloads with regional plant lists, design tips, and kid‑friendly activities.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center with a plant database and educational materials that are excellent for choosing prairie flowers suited to your climate and soil.

Books like "Nature's Playground" or "Grow Native!" Offer hands-on activities and simple explanations that work well for ages 6–12. I even use them for my middle school low to struggling readers.

With your mix of new and experienced gardeners, plus container and vertical gardening in the eastern Tennessee mountains, these resources should give you a strong foundation while still keeping things manageable for your group. Your project sounds like a beautiful learning space in the making, and I hope you find a resource that fits your vision. If you come across something great, please share it because many of us would love to learn alongside you.

Thanks!