Learning About Herbs

Lilly has been very interested in herbs and their various uses. Once our garden beds are finished she is going to plant an herb garden. Two great resources to use when learning about herbs are Wildcraft! and A Kid's Herb Book. 

Wildcraft! is a cooperative board gave where players work together to reach the huckleberry patch, gather three pails of berries and make it back home before nightfall. 

Along the way players gather plant cards. If a player lands on a brown X spot they draw a trouble card that will tell them what trouble they are facing and with plant will work as a treatment. Troubles range from sore muscles to being hungry. The player then checks to see if they have a remedy in their stack of plant cards. If they don't, other players who have collected the rainbow cooperation cards can give them the remedy. Any time a player lands on a moon space they have to cover up a sun spot at the top of the board. The goal is for all the players to get back before the sun sets. If the sun does set then the players just wait for "Grandma" to come get them. 

It is a fun and easy game to play. Children do not need to be able to read to play this game since all the cards provide words and pictures. The cards can also be taken on nature walks to help identify plants. 

A Kid's Herb book is filled with herbal songs, stories, activities and recipes. This is an enjoyable way to introduce children to the world of herbs. Lilly is using this book to decide which herbs she wants to plant.