Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Las Vegas, NV

Growing up in Southern California, I loved my mom's gardening. Mom spent many a weekend trying to make our house worthy of the cover of Sunset Magazine. It was great.

The best part of all of it was annoying her to death learning about what she was growing. I knew when I had kids, I wanted to pass this passion on. Unfortunately, I can kill a heartiest of houseplants in less then a month. I'm hoping the green thumb can skip a generation and sprout on my kids, but now I'm in Vegas. What to do?

1. Start with the end in mind. Kids tend to attach to long-term projects like gardening when they have an idea what they're working for (i.e., the caterpillar's much cooler when he/she knows it's a butterfly in disguise). Check out the desert demonstration gardens at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve. Learn how to grow strawberries in a wall, see raised beds with corn, squash and beans, and more. Talk to the volunteer experts about how to make a project work for you and your kids in your home. They host a Farmer's Market every Thursday from 4-8 p.m. where you can pick up locally grown produce. As an added bonus you get 2-for-1 admission to the museums if you want to make a full trip out of it)

2. Now that you've instilled the passion into your little farmer, set some realistic expectations. Head over to Plant World and talk to them about what you'll need. They have everything from seeds and soil to pots and plants. They even have dozens of exotic birds dotted throughout which makes for a fun treasure hunt as you shop.

3. Go home and plant. Start with something small. You may want to do some of the prep work before involving the kids as they may not have a great interest in sifting through rocky flowerbeds. Also be sure to call before you dig (nothing kills the buzz of a fun family gardening project than hitting a water main or knocking your cable out).

4. Make daily care a part of your day. Look for new sprouts, water if necessary, and check for unwelcome weeds or bugs.

Whether you take on a small project like an herb garden or a simple flowerpot or a bigger task like a vegetable garden or fruit tree, you'll have a lot of fun and build some great memories with your kids.