Being Savvy: Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers and kids in Albuquerque, NM

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Five Local Farmer's Markets and Five Ways to Involve Your Kids When You Go

by Alison

June 02, 2009

This week's list is a two-fer! Five farmer's markets for you to check out and five ways to make your visits lots of fun for your kids.

1. Corrales Growers' Market - Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings (Wednesday markets start in July) at the Recreation Center in Corrales.
2. Albuquerque Downtown Market - Saturday mornings at Robinson Park
3. Nob Hill Growers' Market - Thursday afternoon at Morningside Park
4. Los Ranchos Growers' Market - Saturday mornings at City Hall in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque
5. South Valley Growers' Market - Saturday mornings at Cristo de Valle Presbyterian Church

1. Create a bingo game board using various foods that may be found at a farmers' market (visit this harvest calendar for a list of what is in season and when so you have a better idea of what to expect). As you find each fruit or veggie, let your child mark it off on the game board.

2. Tell your child he can choose any fruit or veggie he'd like and you'll take it home and cook it. Challenge her to find something she's never seen before - and maybe even something that you havve never tasted before!

3. Practice counting. How many different types of produce are at each stand? How many tomatoes are in each container? How many strawberries will you buy?

4. Go on a color hunt. Choose a color and see how many fruits and vegetables you can find that are that color.

5. Practice ABC's. As you tell your child what each different fruit or vegetable, emphasize each initial letter sound.

What other farmer's markets do you love? How do you ensure your kids love going as much as you do?
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Kids Will Eat (or At Least Try) What They Grow

by Alison

March 16, 2009

My four year old loves eggplant.  Yeah, you read that right.  And I don't have to hide it between layers of sauce and cheese in eggplant parmesan.  He eats it just lightly breaded and baked in the oven.

This love came about last summer when we planted some eggplant in our garden.  For some reason he took a liking to this plant in particular, especially once the purple fruit was visible.  So, needless to say, he was excited to try the eggplant after we harvested it. He's the same way with the peas in our garden, those are easy for him to pick and he likes to just eat some right away as a snack. We aren't always this lucky when it comes to him eating the produce from our garden, though if he's taken some responsibility when it comes to planting and watering, we don't usually have a problem getting him to at least try it. 

If you don't have any room for a garden, that doesn't mean you can't grow some food of your own.  Many vegetables can be grown in small containers that you can place on your front or back porch.  We've had success growing tomatoes in containers and currently we're trying lettuce and spinach (because they don't grow well in our backyard!).  For more on container gardening, check out this link.

Watching a vegetable go from seed (or small plant) to your dinner table is a fascinating process, especially for a preschooler. To fully involve your child in your gardening experience, let her choose a vegetable to grow.  Be sure to do your research first and make sure it will grow well where you are.  The Albuquerque Master Gardeners website is a good resource, as is your local nursery.  Now, let your child get messy and plant the seeds.  Put him on water duty and maybe even purchase a small watering can that would be easy for him to carry. Take pictures every now and then, so when it does grow into a mature plant, you can look back on all the stages it has gone through. And don't forget to get your child excited about eating what she's growing!
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Gardening Without a Garden

by Alison

March 10, 2009

Spring is just around the corner, which means many people are deciding what to plan in their gardens. From learning how plants grow to learning about life cycles and appreciating nature, gardening offers a multitude of learning opportunities for preschoolers.  Just because you don't have the space for a formal garden doesn't mean your child has to be left out, though.  Here are some ways your family can take advantage of a garden without having a full-fledged garden of your own.

Container Gardening
Do you have a patio or porch?  Then you can have a garden!  Many vegetables can be grown very successfully in small containers.  Let your preschooler have one container of his own to plant and take care of.  Want more information? Try this guide to container gardening or just do a google search for "container gardening"

Community Gardens
Simply put, a community garden is a piece of land gardened by a group of people. Individuals, families, or groups have their own plot in the garden to plant, tend to, and harvest (or donate!). The Rio Grande Community Farm offers a community garden. Call 345-4580 or send an email

Community Supported Agriculture
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) allows your family to take advantage of fresh garden produce without any planting or growing!  This is a great way to introduce your children to new vegetables that they may not otherwise be exposed to.  You simply pay for a "share" of a farm and then each week your family can enjoy a box of locally grown fruits and vegetables.  Los Poblanos Organics offers year-round service, while Erda Gardens offers produce from May through October.  Each garden has slightly different policies and procedures, so read carefully to see which one works best for your family. Visit this link for a full list of CSAs around the state.  Read more...

How To Cultivate a Green (and Very Tiny) Thumb: Fall Garden Fun

by Alison

September 18, 2008

Does your preschooler know where the vegetables and fruits that you try and make him eat really come from? Fall in Albuquerque is a great time to show them. Planting seeds and watching them grow is an exciting activity for young children. If you have your own garden, be sure to involve your children. If you don't, all you really need is a paper cup, some soil, and a seed packet to  Read more...

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Creatures & Critters:
Our Urban Jungle

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Do, Re, Mi! Places to Hear, Sing & Play a Tune

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Artistic Endeavors:
Our Favorite Art Venues

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Room to Run:
Run, Jump & Wiggle Outdoors

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Rainy & Quiet Days:
Cozy & Crazy Indoor Fun

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A Sense of History:
Our City's Stories

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Tot's Science Fair:
Science & Nature Sites

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Splash, Spray, Play! Local Spots to Get Wet

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The Most Fun in Life Is Free!

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