So parents, don't fight the little rascals this summer in their quest to stay untidy. Simply join them in all their disgusting glory.

Go outside, let the wind blow through your hair, let the dirt cake under your fingernails and have some good, "unclean" family fun in the garden.

Whether it's learning about what the "goopy stuff" in a Venus flytrap does (it digests bugs) or getting crafty with rocks, there are plenty of gardening activities to keep the kiddies entertained and, of course, up to their knees in dirt.

Here are a few projects that junior gardeners dig:

Taste buds

For the littler lot, planting seeds and watching them grow is an experience in itself, but older kids need something extra to keep them engaged. Edibles offer a lesson in garden maintenance since skimping on care means no yummy treats, says school garden specialist Lauri Twitchell of the UC Botanical Garden in Berkeley.

Twitchell suggests picking a food theme like, say, a pizza garden. Grow tomatoes, basil and oregano to use on homemade pizza pies. Or, maybe go for the unattractive and grow an ugly garden with vegetables and fruits with odd shapes and textures like pumpkins, squash and melons.

At the Botanical Garden's Green Stuff Day Camp, a group of kids weed through nasturtiums, picking seeds and tasting the bright orange flowers as they go.

"They taste like nothing,"a few kids cry out, but Cedric Becerra, 9, of Alameda says, "they taste a little spicy."

Regardless of how savory nasturtiums are, Mark Brown of theRedwood City Nursery says they are good starter plants for kids because they are easy to grow and bloom quickly.

"Right now (the kids) are really into what we call 'extreme' plants. They love the insanely sour taste of rhubarb and sorrel," says Christine Manoux, education program coordinator at the UC garden.

But, maybe you don't have the time to map out a theme and aren't too keen on munching on bitter tasting sorrel. For something quick and easy, Brown also suggests carrots and radishes because "they come around fairly quickly."

Get carnivorous

"The older kids really like something with a gross-out factor," says Manoux, which is why she suggests plants of the meat-eating variety, especially since "kids enjoy watching the bugs get eaten."

Carnivorous plants like the Venus flytrap fit the bill because they are found in bogs, which makes them an easy plant for kids to care for because they can survive the over-watering that kids often deliver.

"If I could have any (plant) I would probably have a Venus flytrap. I think they are really cool," says Emmet Dunlap Smith, 7, of Oakland.

The cool-factor, of course, involves the flytrap's dietary needs, but it's important to remember that it isn't necessary to actually feed the plant, so don't go shoving bugs into it. Just sit back and enjoy the show.

The Venus flytrap is one of the easier carnivorous plants to grow and thrives best in moist indoor or outdoor environments with sunlight and, of course, access to bugs.

Flytraps generally eat a couple of houseflies or other bugs a month during the growing season, so don't worry if yours isn't eating every day. And, in case you're wondering what's happened to your flytrap come winter, Manoux explains that the plant experiences a dormant period, but will return to life come spring.

To spike or not to spike

On the drier side of things are succulents, which Manoux says, are another great garden for kids because, again, they are forgiving if neglected.

"I have two succulents. One is fuzzy, and the other is like a mini-tree. I like them because they are fun and easy because they don't take lots of water," says Rachel Laursen, 9, of Pleasanton.

Succulents (think aloe and cacti) are plants that store water in their enlarged leaves, stems or roots. The species occurs in a wide array of plant families and genera and are easy to find at neighborhood nurseries.

If you have any qualms with letting children near pointy succulents, there are plenty of alternatives. Ray De La Parra of Central Garden Center in San Mateo recommends echeveria because they are hardy, thornless succulents that bloom in the summer.

Echeveria are commonly known as "hen and chicks" because of the tiny buds or "chicks" that start on the main sprout and then sprout on their own roots near the "mother hen." Children can grow them in containers or outside in a rock or sand garden. The plants do best in drained soil otherwise the leaves will rot.

So, you've picked out the plant that's right for you, and now it's time to plan your garden. Start by brainstorming ideas before actually planting anything. Twitchell encourages kids to start a garden journal, where they can design their dream garden and then take the necessary steps to achieving it.

"The garden journal is also a good way to keep kids invested long-term. They can take measurements and draw their plants to see how they've grown over time," says Manoux.

"My favorite thing to do is draw the flowers in my journal," says Tatiana Capko, 7, of Daly City.

Once you have the basic design, choose a suitable location in the yard that won't be destroyed by your pet or backyard football games. Section off the area and think of crafty ways to decorate the space with items you have around the house.

Whether it's painting stepping stones with nontoxic paint or using clay and an old plastic pot as a mold to fashion some homemade pots, there are a variety of ways to outfit your garden by using household items and without dipping deep into your wallet.

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