The seeds of Rosary Pea and Castor Bean plants are lethal.  Fatalities have been reported from the ingestion of just one seed.  If a young child or cat chews on one of the leaves they are sure to get sick.  You can purchase necklaces that are made from the seeds of this plant.  These are not meant for children and can cause skin irritations in adults.

Parts of the Oleander plant (the leaves and bark) are also poisonous.  It is not worth the risk to have these in the house.  Even with due diligence children or pets are bound to get into a houseplant at one point or another.  It is hard to safeguard against falling leaves or other unavoidable events.

The bulbs of certain flowering plants are considered poisonous too.  Even if you are planning on planting the bulbs outside, be careful they are stored in a safe out of the way area that is not accessible to little heads.  The flower bulbs in question are from the Hyacinth, the Daffodil and the Narcissus flowers.

If you own any of these plants and don’t have little animals or children running around to get into still use caution.  Be aware of what plants in your house are potential hazards to humans.  In addition, be a considerate host or hostess and put the dangerous plants in a safe way when young visitors are coming over.

To enrich the learning opportunity purchase clear containers to grow the plants in.  If you can not find a traditional pot that is clear make sure the container you use either has a drainage hole in the bottom or layer gravel on the bottom before adding the soil.  Once the plant starts to grow more the roots will become visible in the pot.

Children will love to grow their own vegetables and maybe even eat them once they are ready.  Buy each child a large container that is theirs to take care of and let them pick the type of vegetable they want to grow.  The easiest vegetables to grow indoors are carrots, tomatoes, and radishes.  There are a wide variety of tomatoes that you can grow from beefsteak to cherry tomato.

The next time you eat an orange, save the seeds.  Children can plant the seeds in small containers about 1 inch down into the soil.  By giving the plant watered and in the sunlight, in two to three weeks they will have their own citrus tree growing.  They can choose to keep it indoors or plant it outside in the summer when the small plant has become bigger and stronger.  Try the same with other fruit seeds too from watermelon to apple seeds.

Getting children to help with your houseplants is a good idea too.  Children love to help out with adult chores and it gives you a break at the same time.