Area children's gardens: veggies, tractors and more

Animal Acres Park: Northeast 178th Street and Brookside Boulevard, Lake Forest Park. The demonstration garden features vegetables, herbs, sunflowers and a walk-through bean house.

Bellevue Demonstration Garden: 15680 S.E. 16th St., Bellevue. Signs ask visitors not to pick produce; it goes to the Bellevue Food Bank.

Special events: A garden open house and children's fair, 10 a.m.-noon Aug. 11, will include hands-on activities such as a scavenger hunt and planting a sedum in a shoe. Master Gardeners answer questions from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Bradner Gardens Park: 29th Avenue South and South Grand Street, Seattle, www.seattle.gov/parks/Parkspaces/bradnergardens.htm#about. Besides the A-to-Z children's garden, kids will enjoy a tractor to sit on, a funky metal fence with tool-inspired art and a very cool bug-themed mosaic in the one-stall bathroom. Signs warn visitors against picking produce or flowers.

Children's Garden at Magnuson Park: Magnuson Community Garden, 7400 Sand Point Way N.E., Seattle, www.cityofseattle.net/magnusongarden/Child/Childrens.htm.

Special events: Upcoming garden work parties, 1-3 p.m. Wednesday and Aug. 15, include children's activities. A free garden celebration with treats and artist visitors will be 6-8 p.m. Friday (a free children's concert in the garden amphitheatre will be at 7 p.m. that night as well). The children's garden will also host activities (11 a.m.-3 p.m.), such as a bug hunt, rock-painting and senses tour, as part of Magnuson's Blues for Food Fest Sept. 1. Proceeds benefit the P-Patch Trust; event admission is $10 children under age 12, $20 adults. Tickets at www.brownpaperticket.com.

Seattle Children's PlayGarden: South end of Colman Playfield, 1740 23rd Ave. S., Seattle, www.seattlechildrensplaygarden.com.

Special events: Free drop-in summer playdates from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17 and 24. Activities will include gardening, art and science projects. A summer picnic with a live band will be noon-4 p.m. Aug. 25.

Seattle Tilth Children's Garden: Located in a fenced courtyard northeast of the main demonstration garden, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N., Seattle, 206-633-0451 or www.seattletilth.org/kids. Best times to visit are after 3 p.m. weekdays or Saturdays; the gate is closed at 9 p.m. and on Sundays. No gardening or harvesting; the garden is used for camps and school programs.

Special event: The Harvest Fair and Tomato Tasting (10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 8 next door at Meridian Playground) will include activities such as veggie-bowling, squash-car racing, worm-bin exploration, sensory tour of the children's garden and harvest parade (noon).