Ripe for the Picking: Never discount the simplest of things. That's the lesson I learned recently as I joined my 4-year-old and my husband on a trip to pick blueberries. Each of us found what was arguably the most berry-laden bush and, for a full 45 minutes, we delicately plunked full, ripe blueberries into our buckets.

No television or similar electronic gadget to keep her mind occupied, just the challenge of finding the biggest, ripest blueberry—and grabbing the next-biggest ones along the way.

It's easy to underestimate our kids. With toddlers who know how to flip through iPad photos and 4-year-olds who know of Justin Bieber (OK, so my daughter pronounces it "Beaver," but whatever), it's easy to start assuming our kids no longer have an attention span, and instead are grabbing at pop culture like it's candy dangling in front of them.

Well, I'm here to tell ya, they're not. With such a mild spring, many berry-picking farms saw fruits come about a week or two early this year, although if you plan on a trek north of Clarke County, make sure you call first: a freak late frost clipped some early buds, and some places are having a hard time getting enough berries to pick.

For starters, check out Fleeman's U-Pick (blueberries; 716 Harrison Mill Rd., Winder; [770] 867-3420); 7 G's Farm (raspberries and blackberries—and my go-to place for a Christmas tree, too; 2331 Old Kings Bridge Rd., Nicholson; [706] 757-2526); Spence Blueberries (blueberries start June 25; 1160 Adair Rd., Rutledge; [706] 614-4522); Miller Blueberry Farm (blackberries and blueberries; 1371 Union Church Rd., Watkinsville; [706] 769-4161); Washington Farms (blackberries, blueberries and strawberries; 5671 Hog Mountain Rd., Watkinsville; [706] 769-0627); Whippoorwill Blueberries (1571 Whippoorwill Rd., Watkinsville; [706] 769-1929); and/or Buffalo Creek Berry Farm (blueberries, peaches and raspberries; 810 Stevens Grove Church Rd., Lexington; [706] 540-0562—please call, because as of press time the berries were still too sparse for self-picking).

Keep It Botanical: While I'm on the subject of communing with nature—and while summer's heat remains bashful—let me remind you of the great gardens we have across the University of Georgia campus. And the best part? They're free.

Once again, you'd be surprised at the simple things that will amaze your kids. One of my favorite spots at UGA is the Latin American Ethnobotanical Garden, which is at the corner of Baldwin Street and East Campus Road. Head there for a picnic dinner, and you can park in a nearby lot that requires a permit in the daytime, removing a long, hot walk from the equation. Instead, you get a unique collection of medicinal and otherwise culturally significant plants found across Latin America. If you do walk, you can cross East Campus Road via a nifty wooden bridge (what kid doesn't like to cross a bridge?), or you can traverse North Campus, exploring the fountains and expansive magnolia trees along the way.

And just a note about the magnolia trees on North Campus. If you haven't been past them with a child old enough to climb trees—and young enough still to enjoy it—you have to go. The trees suddenly turn into castles or caves, and it's as if you can see your child's brain expanding just by climbing the low branches.

Try, Try Again: I'm also a fan of the Trial Gardens at UGA, no matter the time of year, because there's always something interesting to see. Granted, this outing might be easier to pull off with girls than with boys, since most of it involves, well, looking at pretty flowers. But the grounds around the nearby Forestry Resources building are also fun to explore, and can make for a fun trek for multiple ages. Note that, starting in late April and early May, the latest plants going through UGA's testing and evaluation (hence, the name: Trial Gardens) are planted, so this time of year is a great time to get a peek at some different vines, shrubs and flowering plants.

Even if your kids aren't into gardening, going to the gardens can still be a game. Look for various colors or textures, or even try a little "I Spy" action. Once they slow down and realize that, say, the leaves have tiny hairs on them, or the pink flowers smell like perfume, they'll start to get the hang of it.

Of course, all of this is moot when summer's heat finally decides to kick in. But until then, I say get outside and let your kids soak up as much natural beauty as they can fill into an overflowing berry bucket.