angeldelight
15-02-2008, 09:18 AM
We did a gardening topic that lasted us ages
Thought I would share some of the things we did if anyone is interested ?
The ages of the children were from 2 to 8 years just adapt them to suit your children
Seed Collages:
Make collages using all types of seeds and beans. Extension: Use pictures from seed catalogues or seed packets.
Rooting a Sweet Potato:
Push toothpicks halfway into the potato. Then place the potato in a glass of water with the toothpicks resting on the top rim. Make sure the end of the potato is immersed in the water. Place the glass where it will receive adequate light. Maintain the water level so that the bottom of the potato is always immersed. In a few weeks the roots will grow out of the sides and bottom of the potato, and leaves will grow out the top.
Birdseed Garden:
Place a sponge soaked with water in a plastic plate and allow the child to sprinkle it with birdseed. Place the plate in a sunny place and watch for seeds to sprout. The seeds will continue to sprout as long as the child keeps water in the plate.
Chia Pet Egg:
Cut a ring from an empty toilet tube and place an eggshell with ¼ cut off the top in the holder. Draw a face on the eggshell with markers. Place 3 damp cotton balls inside the eggshell. Sprinkle with 1/8 t. alfalfa seeds.
Keep the cotton damp. Put in a sunny spot and in 2-3 days the seeds will sprout. Give it a haircut when the 'hair' gets too long.
Flower Arranging:
Buy an assortment of plastic flowers and put them in the sensory table.
Add little plastic pots and toy shovels, etc. Let the children arrange the flowers however they please.
Bag of Seeds:
Take a ziploc bag and add about ½ C. dirt. Moisten the dirt and add some seeds, corn, bean, pumpkin, etc. Zip up the bag and hang it in the window, it will create its own atmosphere and the seeds will begin to grow. Be sure to transplant the seeds when they out grow the bag.
2-Liter Greenhouses:
Have each child bring a 2-liter bottle, cut them in half with an
knife and remove the label, make slits going the long way for the top section will fir over the bottom section. Plant your seeds in the bottom half and water then put the top back on and put it in the sun. You may have to water once or twice a week.
Bean Exploration:
Soak some beans in water for a day or two. Let the kids take them apart and see what the inside of a seed looks like. Use a magnifying glass.
Flower / Celery Experiment:
Put cold water into three glasses and add drops of food coloring to each.
Stand white flowers or celery in each glass. After a few days the petals /leaves will start to change color. Leave for two more days and the flowers will be the same color as the water they're standing in.
Root Viewer:
Begin by taking a cardboard milk carton and cutting out a flap on one side, cut three sides so it can be opened like a door. Tape a piece of plastic wrap or overhead plastic over the window on the inside. Fill the carton with soil and plant a couple of seeds. (Pumpkin works well.) Place the side opposite the window up on a block then the carton is at an angle. When the plant begins to grow, the roots will grow towards the window, allowing you to open the window and see the roots. Be sure to keep the window closed
when not viewing.
Blooming Flowers:
Give each child a filmy scarf and show them how to stuff it into one of their fists, using the fingers of their other hand to poke it in between their fingers. Then tell a simple story about a flower waking up in the sun and blooming as you slowly open your hand. First lift off your thumb and see it as a bud then a little more at a time until it blooms fully open.
Gardener Play:
Supply your children with plastic gardening tools, hats, gloves, seeds, flowerpots, flower packets and watering cans to pretend to be a gardener.
A Florist:
Supply your children with plastic flowers or real one and a plastic vase.
Have your child pretend to be a florist and have them arrange the flowers.
You can pretend to go to the flower shop and buy the flowers.
Press Flowers:
Pick some wild flowers and press them. Use them to make bookmarks with
contact paper.
Make a Garden Stone:
Mix Plaster of Paris and pour into a box lid lined with plastic. Let the children make handprints and draw with sticks in the plaster. Give it to mom for Easter.
Egg Carton Flowers:
Use one section of egg carton for each child. Let them paint the egg carton. You can dip a small wad of cotton in perfume, and put it inside the egg carton. Add green pipecleaner, for stem and green paper leaves.
Hand Tulips:
Have the children press their hand in paint have them place their hand, all finger together, on their paper. Then, have them use the side of their hand along the pinky and dip it in green paint. Have them go from the hand print flower, down to the bottom of the paper. Then have them bend the pinky finger slightly, and place it from the bottom of the stem, up, for leaves (1
on each side).
Weight Lifting Seeds:
Try planting a bean seed and then covering it with a coin. Keep the soil
moist, and when the seed sprouts, it will lift up the coin and push it over.
Plant Person:
Cut the foot from an old nylon stocking and pour 2 handfulls of grass seed into the toe. Add sawdust or soil until the foot is full. Tie the stocking tightly at the opening with a twist tie; place on a saucer twist tie down and shape into a round head. Decorate with fabric paints and let it dry.
Soak the head with water and place it in a sunny spot. Give it a haircut after it grows.
Garden Salsa:
1 T. chopped onion
1 large or 2 medium tomatoes
4 green chili peppers
1 ½ T. Chopped cilantro
1 t. lime or lemon juice
2 chopped Jalapenos if desired
Chop up all of the ingredients and let sit for a few minutes, then eat
with chips.
Powerful Seeds:
In an old coffee can mix two cups of plaster of Paris with a little water,
until the plaster is like thick cream. Now plant 3 or 4 bean seeds under the surface. When the plaster dries it will be as hard as a rock. Keep the plaster moist by sprinkling it with water on every day. In a few days, the plaster will break up like a sidewalk in an earthquake. Bean power!
Homemade Potato Chips:
Slice potatoes thinly, oil a cookie sheet; then spread out the potato slices like cookies. Wipe some oil on the tops of the slices and bake in a hot oven until the potatoes are brownish and crispy. Salt to taste.
Carrot Soup:
Sauté 2 Tsp. of butter, a little chopped onion and 1 tbs. of fresh ginger.
Cook some sliced carrots until tender and then add them to the sauté for 3-4 minutes. Cook for 5 more minutes and then cool. Add a cup of OJ and a cup of milk, 2 T. of lemon juice, a dash of vanilla, and a t. of cinnamon.
Blend together and serve cold.
Thought I would share some of the things we did if anyone is interested ?
The ages of the children were from 2 to 8 years just adapt them to suit your children
Seed Collages:
Make collages using all types of seeds and beans. Extension: Use pictures from seed catalogues or seed packets.
Rooting a Sweet Potato:
Push toothpicks halfway into the potato. Then place the potato in a glass of water with the toothpicks resting on the top rim. Make sure the end of the potato is immersed in the water. Place the glass where it will receive adequate light. Maintain the water level so that the bottom of the potato is always immersed. In a few weeks the roots will grow out of the sides and bottom of the potato, and leaves will grow out the top.
Birdseed Garden:
Place a sponge soaked with water in a plastic plate and allow the child to sprinkle it with birdseed. Place the plate in a sunny place and watch for seeds to sprout. The seeds will continue to sprout as long as the child keeps water in the plate.
Chia Pet Egg:
Cut a ring from an empty toilet tube and place an eggshell with ¼ cut off the top in the holder. Draw a face on the eggshell with markers. Place 3 damp cotton balls inside the eggshell. Sprinkle with 1/8 t. alfalfa seeds.
Keep the cotton damp. Put in a sunny spot and in 2-3 days the seeds will sprout. Give it a haircut when the 'hair' gets too long.
Flower Arranging:
Buy an assortment of plastic flowers and put them in the sensory table.
Add little plastic pots and toy shovels, etc. Let the children arrange the flowers however they please.
Bag of Seeds:
Take a ziploc bag and add about ½ C. dirt. Moisten the dirt and add some seeds, corn, bean, pumpkin, etc. Zip up the bag and hang it in the window, it will create its own atmosphere and the seeds will begin to grow. Be sure to transplant the seeds when they out grow the bag.
2-Liter Greenhouses:
Have each child bring a 2-liter bottle, cut them in half with an
knife and remove the label, make slits going the long way for the top section will fir over the bottom section. Plant your seeds in the bottom half and water then put the top back on and put it in the sun. You may have to water once or twice a week.
Bean Exploration:
Soak some beans in water for a day or two. Let the kids take them apart and see what the inside of a seed looks like. Use a magnifying glass.
Flower / Celery Experiment:
Put cold water into three glasses and add drops of food coloring to each.
Stand white flowers or celery in each glass. After a few days the petals /leaves will start to change color. Leave for two more days and the flowers will be the same color as the water they're standing in.
Root Viewer:
Begin by taking a cardboard milk carton and cutting out a flap on one side, cut three sides so it can be opened like a door. Tape a piece of plastic wrap or overhead plastic over the window on the inside. Fill the carton with soil and plant a couple of seeds. (Pumpkin works well.) Place the side opposite the window up on a block then the carton is at an angle. When the plant begins to grow, the roots will grow towards the window, allowing you to open the window and see the roots. Be sure to keep the window closed
when not viewing.
Blooming Flowers:
Give each child a filmy scarf and show them how to stuff it into one of their fists, using the fingers of their other hand to poke it in between their fingers. Then tell a simple story about a flower waking up in the sun and blooming as you slowly open your hand. First lift off your thumb and see it as a bud then a little more at a time until it blooms fully open.
Gardener Play:
Supply your children with plastic gardening tools, hats, gloves, seeds, flowerpots, flower packets and watering cans to pretend to be a gardener.
A Florist:
Supply your children with plastic flowers or real one and a plastic vase.
Have your child pretend to be a florist and have them arrange the flowers.
You can pretend to go to the flower shop and buy the flowers.
Press Flowers:
Pick some wild flowers and press them. Use them to make bookmarks with
contact paper.
Make a Garden Stone:
Mix Plaster of Paris and pour into a box lid lined with plastic. Let the children make handprints and draw with sticks in the plaster. Give it to mom for Easter.
Egg Carton Flowers:
Use one section of egg carton for each child. Let them paint the egg carton. You can dip a small wad of cotton in perfume, and put it inside the egg carton. Add green pipecleaner, for stem and green paper leaves.
Hand Tulips:
Have the children press their hand in paint have them place their hand, all finger together, on their paper. Then, have them use the side of their hand along the pinky and dip it in green paint. Have them go from the hand print flower, down to the bottom of the paper. Then have them bend the pinky finger slightly, and place it from the bottom of the stem, up, for leaves (1
on each side).
Weight Lifting Seeds:
Try planting a bean seed and then covering it with a coin. Keep the soil
moist, and when the seed sprouts, it will lift up the coin and push it over.
Plant Person:
Cut the foot from an old nylon stocking and pour 2 handfulls of grass seed into the toe. Add sawdust or soil until the foot is full. Tie the stocking tightly at the opening with a twist tie; place on a saucer twist tie down and shape into a round head. Decorate with fabric paints and let it dry.
Soak the head with water and place it in a sunny spot. Give it a haircut after it grows.
Garden Salsa:
1 T. chopped onion
1 large or 2 medium tomatoes
4 green chili peppers
1 ½ T. Chopped cilantro
1 t. lime or lemon juice
2 chopped Jalapenos if desired
Chop up all of the ingredients and let sit for a few minutes, then eat
with chips.
Powerful Seeds:
In an old coffee can mix two cups of plaster of Paris with a little water,
until the plaster is like thick cream. Now plant 3 or 4 bean seeds under the surface. When the plaster dries it will be as hard as a rock. Keep the plaster moist by sprinkling it with water on every day. In a few days, the plaster will break up like a sidewalk in an earthquake. Bean power!
Homemade Potato Chips:
Slice potatoes thinly, oil a cookie sheet; then spread out the potato slices like cookies. Wipe some oil on the tops of the slices and bake in a hot oven until the potatoes are brownish and crispy. Salt to taste.
Carrot Soup:
Sauté 2 Tsp. of butter, a little chopped onion and 1 tbs. of fresh ginger.
Cook some sliced carrots until tender and then add them to the sauté for 3-4 minutes. Cook for 5 more minutes and then cool. Add a cup of OJ and a cup of milk, 2 T. of lemon juice, a dash of vanilla, and a t. of cinnamon.
Blend together and serve cold.