Earth Day is on April 22 this year and these three simple, eco-friendly craft projects are sure to please both you and your little ones. Each one is simple enough for young children, and they all offer some lasting rewards even after Earth Day has passed! The first project is so cute, you’ll want to make a bunch of these! It is an Eggshell Planter and they are so easy to make.
Materials Needed for the Eggshell Planter:
Empty, clean eggshells, cracked in half
Halt a cup of potting soil
Teaspoon of wheat grass
Five to six inch strips of card stock
Tape
How to Create It:
Tape the card stock into a ring to hold the egg.
Use a small spoon to fill the egg almost to the top with potting soil.
Sprinkle the soil with the wheat grass seed (cover liberally).
Add a thin layer of potting soil on the top.
Carefully water so as not to overflow or soak it.
Keep in a window or other sunny location.
Keep it moist at all times.
Your seeds will begin to sprout in a day or two and your egghead will grow “hair” in about a week. If you have a cat, they may just nibble on this grass!
Our second project is Pine cone Bird Feeders, these are great for little ones, they love the messiness of the peanut butter and can eat it at the same time!
Materials Needed for the Pine cone Bird Feeders:
Pine cones
Smooth peanut butter
Birdseed
Ribbon or any type of string you have on hand
A bowl
A butter knife
How to Create It:
Holding a pine cone in one hand, spread peanut butter all over the surface and fill in cracks.
Roll the peanut butter pine cone in the bowl of birdseed, coating it liberally.
Attach a 12 inch ribbon or string to the top of the pine cone by wrapping the ribbon around the pine cone, securing with a knot. Next, take the two ribbons, pull up and tie a bow at the top of the ribbon. Now, you can have your kids hang these on the trees in your yard and see all the birds coming and eating your wonderful creations.
Our last creation is painted rocks. The possibilities are endless here and rocks are pretty easy to come by, so you little ones can paint lots and lots of rocks. These can be placed in a clear, glass vase or jar and displayed as a dining table centerpiece, or can be put into an outdoor garden or be placed in indoor plant containers. Let your little ones decide how they want to honor our Earth with these one-of-a-kind creations!
Materials Needed for the Painted Stones:
Rocks or stones, preferably ones you have gathered from your own yard
Acrylic paint in whatever colors you choose
Small paint Brushes in various sizes
A mat or vinyl table cloth, this can get messy!
A jar of water to wash paint off the brushes
Any stickers, gems or other things you may want to embellish these rocks with
How to Create It:
Take a rock, paint it! Really, it’s this simple! You may want to provide further instruction to your little ones but often it is best to let their creativity flow.
When the rocks are finished drying, spray lightly in a well-ventilated area, with a coat of clear varnish.
Air out thoroughly when drying the varnish, you may want to place them in a garage or outside, weather permitting.
Wishing you and yours a joy-filled crafting experience and a wonderful Earth Day 2011!
