My daughter-in-law, Ashleigh, comes up with some of the neatest craft ideas for our youngest son, Hunter Cole. Her most recent idea for spring was a homemade Chia Pet, and it was really simple to make. Actually, the making of it involved less than the baby-sitting of it after it was made. It didn’t even cost very much to make.
Most of us have a Tupperware container in a cupboard we haven’t used for years, but if we don’t, the new Glad containers are really cheap. A pack of them can be purchased for under $5.00, and there will be extra containers for left-overs. At some discount stores a sack of grass seed can be picked up for about $2.97 if one isn’t sitting already opened in the basement begging to be used. Most of us have Super-Glue or Gorilla Glue in a utility drawer somewhere as well, but if we don’t a two-pack can be picked up for about $2.97 as well, and comes in handy for a multitude of household chores. A package of small sponges from one of the dollar stores can be picked up for around $2.00 or $3.00, and most of us already have household scissors, but if not, they can be picked up at a discount store for about $2.97 and can be used for many additional things as well, once purchased.
Materials Used:
Large plastic container
Small sack of grass seed
Several small sponges.
Super Glue
Scissors
Directions:
Cut one small green sponge in two equal pieces lengthwise for the outside edges of your little house. Pick out a colored sponge for the sides of your house. Choose two sponges the same color for the sides of your structure. Using a third larger colored sponge for your roof, glue the roof to the sides of the little house. Then choose two alternate matching colored sponges for your front and back of your structure. Cut a triangle shaped cone on one end of the sponge to fit under the roof. Cut a small rectangle for a doorway. If you need to trim these pieces to fit, trim them to fit before you glue them in place, front and back. Then glue the green strips to the sides of your little house.
Sit the little sponge house on the lid of the plastic container. Make sure it’s large enough. Liberally dampen your sponge structure. Then sprinkle it generously with grass seed. After you’ve covered the roof and the green sponges with enough grass seed, sit the clear plastic bottom to your plastic container on top of it and sit it in a sunny spot where you can watch it grow.
You can water it as needed with a medicine dropper or a spray container with a mister on it until the grass seed sprouts. You may trim the grass as needed. Within a few days, you should have grass. This is an excellent way to let a child experience the unfolding of a tiny seed with the liberal use of water into something green that actually grows. Hunter and Nia have spent hours admiring this little Chia house, and hours more watering it with a medicine dropper, but don’t worry. You can’t really drown the thing. Just pour the excess water off and sit the clear plastic top back on it.
Have fun and enjoy!
