Seeds, Growing, and Grass Heads

A Little Dirt Never Hurt!

What a fun morning we had at our play date this morning. Moms always comment on how crazy it is that I don't mind all the mess in my house. :) In all honesty, the only part that gets to me is the cleaning up. But after teaching 18 kiddos on a yearly basis and wanting to introduce them to everything under the sun and let the experience the world at its fullest, a mess is the least of my concern. It is my hope that I can help my sweet girls and other kids and parents to love exploring and to embrace learning.

Today we read a book about the different things that start as a seed but end as something we use., such as a peanut or an oak seed. A peanut starts as a seed and just think, we use them to make peanut butter, which then becomes one of our daily kid favorites; PB&J! An oak seed becomes a tree and then can become lumber, which can be used to make homes, paper, pencils, and so much more. We often forget to think on a deeper level about what starts from a seed.

Because out play dates are centered around kids that are under three, I wanted to make seeds understandable in the simpliest but yet fun way. So we decided to make our own homemade chita pets - or what I will call "Grass Heads!"

These are very simply and grow quickly. Your child will see the grass start growing within 2 to 3 days. Within a 5 to 7 days your grass head will be in a need of a major hair cut! Here are the simple steps on how to make your Grass Head.

The Before and After of our Grass head Hair Cuts!

What you will need:

1. Grass Seed - we used Vigoro (Fast Grass) so that it would grow quickly.

2. Potting soil or garden soil

3. A planter or container to plant your grass in - you could even use a plastic cup or something from a dollar store.

4. Markers, Puff Balls, and/or googley eyes

5. Craft Glue - make sure to use something that will not fall off when you water your grass and the container gets wet.

It is quit simple. Make a face on your pot! Get creative you could use many things around your house! Buttons, markers, puff balls, etc.

Fill your pot 2/3 full with soil, then cover the soil with grass seed! Don't be shy. The more the better! You will have a full head of hair if you use a lot of seed. After you have put your seeds on top of your 2/3 dirt fill the rest of your pot with soil. Lastly water it.

If you want to add a bit of fun. Stick a flower in your soil so the grass grows around the flower.

Don't forget to water your grass head every other day and make sure it gets some sun light.

A few other fun ideas for seeds, planting, and growing

1. Take your child to a local nursery or even Walmart.

What a great way to let your child experience nature and growth. Let them "smell the roses." Check out the herbs, fruits, and vegetables that are available to grow. If you are in an area where their is an opportunity to go to a "pick your own" experience this would also be a great place to take your little one and talk about seeds and growth! Right now, in North Florida, the popular pick your own is BLUEBERRIES! Not only a great experience but delicious.

2. Plant your Own Garden

Look at your yard and see how much sunlight you have throughout the day in different areas. While you are at the local nursery have someone help you decide what would grow best at your home. You don't have to go overboard. Even just starting with a small rectangular pot of carrots or a tomato plant could be fun.

I really wanted a raised garden but it just didn't work for us this year, so I improvised and went with what we already had around the house! We have a tomato plant, 2 types of peppers, carrots that are not pictured, and some beautiful flowers.

3. Plants are not the only things that grow.

Your little human is growing at a rapid rate! Find a place in your house or garage where you can measure your little ones height and/or weight and keep track. Toddlers are growing so quickly you could measure and weigh them on a regular basis and they will be able to see the difference. This is a super fun keepsake so make sure to find a special piece of paper or book to keep notes on your little ones growth.

4. Fine Motor Seed Sort and Indoor Flower Garden

Use a vegetable try or tupperware container that has dividers and let your child sort a variety of seeds. Also why not have a beautiful indoor garden that your child can replant every day. Use a colander or a basket and they can plant many beautiful flowers.

5. Handprint Carrot

Draw a carrot shape and fill it in using finger printers or finger smudges. Then use green paint on your child's hand to make the green carrot top. We use a cotton ball to apply the paint to our hand so we don't get to much paint all over and the print comes out better.