Plant Crafts for Kids: Coloring Flowers with Food Dye
This is a fun experiment for older kids, but younger kids will need a little help. All you need are glass jars, food coloring, and a few white flowers such as gerbera daisies, carnations, or mums. Fill several jars with water and two or three drops of food coloring, and then put one or two flowers in each jar. Encourage your kids to watch as the color moves up the stem and tints the petals. This simple children’s plant art is a great way to demonstrate how water is transported up the stem and into the leaves and petals.
Kids’ Plant Art: Leaf Rubbings
Go for a walk around the neighborhood, or in your local park. Help your kids gather a few interesting leaves of various sizes. If you notice flowers with thin petals, gather a few of those, too. When you get home, arrange the leaves and petals on a solid surface, then cover them with thin paper (like tracing paper). Rub the broad side of a crayon or a piece of chalk over the paper. Outlines of the leaves and petals will appear.
Plant Art for Kids: Simple Sponge Paintings
Use a sharp knife or scissors to create flower shapes out of household sponges. Dip the sponges into tempera paint or watercolor, then stamp a garden of colorful flowers on a piece of white paper. Your young artist can complete the garden by drawing stems with a crayon or marker. Older kids might like to add glitter, buttons, or sequins. (Use heavy paper for this project).
Art Projects from Plants: Pressed Flower Bookmarks
Pressed flower bookmarks are lovely gifts for booklovers. Look for fresh flowers that are naturally flat, like violets or pansies. Pick them in the morning, after the dew has evaporated. Put the flowers between paper towels or tissue paper. Set them on a flat surface and place a phone book, encyclopedia, or another heavy book on top. The flower should be flat and dry in a few days. Help your child seal the dry flower between two pieces of clear shelf or adhesive paper, then cut the paper into bookmark shapes. Punch a hole at the top and thread a piece of yarn or a colorful ribbon through the hole.
