Earth Day is April 22 and it is a great time to learn about our planet and how we can contribute every day to take care of it. Children have the most important stake in keeping our planet healthy. It is important to explain to children what Earth Day represents, and what we can do in our classroom and at home not just one day, but every day. Toddlers can begin to take part in taking care of the earth while having fun and learning the importance of caring for the earth. In the Under 3 room, we read a book about recycling and what kind of items we can put in a blue bin. We also created seed bombs that contain wild flower seeds and biodegradable paper that they can plant in gardens and containers. We discussed why planting flowers can help the earth and the bees (which are very important to our earth).
SEED BOMB RECIPE
YOU WILL NEED:
- 3-4 Packages of Flower Seeds
- 3 Sheets of Construction Paper (we used blue and green)
- Food Processor
- Scissors
- Water
- 3 Small Containers
- Baking Sheet and Parchment Paper (for drying seed bombs)
HOW TO MAKE SEED BOMBS
STEP 1: Cut your construction paper into one-inch squares. Place each color separately in a container.
STEP 2: Once you have cut up all your paper squares and put one colour in each container, add water. Cover the paper completely and allow to soak for 20 minutes.
STEP 3: When the 20 minutes is finished (the hardest part is always waiting), take one container and squeeze the excess water out of the paper. Place the paper in a food processor and pulse until the paper becomes pulp!
Place the pulp back into its container. Repeat with the next two colors until you have three containers of pulp.
STEP 4: Divide the packages of seeds between the three containers, gently mixing them into the pulp.
STEP 5: Take a bit of each color from each container and form it into a ball.
STEP 6: Place your homemade seed bombs on a parchment lined baking tray. Press a few more seeds into the balls if you think they need a few more. Let your tray dry overnight.
PLANT SEEDS WITH KIDS
Once dry, dig some holes and toss your flower seed bombs into your favorite flower pot or garden! Remember to water regularly, and watch them grow!
