Kids Make Gardens Elegant

Garden stones - fdarling fotos

 It takes patience to grow a garden. Although children are energetic, creative, and curious, they seldom are patient. While waiting for something to happen, families can do activities like these sparkling decorative spheres to keep gardening interest fresh.
  Transition Students in Marquette, their teachers, and helpers, especially Cookie, shared some garden decorations ideas to place among plants.
Concrete Sparkle Spheres
  All ages enjoy making these concrete decorative balls for gardens and window boxes. Take children along to visit a craft section of a store and purchase Styrofoam balls.  They come in many sizes perfect for containers or large plant beds. Discuss what size you’ll need for possible locations. You can even take along a ruler to measure the diameter from edge to edge of the spheres.
  You will also need grout.  The easiest to use comes premixed in a container. Check that the container states it is suitable for outdoors. For decorations, purchase sparkling craft stones that are flat on one side.
  Children can glue the sparkle stones to all sides of the sphere.  Gorilla type glue seems to work the best.  Teach children that a “dot does a lot” so there is not a dripping mess.  Children may work better with glue in a dish and Popsicle stick for a spreader. There is no rule for how close or far apart the gems should be. Remind everyone not to place their hands in their mouth, however.
  While creating, carry on conversations about plants and summer plans. Doing an art project like this helps children open up and teaches them how to discuss topics with adults.
  Allow the gems to dry on the spheres while doing an active activity together. Then cover the spheres with grout according to the directions on the container.  Try not to totally cover all of the gems since when the grout is dry the excess must be wiped off gently with a cloth.  This is similar to putting grout on bathroom tiles and having to clean off the tiles when the grout is dry.
  These spheres make excellent gifts for any

Garden Walk- fdarling fotos

gardener.  They should be taken in for winter, but are quite hardy.
Stepping Stones
  Gardens are often mine fields for children. They want to help but don’t know where to put their feet or how to prevent falling on a plant.  Families can lessen garden anxiety and plant damage by decorating with a stepping stone path. Purchase some cheap concrete tiles found at hardware stores or pick up some large flat rocks. Children can paint or decorate them with sparkle gems and stones.  Place them in the garden to make a stepping stone path through plants so they can water, help weed, and harvest plants.
 Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest