Isaac - Garden crafts for children: 35 fun projects for children to sow, grow, and make

Step 1

Cut an egg box base in half lengthwise and then trim down the sides. Paint one half green with the poster paint and leave it to dry. This will be your caterpillars body.

Step 2

Fill the bowl with water, add a few drops of the green food coloring, and drop in the three eggshell halves. Leave these for 30 minutes to dye, then take them out and let them dry on some paper towels.

Step 3

Put a ball of modeling clay inside the egg box and then, using the pencil, poke holes into the clay through the sides. Move the clay along as you go until you have made three holes on each side for the caterpillars legs and two at the front for the antennae.

Step 4

Thread the three green pipe cleaners through from one side to the other so that the legs on each side are of the same length, and then bend them downward.

Step 5

Thread the black pipe cleaner through both holes in the front of the egg box so that the antennae are the same length, and then bend them upward. Glue the googly eyes onto the front of the caterpillar.

Try this... You could also have a go at growing mustard seeds in your caterpillar instead.

Step 6

Put the dried eggshell halves into the spaces along the caterpillars back and fill each one with a ball of absorbent cotton (cotton wool) that you have dampened in a bowl of clean water.

Step 7

Empty some cress seeds onto a small plate and, once all of the damp absorbent cotton (cotton wool) balls are in place, carefully sprinkle the seeds on top of the balls.

You should see the cress seeds germinating within a day and your crop of little cress plants will be ready to cut and eat within 35 days.

Tip... Keep a small pitcher of water by the caterpillar and add a little to the eggshells every day to ensure that the absorbent cotton does not dry out.

Step 1

Ask a grown-up to drill some drainage holes in the bottom of the wine box and remove the sliding lid. Use the paintbrush to decorate the outside and top of the box with the green poster paint. (Do not paint the base because this wont be seen.)

Try this... You might also want to decorate your farm with some toy animals to make a fun display area.

Step 2

Once the box has dried, use the acrylic paint pens to add flower details to the front of the box. We have drawn daisies here, but you can draw whatever type of flower you like.

Step 3

Place two margarine tubs upside down on top of the wine-box lid and mark the gap between the two. Either ask a grown-up to cut out this section for you or use the lid as a template to cut the same shape out of thick card. Paint this section green to match the box.

Step 4

To make the fencing in front of the farmhouse, position one of the sticks so that it is sitting horizontally under five other sticks and then glue in place using the white (PVA) glue. Do the same for the second piece of fencing.