Do you have a flower bouquet you’re about to toss?
Wait! Why not incorporate the flowers and flower petals into an activity! They are great for sensory play, make any craft beautiful and add the perfect pop of color!
RELATED: 50+ recycled crafts for kids
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#1: Floral Play-dough Medallions
These Floral Play-dough Medallions are a creative way to use play-dough (even old scraps of it) and withered florals and create something beautiful and unique!
MATERIALS:
- Play-dough (we absolutely love Eco-Kids Dough)
- Flowers (withered, dried, fresh)
- Tray with sections
INSTRUCTIONS:
Super simple to set up. Place flower petals, leaves, cut-up stems into each section of a separated tray. Also add the play-dough.
Tip #1- Setting up the petals, leaves, stems and play-dough out on a separated tray gives the kids a visual of all the materials they’re able to use! Super helpful with toddlers as they get to see all the things they’re able to use.
Tip #2- Using a play-dough rolling pin makes it easier to create the medallions perfectly round, but I prefer the kids (especially the younger ones) to use their fingers to spread out the play-dough (fine/small motor skills).
#2: Water Painting Flower Ice Cubes
Do you need an easy activity to keep your little munchkins busy and happy? This Water Painting Flower Ice Cubes activity is SO EASY to prepare. All you need to do is make them a day ahead, freeze them overnight and they’re ready in the morning! This activity is great for creativity and imagination. Kids can play with these flowery ice cubes, building towers, bridges, roads, whatever they can think of. Or add water into play and have fun melting the ice away from the flower petals. I promise you this activity WILL give you time to wash the dishes and sweep the floor at once. No distractions.
MATERIALS:
- Flowers
- Ice cube tray (we loved using square cubes, there’s a lot more you can do with them)
- Deep tray
- Paintbrush
- Bowl with “very” water
INSTRUCTIONS:
Rip a few flower petals and place into each ice cube section. Next fill with water and freeze. Once frozen, place the ice cubes into a deep tray. Prepare a small bowl with warm water and paintbrush
#3: spring sensory bin
Spring is in the air and this Spring Sensory Bin is the perfect way to celebrate!
MATERIALS:
- Bin (we love this Ikea bin, comes with a lid too!)
- Beans (for the ground)
- Old flowers
- Plastic birds eggs, butterfly, dragonfly
INSTRUCTIONS:
Dump the beans into the bin and arrange them so they’re covering half of the bottom. Add the withered flowers and leaves on top. Lastly add the plastic birds eggs, butterfly and dragonfly.
#4: flower petal ballerina craft
This Flower Petal Ballerina Craft is a beautiful little craft idea perfect for toddlers!
MATERIALS:
- Flower petals
- Cardboard
- Permanent marker (assorted colors)
- Glue stick (I love disappearing purple glue sticks because kids can see where they used the glue stick!)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Begin by drawing a simple ballerina on the cardboard with the permanent marker. Do as best as you can, no one will judge….except your kids.
- Place the flower petals into a bowl and you’re ready to go!
#5: flower threading activity
This Flower Threading Activity is an easy and fun way to use up old flowers. Isn’t it nice to have an activity ready for your toddlers without heading out to the store for supplies? I love it!
MATERIALS:
- Flower petals, leaves
- Single hole puncher
- String
INSTRUCTIONS:
Start by taking the petals and leaves off of the flowers and stems. Make a single hole using the whole puncher in each petal and leaves.
#6: flower petal art
This Flower Petal Art is an easy craft idea that uses flower petals to combine sensories and creativity!
MATERIALS:
- Cardboard
- Flowers
- Glue stick
- Craft knife and mat
- Crayons (orange, green)
- Bowl
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Using the craft knife and mat, cut a rectangle out of your cardboard. Make it big enough to have plenty of room for kids art.
- Once the cardboard is cut, draw flower stems and centers using the crayons. I drew 5 stems, but you can draw as many as you can fit, leaving about an 1.5″ in between the stems.
- Place the petals into a bowl and set besides the cardboard along with a glue stick.
Once you’ve done the prep, let the kids glue on the petals to the stems. You’ll be surprised at how busy and concentrated they stay!
#7: flower tea party play
This Flower Tea Party Play idea is yet another great idea to use up old, withered flowers and kids will love it!
MATERIALS FOR FLOWER TEA PARTY PLAY:
- Dried flowers (or fresh)
- Bin
- Water
- Beets (to make water pink, but optional)
- Toy teacup and saucer set
INSTRUCTIONS:
First boil a little bit of water in the kettle and pour over some beets in a cup. Let the water become pink and add to the bin, adding more plain water to fill up the bin. Add the withered flowers.
#8: flower stamp art
This Flower Stamp Art is the perfect craft idea for withering flower bouquets. Flowers make amazing paintbrushes and create the most beautiful art!
MATERIALS:
- Flowers
- Washable kids paint
- Paper plate
- White cardstock
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Place the desired colors of washable kids paint onto a paper plate and arrange the cut flowers onto each paint. I kept a stem of 2-3 inches so kids can hold them easier.
Paint away!
#9: flower smash art
This Flower Smash Art is a great way to use up an old bouquet or try this smash craft with wildflowers from the outdoors!
MATERIALS:
- White card stock
- Parchment or wax paper
- Flowers
- Toy hammer (like this one from a pounding toy or you can try a real rubber hammer, but be sure to supervise)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Rip off the flowers so there is no stem attached. This will make it easier to arrange the flowers under the parchment/wax paper.
- Arrange the flowers on the white card stock and cover with parchment/wax paper.
- Pound the flowers using a hammer until the flowers are smashed and releasing their beautiful dye onto the card stock.
TIP- the longer you pound, the more vibrant colors will be. It takes the flowers a bit until they start smashing and releasing their dyes.
#10: creative play flower tray
This Creative Play Flower Tray Activity is the best! If you have any old flowers or arrangements that are starting to lose their beauty, then this activity is for you! If you don’t have any at home, you can go outside and pick some flowers and grass and dandelions there, it’s simple! All you need is a few plants or flowers and whatever craft supplies you may have on hand.
MATERIALS:
- Old flowers (petals, stems, greenery)
- Kid-safe scissors
- Glue (or glue stick)
- Tray with separations
- Construction paper
- Pipecleaners
INSTRUCTIONS:
Arrange all of your flowers and supplies so the child can see them all and choose what he’d like to use (I really like to use a tray with many separations to keep all of the supplies neat and separated). Prep is done! Now let your child use his/her imagination and creativity to make some amazing creations and art pieces!
Enjoy these ideas!
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