With the impact of the winter, the prospect of the festive season and the annual school Play, gardening might not be on everybody’s mind. However, we can still have fun with it, whether that’s now or when we come back in the New Year.
Here are three activity ideas that are great for a rainy day and getting kids thinking about gardening over the winter months.
- Homemade festive decorations
Investigate: What berries are on the plants at this time of year? What different types of foliage do they have? What twig shapes can you find?
Make a winter collage – Collect interesting natural objects from the garden and in true Blue Peter style, get the tape and sticky back plastic out and arrange your collection and see what festive picture you can come up with!
Make your own wreath – arrange what you find into an attractive arrangement like this.
- Make a Terrarium
If being outside, getting cold and wet is not your thing, then bring your gardening inside. There are not many places warmer than a rain forest, so why not bring one to your classroom by making a Terrarium? These really look amazing and are small worlds all of their own.
You will need:
An old fish tank : Are there any parents who keep tropical fish,that have an old tank that they can donate? Could you ask at a local pet shop or pick one up in a charity shop?
Gravel: Once you have the tank, put in a few centimetres of gravel, this will act as a water table.
Soil: Then add some soil, undulate it so as to create a small landscape.
Moss: Cover the soil in some moss.
Optional: Stones and small rocks – to really get that tropical garden effect.
Plants: Now, you’re ready to plant. Begonias, Pipers and Orchids will all look great. If you’re not sure what they are, do some research about rainforest plants to find out more, in fact creating a tropical terrarium gives you a great opportunity to learn about rainforests, where they grow and how we protect them.
Top tip: Many houseplants can grow roots in water, so ask the class if they have any growing at home as you may be able to take cuttings.
- Crazy Containers
If you’re looking for a simpler project, try making some Crazy Containers. This is just a twist on a pot plant, only we’re going to incorporate some art and imagination too!
You will need:
A discarded bottle or plastic container: You can use any old discarded things for a pot. An old watering can, washing up bottle, plastic milk carton or water bottle will do the trick. Make sure it has drainage holes in its base as the soil needs to drain.
Paints / craft materials: Now for the fun bit; get decorating, paint faces or use old materials to stick on to create ears, eyes, nose and hair!
Soil and seeds: Finally, plant your plant. It could be as simple as sowing some grass seed or planting something edible like a herb. These might make great Christmas gifts for a little brother or sister.
Teaching tip: grab some seed catalogues for the class to have a look through. Talk about all the different vegetables that we can grow and eat – and incorporate some geography by thinking about the different countries they come from: https://www.organiccatalogue.com/
Soil is the most important thing in the garden, so make sure you keep it healthy over the winter. If you’re not using your beds at the moment, sow some green manures into the soil. A big packet of mustard seed is perfect, as sown thickly it will protect your soil over the winter and come spring time you can dig the plants in, giving a great feed and helping its structure.
Wishing everyone a happy festive break and happy gardening in 2019!
Chris Collins, Head of Organic Horticulture, Garden Organic