At-Home Projects:
KINDERGARTEN-GRADE 5

Garden Markers 

Materials:  Rocks (preferably smooth), paint pens and/or paint, outdoor paint varnish

 Paint the rocks in accordance with the plants in your garden (red for tomatoes, orange for carrots, green for lettuce, etc.). Add faces and details to the rocks to make them more fun and recognizable once the paint dries.

For kids in the younger range of this group, gouache could be a better option for painting the rocks a solid color as it’s a non-toxic formula and designed to be opaque. Older kids might prefer acrylic paint, but both are good choices! Just make sure to cover with paint varnish if the rocks are going outdoors. Optional: draw faces on the fruits and veggies or write a label to easily identify which plant is which. Regardless, a color-coded garden will keep you organized and be a fun project for your child to feel like they added to your project- and a chance to get their hands messy! This project will teach kids about different plants through the process of labeling, decorating, and planting.

Old Key Wind Chime

Materials:  5+ old keys, a stick or other means of holding the keys, string, paint and other materials to decorate

Paint both the keys and the stick and wait for them to dry. Tie strings to either side of the stick to make for easy hanging. Tie a piece of string to each key and attach them to the stick, close enough that they will collide when the wind blows.Any material can be used to hold the keys- try a hole-punched plastic cup for a round shape or multiple keys to a string for a more intense chiming sound. Tie beads along the string for an added pop of color and texture. This project will help kids realize that “trash” can be useful and used!