ALT-1 Kids Crafts Making Mini Gardens in Pans for Easter
It's Easter time again, and although I'm sure your children are thrilled over attending crowded Church services on Sunday, be prepared to reward their good behavior with little bit of creativity, an innovative plan, and a simple (and even disposable) square pan.
I've never made a mini-garden from real flowers, dirt, or foliage. In fact, I've never made a mini-garden at all, but if you're thinking of making one for your kids this Easter, skip the lesson in gardening and actually try making it fun by making it edible!
Step one: grab all materials necessary at your local supermarket! That's right! This project is 100% edible and 110% delicious. Be sure you have a square pan, cake mix of your choice (if you prefer the easy route like me, you'll choose the mix) or make some of your own from scratch; margarine or butter, milk, and eggs (all necessary for the mix); green and white frosting, gummy worms, Oreo cookies (generic brands are fine, too!); and tiny Easter egg-shaped chocolates (the ones that come in foil).
Step two: make your cake! Preheat your oven while you mix the cake mix in a large bowl and spread the resulting batter into your square pan. Bake your cake; wait several minutes to an hour until it cools, and move to step three.
Step three: frost your heart out! Let your kids take the lead and have them ice the cake with green frosting. Use green as grass, but, save the white frosting for later.
Step four: go outside! Take a five minute break with the kids and have them come outside with you to find tiny flowers. Peonies are great, especially in bright Easter colors, but daisies, or even dandelions work just fine. A variety usually has the best effect, but you can use whatever is available to you. Pick these flowers, take them inside and clean them off, you'll be using these in your final garden, so be sure you have plenty of them. Even if the flowers are picked off of the final product, and despite the fact that they may be clean, remember that they will be touching food that will most likely be consumed by your children, so be sure you stick to nonpoisonous plants and flowers.
Step five: put the finishing touches on it! Use the flowers you gathered to great tiny gardens in the frost. Choose your own design for your garden and "plant" as you like. You can use white frosting to add container-like drops of frosting that will keep your flowers steady and hide the stems or roots. Next, add the worms. No garden is complete without a couple of resident worms. Finally, add the "Easter egg" chocolates and hide them around your garden for a fun Easter egg hunt later!
Step six: Have fun!
Once your mini-garden is complete, it will look so great your kids probably won't want to eat itwait, who am I kidding? They won't be able to contain themselves until they CAN eat it.
