Eco Kids Column: Laundry Scoop Wheelbarrows

PENCINTA ALAM JANUARY 2013 
ECO KIDS COLUMN
  LAUNDRY SCOOP WHEELBARROWS 

(Idea and image from StorkNet Kids' Crafts)

What can do you with all the laundry scoops that come with each new box of laundry detergent? Here is a simple craft idea that repurposes laundry scoops into seed starter kits that you could give out as gifts or party favours.

YOU NEED:
1. Laundry scoops
2. Acrylic paints, permanent markers or stickers.
3. Buttons or round wooden or metal discs. (Two for each laundry scoop)
4. Glue
5. Potting soil
6. Tiny plants, e.g. ferns, or seeds.
 8. A corkscrew for drilling a hole with.

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Drill a hole at the bottom of your laundry scoop to allow excess water to drain out. You may need an adult's help for this.
2. Decorate your laundry scoops with paint or markers to make them resemble wheelbarrows. A gardening or floral theme would work well with this craft idea.
3. Decorate the buttons or discs with a black marker or paints to make them look like wheels.
4. Wait for the paint or ink to dry. Then, glue the "wheels" of your wheelbarrow in place. Let the glue dry.
5. Fill three-quarters of the laundry scoop up with potting soil.
6. If you are using seeds, push a few seeds gently into the soil. Mung bean (or green bean) seeds will work for this project. Space the seeds out so that they have room to grow.
7. If you are using live plants, make a shallow indentation in the soil with your fingers and gently put the plant into the soil. Cover the soil around the roots of the plant but do not pack the soil in too tightly.
8. Sprinkle water onto your plant or seeds. Ensure that the soil is damp but not wet or flooded. If the roots are waterlogged, the plant may die. Try making several wheelbarrows and putting them in different parts of your home to see under what conditions will the plants thrive. Does your plant like direct sunlight? Or does it prefer the damp coolness of the bathroom window?