Viewable Planter - watch the roots grow! (Summer Craft Kit 2013)

Viewable Planter - watch the roots grow!

As many of you know, I love to garden and I think it is fun to plant with kiddos. This craft is a fun way for kids to not only plant but to also see the roots growing. My inspiration for this craft came from a root viewer that I had seen for sale in an Insect Lore catalog (pretty overpriced at 30 bucks). 

Root Vue Farm - this was the inspiration!

At first I was thinking I could have the kiddos build it out of wood and plexiglass but then a little light bulb went off to use milk cartons instead. I had some blank overhead transparencies from teaching to use for the windows but you can also get inexpensive plexiglass at a home improvement store (they will often cut it to size for you) or you can save hard plastic from a spinach or lettuce tub instead of throwing it in the recycle. This craft is a fun and easy way to get the same effect of watching the roots grow but it costs much less and also up-cycles some milk cartons!

*This is in the Summer Craft Kit 2013 - click here to see the other crafts in the kit or
here to purchase a kit on my Rocky Mountain Mommas etsy shop!

Enjoy this single stem idea of Viewable Planter for
Seedlings (preschool and elementary age)...

The Stuff

The FUN!

Milk/Juice ½ gallon carton Plastic for windows (2 pieces) Tacky glue Duct tape Soil Veggie seeds Sticky note (2) Water bottle watering can (poke several holes in the lid with a push pin to make it in to watering can)

1.      Adult - Cut top off milk carton. 2.      Cut window out of milk carton by cutting down and across bottom so there is an inch on both sides and the bottom. Do this to the opposite side of carton as well if you want 2 viewable windows (adult may need to do this). 3.      Check size of window by dry fitting plastic piece in milk carton opening and trim the top if needed. 4.      Add tacky glue to plastic windows around both sides and the bottom edge (not the top edge). 5.      Place plastic windows inside the carton, glue side down. Press down along glue so it spreads a little. Let dry. 6.      For extra water protection put duct tape inside along the sides and bottom edges of the plastic where it meets the milk carton (adults may need to do this step). 7.      Add soil so it is nearly to the top of the carton. 8.      Plant a couple seeds in front of each window (about ½ inch away). Read the seed packet to determine depth. 9.      Place a sticky note at the top of the plastic window. Many seeds like it dark to germinate. The sticky note can be peeked under and removed completely in a couple weeks. 10.  Use any leftover duct tape to decorate the watering can. Use push pin to poke holes in lid. Fill bottle with water and give the seeds a good watering. Check every day to make sure the soil stays moist. * You might want to put a plate under if it is on a surface that you don’t want wet.

Now the PICTURES (for the visual learners)...

Rinse out a 1/2 gallon milk or juice carton

Cut top off (adult)

Cut windows out of carton by going down and along bottom

Dry fit plastic windows and trim
(we used a plastic transparency for an overhead but you can use
plexi-glass or cut from a plastic tub that you were going to throw in recycle)

Put tacky glue along sides and bottom of plastic

Put inside carton and press along glue

Put duct tape along seam of plastic and carton
For this pic I tore the duct tape in half long ways and it was much easier
to work with than using the whole piece

A view from the top

Add soil to nearly the top

Put seeds about 1/4 inch back from the window
The carrot seeds went about 1/4 deep

Add a sticky note to the front to allow the seeds some dark
Add water - we used our water bottle watering cans

Put in a sunny spot
Water each day and watch it grow
Sticky not can be removed in a week or so

Here is how our onion roots are looking so far!

A couple great books to read that go along with this craft beautifully are...  

More ideas…

Please BRAINSTORM your ideas/suggestions in the COMMENTS below for the Viewable Planter!
Happy Planting
~Sara