News
Spring is in full swing, and there are so many wonderful opportunities to explore it with the children in your life. One great activity I learned last week, when visiting Rose Schum’s classroom at Dawson Orman Education Center, was how to make Grass Sock Pets. They are very simple and easy to make, but an activity like this doesn’t have to be just a craft. Use this as a teaching moment and blend art with science. Put them in your Discovery Center and bring out the magnifiers. Ask questions. Get curious. Examine the roots. Chart the growth. Find other plants sprouting in your playground or yard. Try different types of seeds or amounts of light. Talk about how to care for living things. And most importantly, focus on the wonder of the every day events that we as adults sometimes take for granted.
What you need:
- Sock or nylon stocking
- Grass seed or bird seed
- Dirt
- Bowl
- Water
- Sunlight
What you do:
- Pour some grass seed into the toe of a sock. You will need enough to cover the bottom.
- Fill the rest of the foot with dirt. Press it down, and tie a tight knot so that it creates a ball.
- Place the sock ball in a bowl so that the seeds are facing up, and pour some water over it.
- Find a sunny place to place your sock pet, and watch it grow!
- Dampen the sock pet once a day to keep it growing.
- For added fun, glue on wiggly eyes or buttons, or use rubber bands to tie off ears on either side.