Hanging Pot
Sculpting with clay is a great activity for young children because it lets them get artistic while helping them develop their fine motor skills. They also get some practice with color and shape recognition, without even realizing it. Your preschooler will learn the artistic process as she makes her lump of clay morph into a functional hanging wall pot that she’ll enjoy filling with grasses she’s collected herself. Added bonus? This project makes a great kid-made gift—perfect for Mother’s Day, Easter, or any other holiday where your child doesn’t want to come empty-handed.
What You Need:
- Nylon rope, cut into 8, 24-inch lengths
- Ribbon
- Air-dry clay
- Small plant, or herbs
- Small rocks
- Planting dirt
- Acrylic paint
- Paintbrushes
- Scissors
What You Do:
- Show your child how to mold the clay into a shape that she likes and that will serve as a functional pot. Be sure to make a handle for the rope and ribbon that will be used to hang the finished pot. Add intentations and designs to make the pot visually interesting. Allow the pot to dry completely.
- Help your child take the eight pieces of cut nylon rope and tie all of the pieces in a knot at one end. Leave a bit of a tassel, about 3 inches, on the end of the rope.
- Place the knot to the bottom of the table.
- Separate the rope into four sections, or two pieces of rope per section.
- Now, have her tie each section of rope together in a small knot. Leave at least an inch between the big knot and the small knot.
- Tie the ribbon through the handle
Have her continue connecting the rope through knots until it will securely hold her pot in place. Now, it’s time to plant! She can place a small handful of rocks in the bottom of the pot, followed by a couple of spoonfuls of dirt, then the plant, followed by a bit more dirt. Water your plant as directed.
Kate is the founder of Learn and Grow Books, which is a website for parents and teachers of pre-K children.