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Flowers
Language & Literacy
Books
Jack's Garden
Sunflower House (Books for Young Readers)
Kid's Gardening: A Kid's Guide to Messing Around in the Dirt/With Seeds, Shovel
Songs, Poems, &
Fingerplays
Five Little Zinnias
Five little zinnias growing out side my door,
I picked one for Grandma, now there are four.
Four little zinnias, the prettiest I've seen,
I picked one for Grandpa, now there are three.
Three little zinnias, just a lovely few,
I picked one for Mommy, now there are two.
Two little zinnias reaching for the sun,
I picked one for Daddy, now there is one.
One little zinnia, a colorful little hero,
I picked it just for you, now there are zero!
Literacy
 : Read the Five Little Zinnias
Poem: Cut out felt flowers to use with the flannel board and let
kids pick them off.
A Little Garden Flower
A Little Garden Flower
A little garden flower
Is growing in its bed.
(make a fist with left hand)
A warm spring sun
Is shining overhead.
(Form circle with right thumb and finger.)
Down come the raindrops,
Dancing to and fro.
(Flutter right fingers downward.)
The little flower wakens
And starts to grow.
(Slowly extend pointer finger up from left fists.)
Adapted Traditional
Activities
How Does a Flower Begin?:
Ask the kids what a flower starts out as??? A seed! Show
them different flower seeds let them touch them and experience their
size and texture. Explain to them that just like flowers are all
different so are their seeds.
How Does a Flower Grow?: Show
the children pictures of a flower in different stages of growth.
Show them pictures or a poster of the things flowers need to grow such
as water, soil, and sunshine!
Math & Number Concepts
Flower Pot Match:
Create a file folder game using our flower
pattern. Print the pattern, program, color and laminate as
many as needed. Program the flowers and pots for whatever skill
your students need to work on. (i.e. Color the flowers different
colors and on the pots write the color words, numbers.) Glue the flower
shape to pop-sickle sticks. Tape the pots down to the file folder
leaving the top open so that the flower can be slid down in the opening
as shown. The students should match the flower to it's corresponding
pot.
Flower Size Sequencing-
Print a copy of the Flower
Size Sequencing printable (from The
Teacher's Desk) have the children color then cut on the lines. They
can glue them on a green piece of construction paper in the correct
order from smallest to largest.
Art
Make Flower Seed Collage
Pictures:
Supplies: A variety of flower seeds, a flower outline printed on
paper, glue.
Directions: Have the children glue the flower seeds on the
picture to fill it in. Show them how to get different looks by
using one kind of seed for the center of the flower and another kind of
seed for the petals etc.
Craft Activities
Child's Hand Lily: Trace each child's hand. Cut out the hand shape, curl it inward
and staple shut. Staple a paper stem onto the bottom and add paper
leaves if desired.
Pretty Flower Pots
(Use
this idea for a mothers day present by printing on each pot, "Mom's
are the Flowers in the Garden of Life.")
Supplies: Small clay pots, a variety of small silk flowers,
a ribbon or bow twisted to floral wire (one per child), and green play
dough.
Directions: Provide each child with a clay pot, several
flower stems (you may have to cut them down to size before hand), a
chunk of green play dough, and one of the ribbons. Demonstrate to
the children how they can place the play dough in the bottom of their
clay pot, and then they can poke the flower stems and ribbon wire into
the play dough. You can write the kids names on the pots with a paint
marker or permanent marker.
May Day Baskets: Make tissue paper flowers by layering tissue paper squares and folding
them accordion style like a fan. Fold that in half and wrap pipe
cleaner around the bottom of the fold. Then separate the tissue
paper layers spreading them out to look like a carnation. Have
each child make three or more and then put them in a cone shaped
construction paper basket. Explain to the children about May Day
and how you can leave the basket on a friend or neighbors door as a
spring surprise.
Dramatic Play
Garden Center: Set up a store
area, have some fake flowers for the children to use in their play, some
garden gloves, and an apron. Ask a local garden center for some of
the plastic plant packs that the flowers come in. Complete the center with
child sized garden tools, buckets, aprons, and garden gloves.
Music & Movement
I have a variety of
"flower" headbands I found on sale during Easter, we make
butterflies and then attach them to wooden dowels. Then I play some
light "flighty" classical music and have half of the children
wear the head bands while the other children dance around with the
butterflies. Then the butterflies get to land on a flower when I stop
the music and the children switch props. I always talk tot he children
about how fragile flowers and butterflies are so that they are very
careful and gentle.
Science &
Discovery
Life Cycle of a Seed:
Look at the life cycle of a seed with the children. If possible
have some live flowers to look at. Point out the petals. stem, and
roots. Discuss the function of each part.
Flower Planting Experiment:
Supplies: One peat pot per child,
potting mix, several child sized trowels and watering cans (Little Tykes
makes some cute ones) Marigold Seeds, and Sunflower Seeds.
Directions: A head of time have the
children predict which will sprout first, the marigolds or the
sunflowers. Record their predictions. Then provide each
child with a pot. Let them come to the discovery table one or two
at a time to fill their pot with potting soil (print their names on
pop-sickle sticks and poke in the dirt). Then Have them poke three
to four sunflower seeds in the soil and sprinkle a some marigold seeds
on top, then slightly cover it with a dab more dirt. Then have
them set the pots in the discovery table or on a large tray and water
them. Make sure to cover them with plastic wrap at night and place
the whole thing near a window. The children can then water them
daily and observe what happens to their seeds. You may want to
have them create little journals where they can draw pictures of their
flower growth.
Plant a Garden Outdoors:
or provide play rakes, wheel barrels, and such for a pretend garden.
Sensory Activities:
Sunflower Seeds:
Fill the discovery table with unshelled sunflower seeds. Provide
the children with measuring cups, spoons, and pie tins.
Blocks & Building
Add some bright colorful blocks to the block &
building area, and check out these cool flower/blocks Fun Flower by Voila
Puzzles, Games &
Manipulatives
Alex My Touchable Puzzle Set - In the Garden
The Hen's Garden Puzzle
Patch Two Sided Beautiful Flower Garden Floor 46 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
Computers
Here is a fun flower game! http://www.thekidzpage.com/freekidsgames/games/flipflop/childrens-game-flowers.html
Cooking
Worms in the dirt! Chocolate pudding with crushed Oreo cookies, whip cream, and gummy
worms, let the kids plant flower shaped candies in the dirt too!
Sun Flower Seeds
Bulletin Boards
"Growing a Garden of Artists!"
-Put this
caption up on a bulletin Board that displays children's art. Let the
children create one of a kind flowers by dropping water colors on coffee
filters or squirt painting flower shapes cut from construction paper. For
added fun cut pictures of each child in a circle shape and glue them to
the center of the flower each child created.
Other Resources
Kid's Tote: Garden Tote with Tools for Children
Little Farmer Gloves
Globus Space-Age Plant Habitat, Plantarium Garden Lab
VEGETABLE GARDEN
Wee Enchanted Garden
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