DIY Carnival Activity Idea - Dig Into Gardening!

Kids gardening tools and soil for plants.

Small flowering plants in plastic cups to take home.

DIG INTO GARDENING - SETUP & DIRECTIONS

Supplies for Dig Into Gardening Activity:

Small easy-to-grow type plants - one for each child who is interested in participating (See Additional Hints and Tips Below)
16-ounce Clear Plastic Cups - one for each plant
2 - 6 Plastic Hand Spades for kids to scoop potting soil
A wheelbarrow filled with clean potting soil
Tables for extra supplies and a spot for kids to pot their plant
Permanent Markers to allow kids to add their names to their plants
Extra Table so kids can leave their plants until the end of the carnival
Optional - Plastic bugs for potting soil - fun for kids to uncover

Our Big Tip - Placement of this Activity:

Before your fun fair, choose to have this booth somewhat close to the entrance/exit of your event so that kids can pot a plant and pick it up on their way home to avoid dragging a delicate plant with them for their entire stay!

Quick Tip: Have a sign set up on the way out to remind kids to pick up their plants from the Dig Into Gardening Booth on the way home!

Activity Set Up:

Gather all supplies and have potting soil in the wheelbarrow and ready to go when a child arrives at this booth.

Have them write their name on the plastic cup.

Volunteers will help kids to remove the plant from the container - add some posting soil and place it into a cup.

Any volunteer who has a green thumb would love to help at this booth - showing kids the delicate roots of the plants etc.

We would also recommend that kids and parents understand that in order for the plant to have a chance to grow to its full potential, it will need to be transplanted into a larger pot on a patio or into a flower bed once they arrive home.

A Great Way to Celebrate Earth Day:

Some children have not had the opportunity to work in a garden or be involved with plants. This is a great learning booth as well

Want This Booth to Be FREE?

Weeks before your carnival, reach out to a local nursery and see if they would be willing to donate some or most of the supplies for this booth. In exchange for their donation - you can offer to hang a sign on the table advertising the nursery for all who are at the carnival or festival.

In addition, the nursery can include flyers with coupons to help their business as well!

Ask around for local volunteers who will love the opportunity to be involved with this booth at your event. One of these volunteers may have a wheelbarrow they can loan for the day as well.

This is a great learning booth for kids - so don't miss out on this opportunity!

Additional Hints & Tips:

This booth can be done any time of the year when the weather is temperate in your area.

Also, consider choosing seeds to keep the cost down and choose plants that are vegetables like zucchini with nice big seeds, and have kids plant them and then keep on a window sill until the seeds sprout. Then they can plant them in a pot or a flower bed outside and get to witness the growth of and eating something they grew!