June 28, 2016 Mandi Nowitz

Gardening toys and crafts for kids at Magic Beans

Here at Magic Beans, we take gardening super seriously…super seriously fun! Learning how to care for growing plants is so important for children of all ages. It teaches kids where food comes from, encourages them to expand their palate, and teaches responsibility, a tool that will carry your little bean through life. In today’s roundup, we have carefully selected a handful of fun gardening activities that can be done in or outside of the home and are fun for the whole family – even parents won’t be able to resist getting in on the excitement.

First off, we have the Creativity for Kids Plant Peace craft kit, an MB favorite. It’s in the shape of a peace sign, and you and your wee bean can color the base then add the included chia seeds around the peace sign. Add the spritz that also comes in the package, and watch as your peace plant blooms – it will start to sprout in 3-4 days, so anxious kids won’t have to wait long. The Plant Peace kit can be grown indoors or outdoors; results may vary, but it’s a safe and satisfying gardening craft that will be super exciting for your kiddo!

Creativity for Kids also has another amazingly fantastical gardening craft called the Grow ’N Glow Terrarium. With this kit, kids grow their own personal mini garden inside a super mod mason jar, and customize it with teeny figurines to create a tiny tableau. Glow-in-the-dark stickers add something extremely special and intriguing, making this toy a nighttime delight! It can also be moved into a bigger jar if the plants need more space to keep growing.

Another favorite: when you walk into our store, you’ll see some items that look like giant jawbreaker-sized lollipops. They’re not lollipops: they’re Lolliplants! You can get tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and more in the shape of a lolly, and then plant it face down into a jar of dirt. Water it and soon, it will begin to sprout. By week three, you and your bean will see some green, and eventually, the fruit/veggie will come up, encouraging caretaking and healthy eating! (That’s my Lolliplant pictured on the right, after 7 weeks of growth!)

Even if you choose to buy seedlings elsewhere, there is one craft that is a must-have for all of your gardening needs: Paint Your Own Porcelain Flower Pots. How fun is that? Your bean gets to paint the pot or the home, rather, where their fruit, flower, and/or veggie will be growing from. Three pots and twelve colors will keep your little one busy for hours and the excitement of what they have created is priceless.

These are only a few of the great gardening items in our assortment, so if none of these are inspiring your green thumb, come visit us at your local Magic Beans, and our Toy Gurus will help you find a great toy to enjoy together! And if you try out any of these kits, make sure you send us pics! The only thing that’s more fun than matching families with great toys is hearing about exactly how much fun the kids are having. Happy gardening, and have a super happy summer! We look forward to seeing all of you soon!