Little Garden Easter Basket

Description:

WHAT YOU NEED

• Small basket
• Colored ribbon
• Craft glue gun
• Safety scissors
• 1 bag of SWEETARTS Chicks, Ducks & Bunnies
• 1 bag of NestEggs, NESTLÉ CRUNCH, BUTTERFINGER, Creamy Caramel, Milk Chocolate, and Dark Chocolate
• Potting soil or vermiculite (available at garden centers or nurseries)
• Rye grass seeds (7-10 day growing period)
• Plastic storage bag
• Small plastic spray bottle
• Water

HOW TO DO IT

• Line the basket with a plastic storage bag, cut to fit.
• Fill the basket about 3/4 full with the potting soil.
• Sprinkle a layer of grass seeds and cover with an additional inch of potting soil. Water just enough to moisten soil.
• Place the basket in a well lit area near a sunny window. Be sure to mist the grass every other day using a plastic spray bottle filled with water. In a few days you should see grass beginning to appear. The lawn should be fully grown in seven to ten days.
• Now it's time to decorate the basket.
• Glue colored ribbon around the base of the basket. Glue SWEETARTS Chicks, Ducks & Bunnies around the basket on top of the ribbon.
• Glue three 6 inch strands of ribbon (preferably 1/8 inch wide) from the handle of the basket. At the end of each strand, glue a SWEETART Chick, Bunny or Duck.
• Make a bow out of three strands of ribbon and glue it to the top of the basket handle.
• The night before Easter, have your child place the Little Garden Basket where the Easter Bunny can find it.
• Let your child place a few carrot sticks on the grass as a special treat for the hungry Bunny.
• The Bunny will be so happy with the crunchy treat your child has left for him, he's sure to refill it with lots of candy treats, like NESTLÉ NestEggs, on Easter morning.

We are having so much fun with this. Our kids get a "sticker" on the calendar everytime they remember to spray their "lawn". around Easter they get to cash them in. They are loving this idea.  I hung our baskets on plant hooks due to inquistive cat(s) with appetites for grass,  my dh lifts them up to do the "lawn".  Just be sure the basket is getting sufficient light, I did not want it outside because of the bug factor.

A fun idea with the younger set is to GROW A GRASS HEAD MONSTER

Fill the toe of a nylon sock with grass seed. Top with a little sawdust until you have a ball shape. Fasten tightly an elastic band. Put inside a yogurt cup (this is your pot) and decorate the pot using paper, ribbon, and whatever else you can find in your craft box!  Stand the stocking ball in the pot with the grass seed at the top. Add some googly eyes and any other decorative bits you like. Keep the yogurt pot topped up with water. After a few weeks your head will grow lots of hair and may need a "trim". lots of fun.

this craft is courtesy of www.ActivityVillage.co.uk   a wonderful site

FOLLOW UP FUN

• Make "Crazy Hair" people
  
  • Draw silly faces on several small foam cups.
  • Fill each with potting soil and a thin layer of grass seed. Care for them as directed for the Little Garden Easter Basket.
  • Watch as the green grass "hair" grows longer and longer.
  • As the weeks go by, they may need a trim!

source: www.verybestkids.com