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Indoor activity

Grass Head Monster

Grow a hilarious monster with hair made of real grass! A fun and fuzzy introduction to gardening.

Ages 3-12 0-1 hours Education 8/10

Materials

  • Googly Eyes
  • Grass Seed
  • Paper Cups
  • Potting Soil
  • PVA Glue
  • Rubber Bands
  • Socks

Illustrated Steps

1

The Seed Secret

Pour a tablespoon of grass seed into the toe of a thin sock or nylon stocking.

2

Fill with Soil

Add several handfuls of potting soil into the sock until you have a round ball shape.

3

Tie and Shape

Tie the sock with a rubber band and pinch a small section to make a nose with another band.

4

Decorate and Drink

Glue on googly eyes and place the monster in a cup of water so it can start growing hair!

What You’ll Create

Meet your new best friend — the Grass Head Monster! ðŸ‘Ļ‍ðŸŒū By filling an old Sock with Grass Seed and Potting Soil, you’ll create a little creature that actually grows ‘hair’. As you water it every day, you’ll watch its green hair get longer and longer until it’s ready for its first haircut!

How to Set It Up

Step 1: The Seed Secret

Take one of your Socks (a thin nylon stocking works best, but a thin cotton one is fine too). Pour a good tablespoon of Grass Seed right into the toe of the sock. This ensures the hair grows from the very top of the monster’s head!

Step 2: Fill with Soil

Next, scoop several handfuls of Potting Soil into the sock on top of the seeds. Keep filling until you have a round ball about the size of a large orange or a grapefruit.

Step 3: Tie and Shape

Use a Rubber Band to tie the sock tightly at the bottom of the soil ball. You can pinch a little bit of the sock in the middle of the ‘face’ and use another small rubber band to make a nose!

Step 4: Decorate and Drink

Glue on some Googly Eyes with PVA Glue. Sit your monster’s ’tail’ (the leftover sock part) into a Paper Cup filled with water. The sock will soak up the water like a straw to feed the seeds. Place it on a sunny windowsill and wait for the hair to appear!

Have fun!

  • ✂ïļ Once the grass is long enough, use safety scissors to give your monster a stylish haircut!
  • 🎀 Use ribbons or clips to style the grass hair into ponytails or mohawks.
  • ðŸŽĻ Draw a mouth and some clothes on the paper cup base.
  • 📏 Measure how many centimetres the hair grows each day and keep a ‘Growth Chart’.

Why It’s Amazing

  • Biology Basics: Children learn what plants need to grow: water, soil, and sunlight. ðŸŠī
  • Fine Motor Skills: Filling the sock, tying rubber bands, and eventually cutting the grass develops hand strength. 🖐ïļ
  • Patience and Care: Teaches responsibility as children must remember to check the water level every day. 💧
  • Creative Expression: Every monster looks different, from their ’nose’ shape to their funky green hairstyle. ðŸ‘đ

Pro Tips

For ages 3-5: Help them with the pouring part as it can be messy! Let them choose where the eyes go.

For ages 5-8: Encourage them to draw a ‘face’ on the cup that matches the monster’s personality.

For ages 8-12: Try using different types of seeds (like cress or herbs) to see if the ‘hair’ looks or smells different!