Imagine building a playhouse from the ground up–no tools required! From a handful of sunflower seeds, kids can grow their very own enchanted garden getaway that will teach them valuable gardening skills and provide hours of imaginative outdoor play.
What You Need
- 2 packets of sunflower seeds (try mixing mammoth seeds for high walls and dwarf seeds to fill in the lower spaces)
- Shovel
- Garden hose or watering can
What You Do
- Lay your foundation
After frost danger has passed in the spring, choose a sunny place for your playhouse that is clear and level. Using a shovel, dig up the earth in a horseshoe shape that is about 6 feet wide, removing the top layer of sod to expose bare soil. In the inside of the horseshoe can be cleared or left grassy for green “carpet” in your playhouse.
- Plant your seeds
Follow the instructions on your seed packets to sow sunflowers in the exposed soil. Mix mammoth and dwarf seeds evenly for high, dense walls.
- Water and watch it grow
Keep the soil moist but not soggy (sunflowers don’t like too much water). It will take the seeds 5-10 days to sprout and 8-12 weeks for them to grow to their full height. In the meantime, kids can build a stone walkway, paint a welcomesign, and craft decorations for their blossoming bungalow.