Watchings plants grow is a great pastime, at any age. That why I think to get  children to plant seeds and watch how these seeds grow, will teach them to care for the plants. Let  them look around the kitchen for quick-sprouting seed. Like orange pits ,lemons, grapes,beans and grapefruit. Teach them to put the seeds in a folded paper towel, dampen the towel, and to keep the towel damp, until the seeds begin to grow.Once the seedlings are strong enough, move them to a flower-pot.

To make colourful flower pots; You need two small tins of enamel paint any colour you like, (I took red and white) 4 small clay pots; long nose pliers; plastic spoons; and a bowl big enough to dip the pots in. You will also need turpentine and old rags to clean-up.

Right lets start the project: Fill the bowl with water. gently and slowly put a couple of spoonfuls of red enamel all the over top of the water surface ,do not stir the water now. Using a different plastic spoon. Drip a spoonful of the white enamel on the surface with the red paint. Now softly swirl the paint on top of the water. Let  your child use the long nose pliers to hold the clay pot. Dip the pot slowly base down into the water and paint. Don't coat the inside of the pot only the outside. If the child does get a mixture of paint and water inside the cup, just turn the pot upside down to dump the mixture out. When the pot is done , turn it upside down on a newspaper and let it dry. Just remember enamel takes a while to dry so it will have  to stand a day or two. When the pots are dry they should look marblized.

Now,  we  wait until the seeds are  about 7.5cm high and strong enough to plant into the clay pots. Fill  the clay pots with potting soil and gently transplant the seedlings, water a little bit everyday. Or the  children can sow the seeds directly into the clay pots. Fill each clay pot with damp potting soil and press a few seeds on to each surface. Let the child sow a different type of seed in each pot. For example; Orange pips in one clay pot, and lentils in the other. Make sure  your child does not over water or let the potting soil dry,  he or she can do this by checking everyday to see if the soil is  dry and whether the seeds have sprouted

If you need other ideas google: (Ideas for pots or pot plants)

Happy planting.http://merleanny.blogspot.com