As part of our unit on the five senses with Mother Goose Time we created this simple, but fun craft that the kids loved. We created our very own flowers and added “gelatin paint” to stimulate our sense of smell. We then spent some time in the neighborhood and local gardening center smelling a variety of different flowers.
Supplies and Prep
Supplies
- souffle cup*
- craft stick*
- gelatin*
- paintbrushes
- scissors
- tape
- markers
- cups
*These supplies were provided by Mother Goose Time.
Prep
Mix gelatin with a small amount of water in plastic cups and set out paintbrushes.
Discuss
What plants do you know that smell?
Make
1. Invite children to cut slits in their paper cup to look like flower petals.
2. Decorate with markers.
3. Tape a green craft stick to the base of the flower prop.
4. Use the gelatin paint to add a scent to the flower prop.
Play
Take the flower prop outside and pretend to be a gardener. Where would the flower like to grow? Stick it in the ground.
Observe
What does the child say as he makes the prop? Does he use phrases or sentences when he speaks? Does the smell distract him or engage him?
Our Experience
This activity was a fabulous group activity for our three kids; ages 5, 3, and 1. The five year old and three year old were able to cut the souffle cup to make petals with minimal difficulty and the one year old was delighted to be given the opportunity to cut (with some help) like the “big kids.” The younger kids chose to color their flowers their favorite colors, blue and green. My eldest got more creative and really spent some time creating a flower that she thought was pretty. Taping the craft stick onto the “flower” was also a highlight as they all love using tape.
The gelatin proved to be an excellent sensory experience to highlight sense of smell and as always when we do art like this, sense of taste. The kids enjoyed mixing the gelatin with water and applying it to their flowers. They treated the flowers very much like a “scratch and sniff” sticker and carried it around to other family members to smell. Our gelatin was strawberry flavored, which all of the kids could readily identify. They also enjoyed finding other flowers in the area to smell and compare with their craft flowers.
Want to save this activity for later?
The image below is perfect for saving to Pinterest!
