Super Colourful Summer Seed Starters

Summer is one of my favourite seasons because there's a lot of colour. 

From growing grass, to fresh flowers, to seasonal fruit and vegetables, there's a rainbow out there just waiting to be explored. 

I wanted to engage kids in something to help them appreciate the growing process, and that's how I came up with these vibrant seed starters.

Let's get started!

What You'll Need — Craft

• newspaper
• watercolours (or other water-based, non-toxic craft paint)
• paintbrushes
• water, water container
• scissors
• paper towel tube (or something like it)

What You'll Need — Planting

• soil
• seeds
• spoon

How It's Made

If it’s a nice day outside, spread some newspaper in your nearest green space and get painting!

If that’s not possible, staying inside is just as great. Remember to protect your work surface with extra newsprint or a tablecloth. Cover your newspaper sheets in lots and lots of colour. Have fun making rainbows, polka dots, repeating patterns, splatters, zig zags … whatever your heart desires!

Wait for your newsprint to dry. If you’re outside in the sun, your paintings will be dry in a snap! Cut rectangles from your newsprint. No need to be precise — about the length of a paper towel tube and about half of its height works great.

Wrap your rectangle of newsprint around one end of your paper towel tube, leaving about 3 or 4 cm of overhang.

Twist the overhang to form a point, like this.

Then use your finger to poke the twist up inside the tube.

Slide your newsprint off of the paper towel tube and ta-da! You made a seed starter!

Make as many as you like!

Fill each seed starter with soil. You can use a spoon to help you.

Plant your choice of seeds in your starters following the recommendations on the seed package.

We planted radishes and beans which are great for kids because they’re hard to mess up, plus you’ll see sprouts in just a few days. But there are many fun fruits and vegetables to try! If you’re in the market for easy-to-grow flowers instead, marigolds, sunflowers and daisies are a great bet. 

Once your stems are looking strong and sturdy, transplant them into the soil so they can flourish and grow. You can transplant your seedlings in their starters or gently remove before planting. Now all that’s left to do is stand back and admire your green (and red and yellow and orange and purple and blue) thumb!