Spring is here but the weather has been remarkably wintery! We had another snowfall this weekend, but just before it hit we managed to get out into the garden to do the March Mud & Bloom box! (Pricing and blurb at the end.)
The box fits right through the mailbox. It’s always exciting to see what’s inside!
As well as planting and creating there is also a list of ‘things to spot’ outside! For some reason I forgot to take a picture of it, but included catkins and blossom, and we’ve seen plenty of those!
This month’s things to plant are sunflowers and cucumbers! The sunflowers are especially exciting as they are the giant variety that will look wonderful this summer.
I always forget to label the pots, so Little C wrote the names of the seeds on some craft sticks I found. Nice and colourful!
As well as seeds, four little compost pellets are included. You soak them in water and pop them into your pots.
We ran out of small pots for the sunflowers, so they’ve been planted in a larger bowl until they’re ready to go outside. We also added some extra soil from the garden as the pellets were designed for smaller pots.
And there they are, planted up AND labelled!
The next activity was terrific fun.
Creating a Minature Garden!
The first thing we needed to do was to find a suitable container (thanks to my mother for providing a dish) and add gravel and soil. (More thanks to my mother for allowing us to raid her gravel path and bag of soil!)
It was freezing that afternoon, and there were actually a few snowflakes in the air! We hadn’t had time to go on a long walk to look for anything decorative, but fortunately there was plenty to find in the garden. We made our plans from the conservatory and then raced outside to make the collection.
Moss, rosemary, leaves, flowers, and even some broken pot shards!
It was great fun arranging all the bits. The broken pot became a little brick path. Also, can you see that little red-and-white thing on the left of the pot?
This lovely ceramic toadstool was included in the box as well! What a perfect little accent for the miniature garden.
The garden also needed a shelter, so back outside we went to get twigs.
They were tied together and glued. Little C decided to use the spotted material in the box for the shelter, as it matched the little toadstool.
Starting to come together!
Even a tinfoil pond was added!
And there’s the finished garden! Doesn’t it look magical?
Little C decided it was a fairy garden, as it was the perfect size for tiny people. They even had a little toadstool for a seat and the little shelter to keep warm!
We really had a splendid time with this. It’s always fun to plant seeds and see things grow. (Last month’s basil is coming along nicely!)
Creating a miniature garden is an inspired activity. It really encourages children to use their imagination, and to look out for beautiful natural things on their outdoor adventure. It’s lovely to include material and instructions for making the tipi (and also bunting, though we didn’t make that yet) and he provision of the little toadstool is really thoughtful. It’s perfect to add a touch of magic!
I love the mix of creativity and education. Children get excellent guidance and information to help open their eyes to nature, and they are taught patience with the growing activities!
At £7.95 a month including shipping it’s fantastic value. There are things to do, and hopefully you’ll also end up with delicious things to eat! Even I, as a person who has spent most of my life in urban environments, am getting better at spotting how nature grows and changes. Little C gets a great deal out of these activities, and as she is growing up in a far more semi-rural environment than I did, it is giving her all kinds of things to learn and see!
You don’t need special equipment, except for perhaps a few yogurt pots, and you don’t even need to live near the countryside! Just a bit of green outdoors is all you need to see and enjoy nature.
Click here to read more Mud & Bloom reviews!
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Quick blurb and pricing from the website:
A box costs £7.95 a month inclusive of shipping if you’re based in the UK.
Get 20% discount off your first box with the code FIRSTBOX20
The boxes are for 3-8 year olds and will be delivered through your letter box at the beginning of each month.
Each box includes everything you need for two seasonal activities: one gardening and one nature craft – along with instructions, quizzes and games aimed at teaching children about the seasons, plants, insects, birds, soil and rainfall.
Activities have been created by qualified teachers and they support the national curriculum with influence from Forest School, Steiner and Montessori education.
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A different version of this review was first published on allsubscriptionboxes.co.uk.
