Making Flower Stained Stationary is a fun and physical activity which results in really pretty and unique stationary for kids to use.
We have so many flowers in our yard right now! I love them so much and I’m always trying to come up with fun activities to use them while they’re blooming. Here’s an activity that my kids really enjoyed. Predictably, my 4-year-old loved that he was allowed to hammer and smash flowers. And my 7-year-old loved writing a sweet note to her grandma on this stationary they created.
What you need to make Flower Stained Stationary
- Fresh flowers – When you collect flowers to use, look for lots of different colors. We used yellow, pink, purple, and blue for our. We also found some leaves to use for the color green.
- White paper – We used basic white printing paper, but a heavier duty paper would work great as well. Just be sure it’s white or really light in color so that the flower colors will transfer onto it well.
- Hammer or mallet – We used a claw headed hammer, because it was heavy enough to smash the flowers well, but a wider headed rubber mallet would have worked great too.
- Durable flat surface – Be sure to protect whatever you’re hammering against. There will be quite a lot of hammering and smashing going on, so you’ll want to carefully position your paper onto a durable and flat work surface. We had a few leftover boards from a different project, so we set those on top of the ground.
- Black felt tipped marker – Once your stationary has been made, to create a note or drawing, you’ll want to use a black or very dark colored felt tipped marker. We used a Sharpie so that it would be quite visible against the colorful background.
How to make Flower Stained Stationary
- Collect flowers and leaves – First, you’ll need to head out to your yard or a park or nature area to collect several colorful fresh flowers and leaves to use.
- Set up your work station – There will be quite a lot of hammering and smashing going on, so you’ll want to carefully position your paper onto a durable and flat work surface. We had a few leftover boards from a different project, so we set those on top of the ground to use as our work station.
- Lay out your paper and position flowers – Grab one piece of white paper, set it on to top of your flat, durable work station, and then position various flowers and leaves on top of it. Try using lots of different colors on the same sheet of paper.
- Smash flowers into the paper – Okay, here’s the fun part! Grab your hammer or mallet and start pounding the flowers into the paper. Hammer, hammer, smash, smash. Don’t be afraid too really put some muscle into it.
- Safety instructions – Before you start creating your stationary, be sure to go over hazards, risks, and safety instructions with your child first. Explain how to safely hold the hammer or mallet, remind them to keep their fingers and toes away from the work area to avoid injury. If more than one child is participating, keep the other children at a safe distance while the first child hammers. Also, safety goggles might a good thing to use as well!
- Dry the stationary – Once your child has finished hammering colors onto the sheet of paper, gently brush the debris off of the page and then set it aside for a few minutes to fully dry.
- Write a note – After the stationary dries completely, grab a black marker and have your child draw a picture or write a sweet note. My kids chose to send a note to their grandma.
Why we love making Flower Stained Stationary
- A physically engaging activity – This activity is great, because it’s so physical. I think kids love to pound things with a hammer or mallet because they get permission to exert and use their bodies in different ways.
- Large motor skills – Wielding a hammer or mallet is a great way for kids to practice their larger motor skills. Learning how to manage a tool like a hammer or mallet will take some practice and strength for your child.
- Calculated risk – Taking calculated risks help children build confidence and learn responsibility. Activities like this help kids learn how to use a tool, while also teaching them responsibility and how to measure the risk involved. Learn more about kids and calculated risks in this article by Inlander.
- Unique piece of art – Every piece of stationary created is unique and different. You can use lots of flowers and colors or just a few. Kids will really value the individual creativity aspect of this activity.
- Forest school activity – This makes a really fun forest school activity because it connects children to nature while creating art and participating in some valuable calculated risk taking. Learn more about forest school here!
How to Make Flower Stained Stationary
Making Flower Stained Stationary is a fun and physical activity which results in really pretty and unique stationary for kids to use.
Materials
- Fresh flowers and leaves
- Durable work surface
- White paper
- Black marker
Tools
- Hammer or mallet
Instructions
1. First, you'll need to head out to your yard or a park or nature area to collect several colorful fresh flowers and leaves to use.
2. There will be quite a lot of hammering and smashing going on, so you'll want to carefully position your paper onto a durable and flat work surface.
3. Grab one piece of white paper, set it on to top of your flat, durable work station, and then position various flowers and leaves on top of it. Try using lots of different colors on the same sheet of paper.
4. Grab a hammer or mallet and start pounding the flowers into the paper. Hammer, hammer, smash, smash. Don't be afraid to really put some muscle into it.
5. Once your child has finished hammering colors onto the sheet of paper, gently brush the debris off of the page and then set it aside for a few minutes to fully dry.
6. After the stationary dries completely, grab a black marker and have your child draw a picture or write a note on it.
Notes
**SAFETY FIRST! -- Smashing, pounding, and hammering is FUN for kids, but it also requires adult supervision and direction. We want to make sure that nobody gets hurt during this activity! So, before creating the stationary, be sure to go over hazards, risks, and safety instructions with your child first. Explain how to safely hold the hammer or mallet and remind them to keep their fingers and toes away from the work area to avoid injury. If more than one child will be participating, keep the other child(ren) at a safe distance while the first child hammers away. Also, safety goggles might a good thing to use as well!
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