by Meredith Brustlin, CMNH Educator

This week, all of our online programming will focus on the earth and being environmentally friendly! 

Try making seed flyers this week. These are fun to make and fun to throw or plant! Plus, the wildflower seeds that you use to create them will be helpful to your neighborhood pollinators. 

Materials Needed:

• Newspaper or construction paper (torn into small pieces)
• Water
• A blender or food processor
• Wildflower seeds
• Mini muffin tin (optional)

Directions:

• Start by tearing up your paper into small pieces
• Put the pieces in a bowl or a couple different bowls
• Pour water over your paper pieces and allow them to soak
  • This will take about 20 minutes with construction paper and less time with newspaper
• Once your paper is soaked, add it to your food processor or blender
  • Process or blend until the paper is fully broken down
• Now it’s time to make your seed bombs!
  • Smush the paper into your muffin tin or use your hands to smush the paper into spheres
  • If using the muffin tin, put a layer of paper and then sprinkle some seeds on top, then add another layer of paper on top of that and smush it all down
  • If using your hands, put some paper and seeds into your hands and then roll into balls
• Let your seed flyers dry
  • Let them dry for a few hours in the muffin tin (if you used one)
  • Once they’re a bit dry, transfer them to a drying rack and let them fully dry overnight

Now what do you do?!

• When seed planting season starts...plant your seed flyers! Or, as the name implies, THROW THEM and see them fly through the air! They will land and start to work their way into the soil. 

Thank you to our Earth Day week sponsor, D. F. Richard!