Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them.
- A. A. Milne, Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh
March 28th is Weed Appreciation Day and one of the best known and best loved weed, well.... loved by kids anyway, is the Dandelion.
Why not take your child on a Dandelion hunt? The kids can try to find the biggest, tallest, shortest, smallest, brightest color, etc dandelions.
Locally, there are many places to see and gather dandelions (check out the city of Orlando parks). Of course, as a contrasting study you can also take the kids to Leu Gardens to see the plants that are considered flowers. Children often can not tell the difference between a weed and a flower ( neither can I, I love dandelions).
If you want to get more into the science of dandelions, you can show your child the different stages of growth.
Before making a dandelion chain, you may want to tell the children The Legend of the Dandelion.
How to Make a Dandelion Chain
Supplies:
- Dandelions (with thick stems)
- Xacto Knife or small sharp scissors (for adults or older child only)
- Lots of imagination!
Step 1: Pick dandelions with long, thick stems, one at a time.
Step 2: Make a short slit halfway down the stem of one dandelion.
Step 3: Insert the stem end of a second dandelion into the slit and push it down through the first dandelion as far as it will go.
Step 4: Make a slit halfway down the second dandelion and insert a third dandelion.
Step 5: Continue until your chain is a little longer than you want it to be. Tie the last stem to the first dandelion near the flower.
Step 6: Make necklaces, crowns and bracelets.
Expect the flowers to wilt quickly.
Did you know?....Dandelions are sensitive to the weather. In good weather the head is fully open but if rain threatens it closes up.Also, the dandelion is said to close up against the dew around 5pm and to open up again at 7am. (Wonder if that's why it's called a clock?) Although this behaviour is said to depend on the intensity if the light so the times differ at different lattitudes and seasons.
Comments