How to Make a Flower Crown for the Maypole Festival

The Maypole Festival, or the spring celebration of May Day, has been a traditional holiday in Europe for centuries. Although not quite as popular in America, many children still enjoy celebrating the occasion by tying steamers of ribbon from a tall tree pole and dancing and singing around the base. Some choose a "Queen" for the day, and others make cones of colored paper and fill with flowers as gifts to neighbors and friends. All little girls love a flower crown to adorn their heads as they frolic on this perfect of spring days.

Things You'll Need

• 2 dozen flowers per crown 3 to 4 feet of different-colored ribbons

Instructions

1. 

   Purchase (or cut from your garden) two dozen fresh flowers with hearty 4- to 5-inch stems. Daisies and carnations make good choices as they will stay fairly fresh throughout the day.

2. With a small knife, make a ¼-inch long slit in the stem of one of the flowers--about 2 inches below the flower.

3. Thread the stem of the next flower through this slit and pull until it rests next to the first flower.

4. 

   Now make a slit in the flower from Step 3 and thread the third flower through this opening. Continue this process until you have a length of a flower chain that will fit appropriately around the child's head.

5. Once you have your desired length, twist the last stems on either end together and secure each stem through a slit to make the complete ring for a crown.

6. Tie brightly colored ribbons to this section where the two ends meet. Make sure your ribbons are several feet long so that they dangle and blow in the breeze. Now place the beautiful crown of flowers on your Maypole princess.

Tips & Warnings

• Save squares of wallpaper, construction paper or wrapping tissue for May Day activities. The children can form cones from the paper, seal with a staple and fill with wild flowers to give to neighbors and friends.