Chia Crafts for Children

You can create your own chia pets using chia or different types of herb seeds.

During the 1980s, Chia Pets became an American sensation. These iconic and unusual terra cotta pots, which sprouted chia hair, as well as the product's catch phrase, became ubiquitous. Chia pets come in a variety of generic animals as well as a variety of cartoon characters and famous people, including President Barack Obama. Help your children create their own homemade chia pets with simple alternatives.

Potato Pet

Turn your spud into a chia bud. Cut a hole at the head of a potato, about 1 inch wide. Fill the hole with potting soil. Scatter a spoon full of chia or rye grass seeds on top of the soil and water. Decorate the potato head with paint or glue on felt pieces to make a face. Slice the bottom of the potato into a flat surface to make it stand upright. Keep on a plate or dish near sunlight. Water regularly---the plant should always be moist.

Egg Heads

The Cackleberries website recommends making a one-of-a-kind chia pet using eggshells. Slice off the top of a hard-boiled egg -- you should have 3/4 of the shell body intact. Remove the egg from the shell. Draw a face on the outer shell with permanent marker or paint. The shell is very fragile, so take caution. Soak a cotton ball in water and place it at the bottom of the shell. Sprinkle alfalfa or chia seeds on top of the cotton ball. Keep the shell in sunlight. You should see sprouts form in a few days.

Grass Head

Create your own rye grass or chia garden using clear plastic cups, like they do on the Family Fun website. Create a face on the outside of the plastic cup using marker, stickers or paint. Fill the cup halfway with potting soil. In a separate container, mix a spoonful of plant seeds with a few spoonfuls of soil. Pour that soil mixture into the cup. Then fill the rest of the cup with regular gardening soil. Keep in sunlight and water regularly.

Herb Friends

Create multiple mini chia gardens by reusing an old egg carton. Cut the egg carton into sets of two or four, or use the entire carton for a big garden. Draw faces or designs on the outer carton pots using paint or markers. Fill the grooves in the carton with damp potting soil and sprinkle chia or herb seeds on top. Keep in sunlight and water regularly.

References

• Family Fun: Plant Pals
• Cackleberries: Chia Pet Craft