How to Grow Cress Caterpillars

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I took part in another Google+ hangout with Red Ted Art and a whole raft of UK craft bloggers last night. I love these hangouts, seeing other people’s crafty creations really inspires me. Last night we shared ideas for using up egg boxes and Maggy’s chickens, Anthea’s masks and Kelly’s little Easter baskets are now top of our Easter ‘To do list’. I also realised, as we were chatting, that Bonus Boy has never made egg carton daffodils, what an oversight! Liz’s host of golden lovelies will definitely be making an appearance ASAP!

Cress caterpillar with googly eyes and pipe cleaner antennae.

How to Grow Cress Creatures!

You will need a long egg box (the ones which hold a dozen eggs), a plastic bag, cotton wool, scissors, cress seeds, pom poms, googly eyes, a pipe cleaner, glue

  1. Cut the top off your egg box Inside of half an egg carton with tall dividing spikes.
  2. Cut the top off the sticky up spikes so that it will lie flat when you turn it upside down Spikes in the egg carton cut down, leaving holes for the cress.
  3. Turn it upside down! Underside of the egg carton, now sitting flat on the floor.
  4. Line the holes with pieces of cut up plastic bag (or cling film). This is really important as the egg box will dry out too quickly if you don’t and your cress won’t grow! One of the holes in the carton, now lined with a bit of plastic bag.
  5. Pop a ball of cotton wool on top of the plastic Damp cotton wool pushed into the hole.
  6. Get a willing helper to decorate the egg box. This time it was a caterpillar but, in the past, we have made monsters, dragons, hedgehogs etc. Young boy decorating the egg carton with colourful pompoms.
  7. Add a face and some pipe cleaner antennae Drawing the smile on the caterpillar's face.
  8. Water the cotton wool and sprinkle liberally with cress seeds Cress seeds sprinkled onto the damp cotton wool.
  9. Keep moist and you should see sprouts within a few days and be able to chop it and eat it within a couple of weeks!

Finished cress caterpillar with a large anount of cress growing out of its back.

Isn’t he glorious?! I love his wonky face where the water has washed off his lippy. Bonus Boy is looking forward to scalping him later and eating him in an egg and cress sandwich!

You can watch the full hangout and see everyone’s wonderful ideas here!

9 Comments

  1. Becky on March 15, 2013 at 6:42 am

    we just have to make this he is adoreable

    Reply
  2. Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom on March 20, 2013 at 2:28 am

    This is adorabe – my daughter would love it!

    Reply
  3. Emily on March 20, 2013 at 11:11 am

    Love this idea, I’ve pinned it to remind me to have a go! Xx

    Reply
  4. Jen on March 31, 2013 at 1:49 pm

    I haven’t seen anything like this before. This is extravagantly amazing! Very creative and resourceful. Perfect for the kids! I really loved the materials you put to complete this caterpillar. We did an Egg Carton Color Sorting Activity game out of the same materials you used. You should check it out! 🙂

    Reply
    • Chris on April 1, 2013 at 3:33 pm

      I will! Thanks so much! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Berkley Bird on April 11, 2013 at 1:48 pm

    Ooh lovely. I’m going to do this for a bit of fun with my class!

    Reply
    • Chris on April 11, 2013 at 3:49 pm

      Brilliant! Do let me know how you get on! 🙂

      Reply
  6. wendy on April 23, 2013 at 10:23 pm

    This is brilliant, I’m definitely going to ‘pinch’ this idea to do with my small people! 🙂
    I’m always loathe to throw away perfectly good egg boxes and think there must be something more interesting and eco friendly to do with them.
    Lacking some sort of crafty makey thing gene myself though, I couldn’t think what to do with them.
    They’ll love making cress boxes and planting them, and it’ll liven sandwiches up! 🙂

    Reply
  7. stef a on June 28, 2013 at 6:44 pm

    This is awesome we will be making this tommorow

    Reply

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