Summer break family activity: Chaos flower garden

Add some vibrant color to your yard and engage your children in some fun this summer break!

Influenced by videos online, I decided to do my take on a “chaos flower garden” with the help of my children. You can achieve this too in a few inexpensive steps.

Most of the materials I was able to purchase from the dollar store: Seeds (grab a variety – this is the chaos component), gardening tools and gardening gloves. I also purchased soil, fertilizer and additional seeds for variety at a home improvement store.

1. Prep your flower bed or garden. As a family, we cleaned up old debris and weeds and added new soil/ fertilizer to our flower bed. This part is very engaging for the kids and allows them to get their hands dirty. Who knew pulling weeds could be so fun?
2. Create the chaos. In a cup, dump all of the seeds you purchased. We combined a variety of zinnias, marigolds and some wildflower mixes. Shake well.
3. Sprinkle the chaos. The kids and I took handfuls at a time and sprinkled them throughout the flower bed. There is no trick to this; just try to do it as evenly as possible.
4. Top off with soil. Add a small layer (about ¼ inch) of soil on top to cover the seeds. Have the kids put on gloves and help; the messy parts seem to be the most fun!
5. Water and wait. Water well, and then the waiting game begins. Make sure to water every day, and check on the status of your chaos flower garden. The best part is that you don’t know what flowers will come out where and when. The waiting game can be hard, but in the meantime, you can search “chaos flower garden” and see videos of what others have documented.

How are you having fun outdoors as a family this summer? Share your chaos flower gardens and other ideas with us at Arizona PBS Kids on Facebook. Here’s how our chaos flower garden is coming along:

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About the author

Marissa Will is the mother of two, Olivia (8) and Logan (6). Writing was her first passion: she’s a freelance writer and a Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication alumna. Will is currently educating the future leaders of tomorrow: She has spent the past nine years educating third grade with a master’s degree in elementary education from Northern Arizona University-Yuma.