Looking for a fun, easy project that combines crafting, gardening, and a little science? With just a few materials (like toilet paper, wildflower seeds, and a cookie cutter), you can create beautiful plantable seed paper that grows into flowers when planted.
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This tutorial was inspired by our Aunt Amy, who taught the art of seed paper making to our kids on a recent vacation. She is a naturalist and STEM teacher and always has the best activities up her sleeve! She is the one who introduced us to the classic “Gone Fishing” snack!
This activity is perfect for kids of all ages, our kids ages 2-10 all did it and LOVED it! If you have nature loving kids I recommend checking out this leaf chromatography science experiment and this color changing flower activity.
Making your own plantable seed paper is the perfect eco friendly activity for kids and a great way to celebrate Earth Day. Read on for a step by step tutorial on how to make your own seed paper and ways to use this activity for some awesome learning for little ones!
What You’ll Need
- 10 squares of toilet paper
- Water
- Mason jar with a lid (or any container you can shake- we use a pint size mason jar)
- Screen (a scrap from an old window screen works great!)
- Cookie cutter (heart shaped is perfect for gifts, we used bison, loons and canoes for our nature themed paper)
- Wildflower seeds
How To Make Your Seed Paper
1. Rip & Soak
Rip the toilet paper into small pieces and toss them into a mason jar. Fill the jar about halfway with water, the temperature isn’t critical, so use what’s convenient. Screw on the lid and shake it up until the paper pulp looks well mixed. This is called a slurry.
2. Add Seeds
Add a handful of seeds, a wildflower seed blend works well, especially if you’re gifting them. Swirl or stir them into the pulp. (You can also add flower petals or food coloring for extra fun!)
3. Shape It
Place a cookie cutter on top of your screen. This part can get messy so do it outside or in a pan. Pour the slurry into the cookie cutter, pressing it down into a thin layer. Be mindful: the thicker your paper, the longer it will take to dry.
4. Press It
Once the shape is filled, press down on the slurry to remove excess water and remove the cookie cutter. Add another screen on top and gently roll over it with a rolling pin or the mason jar to squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
5. Dry It
Let your homemade seed paper dry on a paper towel or your screen. Ideally this would be on a flat surface in a sunny spot outdoors or near a window. Dry time depends on thickness and weather, it may take a full day or more before your paper is fully dry.
Educational Ideas For This Craft
Want to sneak in a science lesson? Share this fun fact with your kids: wasps were the original inventors of paper! They chew up tree bark and mix it with saliva to form nests, basically their own version of recyclable paper. Just like your DIY slurry!
- Pair this activity with a reading of The Lorax to spark Earth Day conversations.
- Attach your plantable paper to gift tags or make a card for a loved one, talking about how using reusable products is a beautiful reminder that small choices can lead to big change
- Encourage kids to plant their own seed paper and observe the full growth cycle, from slurry to plant!
Tips & Tricks When Making Your Seed Paper
Use tiny seeds & cheap toilet paper to avoid clumping
We don’t use a mixer or food processor as this is harder to clean up and less hands on for kids, however if you are looking at making a batch of seed paper this would be a quicker way versus hand shaking your slurry
Pressing thoroughly is the best way to get smooth, textured paper that dries quickly
Variations To This Craft
Looking to customize your plantable seed paper even more? Try these fun add-ins!
- Flower Petals: Mix in dried flower petals for a natural, colorful touch that adds beauty to the finished paper.
- Food Coloring: Add a few drops to your pulp mixture to tint your paper in any shade you like, perfect for themed gifts or holiday crafts. You could even make tie dye hearts for Valentines Day!
- Add Glitter (Eco Friendly): Sprinkle a little biodegradable glitter into your pulp for a sparkly touch, perfect for special occasion cards or kids who love a bit of shimmer.
This wildflower seed paper is fun, hands on way for kids to learn about sustainability, recycling, and growing something new. And if you’re lucky, you may even get a bouquet of flowers out of it.
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