Activity: Floral Stationery

Encourage responsibility and build self-esteem by helping your child dry and press flowers to use on stationery make just for recording responsibility goals on.

Materials:

• small fresh flowers or petals
• wax paper
• thick book for pressing flowers (phone book, dictionary, etc.)
• stationery paper
• scissors
• glue

Directions:
Begin by making sure flowers are dry. Lay fresh flowers on a piece of wax paper and fold paper. Press flowers by storing them inside a thick book for a week. Remove flowers from book and gently glue onto stationery. Be sure to help your child sign and date the stationery. Option: Spray pressed flowers with perfume for added fragrance or cover flowers with gold or silver metallic paint. When stationery is dry, help your child come up with age-appropriate goals to list on the stationery page. Possible goal suggestions to reinforce responsibility: Make bed; pick up toys; feed pet; help in the kitchen and laundry; etc. Frame goals for display or keep in a place where they can be easily seen each day as a reminder to keep working at being responsible!

Talk about It: Ask your child what it means to be responsible? Help your child share how he/she is responsible at home. Then encourage your child to name ways that other people (parents, caregivers, friends, teachers, community workers, etc.) in his/her life act in responsible ways.

Take it Further: Use the same process as above to press and dry flowers for the following project ideas:

• Make a mini-wall collage by filling 3x5 white index cards with pressed fresh flowers. (If fresh flowers are not available, use plant leaves or artificial flowers. Many florists will also have petals and "leftover" plant parts that can be used.)
• Make pressed flower bookmarks
• Decorate boxes, cans, or containers with pressed flowers and plants. Add decoupage liquid for a glossy sealer.

With a Group: Don't stop with stationery. Help your group also make an original envelope with dried and pressed flowers to match. Begin by using a small envelop for a pattern (template). Unfold the envelope and place it on your choice of paper to match stationery or use these alternative materials for envelope paper: magazine pages; gift wrap; wallpaper; newspaper; old book pages; or maps. Trace envelope edges. Cut around tracing. Look at the envelope and duplicate the folds on the new cut out pattern. Glue edges and press with hands to flatten. Add pressed flowers on the left front bottom corner or the back flap. Seal envelope with sticker or clear tape.