Hey, guys! It’s Katie here. I recently made one of my most favorite toys for my kiddos and I just had to share! I have to admit, when this idea popped into my head I may have gotten a little overly excited. You see, one of our very favorite things to do as a family is tend to the garden, but since we live in the Midwest there has been none of that for many months now. Soon the weather will be warm and we will be growing goodies in the garden again, but until then this toy garden box will help tide the girls over. Here’s how to make your own:
Supplies:
-A color variety of felt (purple, orange, green, and red were necessities for me)
–Green pipe cleaners
-Velcro
-Brown paint & paint brush
-Brown jersey cotton
-Needle & thread/scissors
Now, let’s start with the garden box. Grab any good-sized box you have lying around your house. I chose one that was pretty shallow so it would be easy to “plant” in.
Step One: Cover the entire box in brown paint.
Step Two: In between coats of paint, you can start on your “dirt.” Cut a piece from your brown jersey fabric to fit the width of the box (mine was 13″ x 14″). Fold it in half and run a stitch up the edge with your sewing machine.
Step Three: Flip right side out and cinch one end closed with a running stitch pulled tight and tied off. Stuff it full and cinch the remaining end closed. Repeat as many times as needed to fill your box.
Step Four: Insert your “dirt” pillows and make sure they fill the box. Now, onto the carrots!
Step One: Cut out a large triangle from orange felt and fold in half (mine was 5″ at its widest point and 5″ long). Stitch from the bottom to the top edge. Be sure not to stitch it closed.
Step Two: Cut out a circle for the top of your carrot, along with the leaves. Stitch the leaves to the top portion of the carrot.
Step Three: Flip the carrot right side out and stuff. Hand sew the carrot top on.
To make the beets:
Step One: Cut out a large circle from your purple felt (mine was 7 1/2″ in diameter). Clip four even triangles out of the circle (as shown above). Join each edge with the one next to it with your sewing machine. Repeat until the beet is sewn all the way around.
Step Two: Flip right side out and stuff until firm. Cinch the top closed and tie off.
Step Three: Cut a long leaf shape from your green felt (mine was 8″ tall). Stitch a purple stalk piece to your leaf to create a sort of pocket. Leave the bottom open.
Step Four: Insert a pipe cleaner into the stalk. Cut off the excess and repeat.
Step Five (optional): I used contrasting thread to sew veins onto the leaf to make it look more realistic.
Step Six: Insert three leaves into the beet and hand sew them in place. Tie off and you’re all finished! Repeat as many times as you’d like. I made two beets for my box.
Now onto the strawberries!
Step One: Cut out a simple strawberry shape (as seen above—mine was 2″ at its widest point and 2″ long). Stitch around the edges, leaving the top open.
Step Two: Flip right side out and stuff. Cinch the top closed and tie off with a knot.
Step Three: Add small, decorative stitches all over the strawberry. Cut a small green top and sew a piece of soft velcro to it. Hand stitch the top onto the top of the strawberry. Repeat as many times as you’d like. I made four strawberries for my plant.
Step Four: Twist a group of pipe cleaners together. I used three.
Step Five: Cut out leaf shapes in groups of three. Create jagged edges and then stitch the leaves to the pipe cleaners on the bottom side. Repeat this step until the pipe cleaners are entirely concealed.
Step Six: Grab another pipe cleaner and insert it through a leaf shape (this leaf looks more like the top of the strawberry, with four points). Round the edge of the pipe cleaner and lay flat against the felt leaf.
Step Seven: Stitch a rough piece of velcro over the rounded pipe cleaner. Repeat on both ends.
Step Eight: Twist the pipe cleaner around the base of the plant. Now you’re all done!
Now it’s time to plant (and unplant) your garden in the box! My little Poesy girl had so much fun with this part!
I added some simple felt flowers and some store-bought ladybugs to add to the fun of the garden box. This is one of my very favorite children’s toys to date! It’s a great way for little ones to learn about gardening. Happy crafting! xo. Katie
Credits // Author: Katie Shelton, Photography: Katie Shelton & Sarah Rhodes. Photos edited with Spring from the Signature Collection and Phoenix from the Fresh Collection.
160 Comments
Love it !! Just waiting for my kid to grow up and actually make her this ????
I love this! I’m just debating what sort of age range this would suit…I’ve got a 3yr old niece and a 5yr old. Do you think it’s too young for the 5yr old? I remember playing with things like this in reception and year 1 of school but not sure!
Wow.. this is soo Cute ????
Thanks for sharing
Looking forward to reading more. Great post.Really thank you! Great.
What a seriously adorable idea! I can’t wait to make this for my toddler. She is going to love it!
I loved it! Thanks for your idea! I made mine for my small daughter. The result can you see here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/EbDL4vkMm8pZvII33
Beautiful idea! I love it. ??
Thanks for the idea! I just made mine. But without your inspiration, it would not be possible. This is the result: https://bycousinas.com/huerto-de-juguete-para-ninos-en-crochet/
This is so cute, and I love how you did the step by step tutorial with the photos. Makes it so do-able and easy to understand for someone like myself with limited sewing skills. Thank you!
This is so adorable !
It’s always a pleasure to visite your blog and see your pictures and creations.
Xoxo
Michelle
You’re a pro Katie. I’ve been making mine and I’ve put in 12 hours! eeek! Still not done but almost. I really love it still and is a grat idea. The cutting took most of my time up for sure. Thanks again.
Absolutely lovely. We included a link on our FB page (https://www.facebook.com/KidsCareList/posts/236354646556275) for other parents to see this.
What a wonderful idea, my girls would love this!
This is such a great idea! My kids will love it. Thanks for this DIY, I really like the strawberries…
Love ur blogs , so much to be inspired about . My friend natalia( lazy girl world) told me to follow you if I Wana start blogging .
N yet she was so right ! I have learned a lot from u !
Where did you get the little ladybugs? :)Too Cute!
This is adorable! If you had no sewing skills (like me) I would use dark brown tights to make the dirt rows (fill the ‘legs’ of the tights with the stuffing) and tie off ends with brown ribbon. Maybe hot glue it shut? I could also see myself hot gluing most of the vegetable parts together(like the flat leaves) and maybe drawing the veins on the leaves with Sharpie marker? The berries I can hand sew…I may make this for my granddaughter for Easter! Even if I only had flowers growing for pulling and making bouquets, I am sure kids would love that too- they can put little vases of flowers they ‘grew’ all over the house..What if they put ‘seeds’ in the night before, and you replace them after they’re asleep with the flowers! I am having fun exploring this! Thanks for the great ideas:)
Since Facebook is notorious for not letting page owners know when I tag them, I thought I would stop by myself and let you know I featured this post and my readers loved it! https://www.facebook.com/CraftsbyAmanda/photos/pb.323548680216.-2207520000.1397173019./10154010907870217/?type=3&theater
Now I just gotta learn how to sew neater! This is sooo cute….!!!
Really a clever idea and attractive toy. Imaginative, and I bet it will be fun to make and to play with. What a cool way to learn about where our food comes from and how plants grow!
This is the kind of toy that really makes kids use their imagination to interact with the toy. I think this is the kind of toy that will help develop traits I hope my children will have: respect for life, appreciation of the beauty and wonder of nature, appreciation of the joy of nurturing life . . .
Thank you for sharing this.
are you selling that??? love it hpw much to make one for me? 🙂
This is so cute, I can’t wait to make it. Thanks so much!
Great idea!!!! I love it!!!!
Totally love this idea to help get kids more into gardening, how cool! When I get the sewing machine back I think I’ll start making it for the niece and nephew!
oh I so want to make this!!!! It’s absolutely adorable!
Cannot wait to make smaller versions of these for my kids’ Easter baskets. Question though, I don’t have a sewing machine…do you think I could do all this by hand? I’m pretty good at sewing by hand so I think with some adjustments I could do it.
I love this so much! Thank you for sharing!
I made one similar to this. What I did was I used a rectangle flower planter and made two rows of brown felt covered over sponges. I made one for flowers and one for vegetables. For the vegetables, I use plastic carrots and onions and potatoes.
Wish there was a way that those of us with NO skills could buy it. Great project for the talented judging by the way yours came out.
LOVE it.
I am so obsessed with this. It’s so cute and great for learning about the garden even when inside.
I am totally going to do this! I think I will also make “lettuce” and “tomato” plants too.
Too good . Luv the idea
This is great! I love the idea, the result, everything! I will do it for my little girl. Thanks for sharring!
Incredible work!!
chapeau
One of the best DIY toys I’ve seen yet. Already made the beets and they are adorable. Plan to have the whole thing done in time for our 3-year old’s birthday. Thanks so much for a great idea.
I love this idea!!! I’m passing this along to my mom and telling her to make it for my niece and nephew haha.
Oh my! This is adorable!!!
Seriously, the CUTEST CRAFT EVER! Bravo!
xo, Sarah
So cute.
I remember this idea from IKAT BAG a few years ago, I like the box you did tho…
http://www.ikatbag.com/2009/04/dirt-foam-part-5.html
Jeez, this is one of the cutest things I have ever seen on the web.
Love it!
Elsie and Emma, Oh my word this is too adorable!! I love the felt gardening box as a primer for the dirt veggie patch this summer. Am going to try this. Thanks so much for the great inspiration! Best, Jen
Oh my lord this is the absolute cutest and most amazing thing I’ve ever seen!!
This was the cutest thing I have ever seen! And så much fun!
Wow this is absolutely fantastic, my daughter would love this.
Chloe
http://bethbear2011.blogspot.com
This is seriously the sweetest project ever! Can’t wait to make this for my (future) babies!
http://hello-homebody.com
What a gorgeous idea! Love the photos – can’t wait to have kids!!
Anisa – The Macadame. xx
www.creamstop.com
Insanely cute! Can’t wait to make one of these for my little man who will be two next summer…it will be the perfect companion to our real pallet garden 🙂
I don’t own a sewing machine… Do you sell these????
This is actually the best diy idea I have seen in ages. So wonderful!! Thank you! 🙂
What a darling gardening play set! I am putting this on my summer to-do list 🙂 ~Denise
This is one of the most amazing projects you ever had up here, in my opinion.
You guys are so creative, sometimes it´s overwhelming.
THIS IS TOO CUTE.
LEARNING to grow your own veggies and fruits in play/pretend . . . a FAB IDEA for young kids! Sewing felt foods for the garden: colorful carrots, beets & strawberries each planted in a separate row in the soil/ garden box. Older kids could help sew a little by hand. Later kids can plant seeds in the ground for a REAL and learn gardening skills. THANKS for sharing this . . . your creativity shows! Sarah in Minneapolis
This is adorable and so cute, great idea
where do you get your felt??
You should totally sell these! (for those of us who aren’t as talented with a sewing machine)
I am angered by the level of cuteness
This is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen!!!!!! Thanks so much for sharing!! 😀 xxx
This is adorable! And it seems esay to do, even without a sewing machine. I don’t know what is cuter (well, I do in fact), the toy or the little fairy playing with it…
So freakin’ adorable!
The cutest ever. Congrats on this great idea!
i can’t get over how adorable this is!! great idea, katie!
xxoo,
nikki
www.dreaminneon.blogspot.com
What a great idea! Gardening all year round! And such an awesome way to get little ones interested in gardening 🙂
Why is felt one of the best materials ever? I’ll admit, I just want to make one of these for myself.
Ok, this is the cutest thing ever. Amazing!
I am going to make this for my nephew!
holy moly, that is incredibly impressive!!
This is ADORABLE!! Planning on sharing this link with a few garden loving family members who I know will love making this for their kids.
This is absolutely superb! Love it!
My kids are tweens and teens now but I still think this is absolutely adorable! How creative 🙂 Love that you shared this!
Laurali Star
http://www.thesecretsurprisinista.com
this is such an amazing and creative idea! i love it such a great play pastime for little ones. My little on e would love this, thanks for sharing it.
Zoe
http://gypsiesister.blogspot.co.uk
This is such a fun project to make and to play with ! Love the picture when your little gardener smells the flower !!! So cute !
This is a simply WONDERFUL idea.. what a great gift this would be for a little one ready for spring. I think you could sell these…
This turned out great Katie! Love it.
This is so great- though I don’t have a sewing machine, I may just have to hand-sew these for my three little boys. They are missing the garden too!
That is beyond adorable!
This is possibly the cutest, most genius toy I’ve ever seen! Thanks for sharing it, Katie! I think I have to make one for my nieces.
omg! this is great! Amazing idea and soooo cute!
SPECTACULAR. I love it. But you forgot to add “fiberfill” or whatever to your list of supplies
So cute! I don’t plan on starting a family for years but I totally want to make this for my future children! So creative!
Oh I love this!!
It’s such a cute idea!! ♥
xo Maria
http://www.marygoesround.de
great post ! Kisses 🙂 http://beauty2beautytips.blogspot.com/
Beautiful colors and I love your look! Lovely Read! http://beauty2beautytips.blogspot.com/ http://factsaboutcanceruk.blogspot.com/
This might be the coolest thing I have seen for a while!
Being a gardener I love it! Thank you for letting us see it.
Wow, it’s awosome. I have to make it for my little girl
http://tarragonain.blogspot.com.es
They’re beautiful. I really should do some crafts for my toddler now.
This tutorial is really cute!
http://fashion-soup.com/
LOVE it!
This is an amazing idea, looks like a lot of fun.
Katie!
This is adorable! very creative!
I loved it!
xxx
Katie, when I saw this lovely toy on your blog the other day, my eye was drawn to it immediately. So glad you posted a tutorial here! This is the kind of thing that makes me very keen to have kids RIGHT NOW!!!
THIS is so cute!! I need to make one 🙂 Thanks for this great and adorabell project:)
xx Anika
Too cute! I wish I would know how to use a sewing machine 🙂
What a great idea! So sweet…I can’t wait to make this for my daughter:-) Thanks
So truly very adorable! The little girl too! I wish I had sewing skills, or the patience for sewing =)
So adorable!
Adorable! This may the one thing I actually make. Thank you for sharing.
This is such a cute idea. My older children (11 & 13yrs) made some felt food for my little one ( 3yrs) for Christmas….I can’t wait to show them this idea!
possibly my favorite post to date.
This is the cutest craft ever! I might have to try it out!
Shannon
http://GBOfashion.com
wow I love this!!! Katie is a genius!
So cute. But mostly I am commenting because my daughter has that same dress! Or as she calls them ‘pretties’.
Aww this is such a cute idea! I love it and she looks so happy planting everything! Great way to inspire youngsters to garden!
♥
Krystal | www.moorekrystal.wordpress.com
Woooow! This is so beautiful! I want one for myself!
These are beautiful! I am starting gardening with my kids so this is a perfect spring craft. They are going to love this Thanks!
Adorable. I have to make this for my granddaughter.
This is awesome! I love it!
This is absolutely adorable!
I love this! I’m definitely doing this with my girl!
love this! it’s so fun…..although an actual garden you actually get to eat 🙂
How positively CUTE!!!
This is the cutest thing ever.
This is such an adorable idea! I noticed this on Katie’s blog and had my fingers crossed for a tutorial. 🙂
this is the cutest thing ever!!!
x
http://thewearwithal.typepad.com/
So cute!!!! Love this!! www.nikitaandvesper.com
This is so fun. My son would love it!
Yes! I love that!
The figuring out stages always take a little longer than after you know what you are doing, so I would guess 4 or so hours. It really wasn’t too bad. If you have someone to help with the cutting it goes even faster!
It’s hard to say because of photographing all the steps and such, but I would guess maybe 4-ish hours. It wasn’t too bad!
Amazing idea! I want to make something like this for my little cousins, I hope they will like it : ).
This is an adorable idea! Such a great way to teach the children about different plants, too! Thanks for sharing!
http://everydayingrace.blogspot.ca/
Eeeee! This is so cool! My favorite are the beets. 🙂
omg so cute!!!
Katie you are the best!!!
i wanna be like you 🙂
love
Speak of the devil! I guess a bunch of us saw this toy on her blog and loved it. Lucky us, we got a tutorial!
I can not wait to try this! My brain is running through all of the other veggies you could add too…potatoes, celery, tomatoes, it’s seriously endless!
my goodness these are adorable – I wish I had a little person to make these for.. I can’t really make it for myself can I? hehe
www.dancingthroughsunday.typepad.com
x
Bah!! So cute!! If I could sew… I’d probably still not make this. haha, but LOVE the creativity! What an awesome mom to take the time to make this!
What a great idea! I’ll be trying this out for my kiddos. Thanks for sharing!
These are absolutely the cutest! Reminds me I really should save up for a sewing machine if I wanna start bigger sewing projects!
xo Trisha
http://www.trishasales.net
This has to be one of the most creative toy ideas I’ve seen in quite a while! It’s so adorable, it goes straight to my favorites folder 🙂
xoxo
Ana
I LOVE this garden box. I definitely want to make one when I have kids. I’m already dreaming up crazy ideas for more veggies!
this is the cutest and most imaginativ DIY toy for children that I’ve seen in a while! :))
Great post!!!
You have a great blog, follow you now.
I hope you reciprocity in Bloglovin!
Kisses 🙂
http://beauty2beautytips.blogspot.com/
http://factsaboutcanceruk.blogspot.com/
That is fantastic!!!!!
What a creative idea and so realistic. Great job!!
Wow! This may be the coolest and cutest little kiddo toy I’ve seen! I love it! I’m not much of a sewer myself, but this is just too cute not to make for kiddos! Adorable!
xoxo
Taylor
That is so cute!!
Crazy adorable!!!
Adorable! Nice work katie.
That is so adorable. You are one crafty mamma.
Vintagehoneybee.blogspotcom
How long did this take? I’d love to make it for my nephew but his birthday is fast approaching and I’d like to know if I’m biting off more than I can chew.
Thanks!
I LOVE this! I am going to make one of these for my boys! Too fun 🙂
awesome.
all i can say is awesome.
making one.
perfect for winter at my house too.
oh my goodness! this is the sweetest tutorial! maybe i’ll make one for myself since i don’t have any little ones 😉
xo jac
thesunshinedistrict.blogspot.com
Katie, this is so amazing! You always have the best DIYs.
Such a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Lx
www.blogbehindthelook.com
This is the cutest gift ever for a little one!
Xx Milly
www.lovemilly.blogspot.ca
This is the cutest toy ever. Completely in love with it!
What! This is amazing. ITs like a ring box! and I love jewellery and gardening. Thanks so much for the great idea. This is a must make! About how long did it take you to make this one after you gathered all your supplies?
Wow, this is awesome, but it looks like a lot of work….
…perfection. I’d love to see more DIY toys!
adorable!
adorable!
So perfect! I love that you encourage more traditional toys. I was immediately intrigued by this one when I saw it on your blog, so I’m very glad that you took the time to share this guide. Definitely one I’ll be saving my own minis. thanks, Katie!
Such a nice idea ♥
This is just about the sweetest thing ever.
♥ Naomi Starry Eyes + Coffee Cups
So funny, my kidoos will love it !
This is so adorable and fun! I’m not sure if my nephews would be as stoked as I am about it though….
This is SO cute! I noticed it on your blog yesterday and thought it was adorable…I love the close-up photos even more!
this is genius. love it!
This is adorable Katie!!!!