Do you have an empty pull-up or diaper box lying around? Do you have a little future gardener dumping piles of dirt and mulch out of his or her shoes daily (like mine)? Why not upcycle that box and create a mess-free child’s toy garden bed? Well, it’s partially mess-free, depending on how you choose to decorate it (if you choose to do so). Don’t worry; I’ve included Edgar’s quick DIY YouTube video. But first, a teaser!
Why A Toy Garden Bed?
Our kids love to garden, or at least they think they do. We have yet to introduce them to the endless fun of pulling weeds on a hot summer day. But give my daughter a watering pail, and she will water the flowers and trees until the sun comes down. Give my son a wheelbarrow; he will be your number one brush transporter (The wheelbarrow and gardening set shown below is perfect for little ones. It is lightweight and has provided many hours of entertainment for these kiddos).
Getting them to do these chores in an organized fashion is a different story, but hey, it’s definitely a start! Edgar came up with this upcycled box toy garden bed as a means for them to get their mini gardening fix. It’s a bonus they got to decorate it before using it.
What You’ll Need
- Empty diaper or pull-up box. Edgar used a Luvs pull-up box. It has cute images inside that offer a perfect canvas for painting. Any box that is the correct height for your little ones would work. A diaper or pull-up box is extra sweet because you can squeeze as much use out of those money-leeching waste collectors as possible.
- Duct tape to retape the box after turning it inside out. (Edgar used white duct tape, but packing tape is also an option).
- Brown felt to simulate the soil. Edgar used brown wonder foam since that is what we had readily available. You could also paint the top brown instead.
- Glue. Edgar used Gorilla Spray Adhesive. You can find it on Amazon, BUT I saw it for half the price at Walmart. You could also use craft glue.
- Straight edge, such as a ruler or wood board.
- Knife to cut the holes.
- Be sure to remember the flower kit. Also, check out our post on the infinity watering can!
DIY Toy Garden Bed Is As Easy As 1-2-3
Making this upcycled toy gardening bed is simple. If you use a box with interior images, first cut the packaging tape and one edge to flatten the box, then fold it inside out. Then tape it back into a rectangular box shape.
If you desire the “harvest feature,” you will need to insert a piece of cardboard that is slightly larger than the dimensions of the box so the “harvested” vegetables don’t accidentally fall to the bottom. Fold the outer edges and insert the cardboard a few inches from the top. Then secure the cardboard piece with tape, close the lid, and secure that with duct tape. Make sure the top is flat.
Then, if you are using felt or wonder foam, cut it to the size of the top. Apply your adhesive to the top of the box, then carefully place the material and apply pressure.
Next, if you want your flower or crop holes in organized rows, use your straight edge to mark where you want to put the holes. This is optional. Once you have drawn your holes, use your knife to puncture (X’s) where you placed your markings.
Now it is ready for the kiddos to decorate. Our kids chose to paint their play garden, but the sky’s the limit! For step-by-step instructions in video format, Edgar’s YouTube video is below.
Final Thoughts
As you can see from the video, our kids truly enjoyed this simple upcycling project. They are fascinated with gardening, and this particular pretend play idea hit the spot for them. Sure, no dirt, water, bugs, or actual plants were involved, but at least I had a little less cleaning that day. We hope you enjoyed this simple DIY toy gardening bed. Please tell us your thoughts. We would love to know! Check out Super Simple DIY Dad for more exciting ideas!
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