38 Fun Flower Activities for Preschoolers
Flowers aren’t just beautiful to look at; they’re a fantastic way to engage preschoolers in a variety of hands-on learning activities.
If you’re a parent seeking engaging weekend projects or a teacher looking for fresh classroom ideas, these flower-based activities will change ordinary learning into extraordinary experiences.
From the vibrant colors to the intricate textures and delightful scents, flowers offer countless opportunities to learn and create.
This article offers fun flower activities to spark children’s curiosity and creativity. If your child enjoys getting messy with petals, studying nature, or expressing themselves through art, there’s something for every interest.
Let’s see the world of flowers and find exciting ways to make learning bloom!
Why Flower Activities Are Perfect for Preschoolers?
Flower activities are well-suited for preschoolers due to the numerous benefits they offer for early development.
Flowers engage multiple senses – the colors, textures, and scents stimulate the visual, tactile, and olfactory senses.
This sensory inquiry is both enjoyable and beneficial, as it improves brain connections and fosters creativity and problem-solving skills.
Flower activities effectively integrate learning across subjects.
They encourage cognitive development and fine motor skills through tasks like counting petals, exploring the flower life cycle, and creating art.
Flowers are universally loved, with seasonality fitting spring lessons, making activities timely and relevant year.
Sensory Exploration Activities
1. Flower Sensory Bins
Fill a bin with flower petals, seeds, and natural materials, such as leaves or small rocks, to create a sensory experience for preschoolers. This activity allows children to explore textures and colors, stimulating both touch and sight.
- What you’ll need: Flower petals, seeds, natural materials (leaves, small stones), a bin or a large container.
How to do it: Gather the materials, place them into the bin, and allow the children to explore with their hands. You can also add small scoops or containers for additional play.
2. Scented Flower Playdough
Create a fragrant, floral playdough for children to mold into different flower shapes. This sensory activity encourages both creativity and fine motor skills as kids roll, squish, and shape the playdough.
- What you’ll need: Playdough (store-bought or homemade), essential oils or floral scent (lavender, rose, etc.), flower-shaped cutters.
How to do it: Add a few drops of essential oil to the playdough to create a floral scent. Give the children flower-shaped cutters to mold the dough into different shapes, encouraging them to explore their creativity.
3. Flower Scent Matching
This activity involves providing children with various flower scents in jars and challenging them to match the smell with the correct flower image or a real flower. It enhances olfactory discrimination and memory while offering a fun and interactive learning experience.
- What you’ll need: Small jars or containers, flower-scented oils or real flowers, flower images or real flowers for matching.
How to do it: Place different flower scents in the jars. Ask the children to smell each jar and match the scent to a corresponding image or real flower. Discuss the scents and flowers to reinforce learning.
4. Petal Sorting
In this activity, children sort flower petals by color, size, or texture, which helps improve their sorting skills and fosters an understanding of patterns and classification. It’s a simple and effective tactile activity that sharpens fine motor skills.
- What you’ll need: Flower petals (real or artificial), containers or bowls for sorting.
How to do it: Provide different flower petals and ask children to sort them into different categories, such as color, size, or texture. Use containers or bowls to separate each group.
5. Flower Ice Sensory Play
This activity introduces the concept of change in nature while also allowing children to touch and feel the ice, thereby enhancing their sensory awareness and fine motor skills.
- What you’ll need: Ice cube tray, flower petals (real or artificial), water.
How to do it: Place flower petals into the ice cube tray, cover with water, and freeze. Once frozen, give the children the ice cubes and let them observe how the flowers change as the ice melts.
Creative Arts & Crafts Activities
6. DIY Flower Crowns
Guide children in making their flower crowns using paper, felt, or real flowers. This activity fosters creativity and encourages children to use fine motor skills as they weave, glue, or arrange flowers.
- What you’ll need: Paper or felt flowers, real flowers (optional), glue, string or headband base.
How to do it: Cut flowers from paper or felt, or use real flowers. Help the children glue or thread the flowers onto a headband or string to form a beautiful crown. Allow them to decorate and wear their creations.
7. Flower Collage Art
Create colorful and textured flower collages using cut-out flower images or real petals. This creative activity promotes fine motor development, spatial awareness, and color recognition as children work with different materials to design their art pieces.
- What you’ll need: Paper or cardstock, flower images or real petals, glue, scissors.
How to do it: Have the children cut out flower images or gather petals, then glue them onto the paper in any pattern or arrangement they choose. Allow them to explore textures and colors to create their artwork.
8. Pressed Flower Cards
Teach children how to press flowers and turn them into beautiful homemade greeting cards. This activity offers a hands-on approach to learning about flowers while developing patience and creativity. The pressed flowers can be glued onto a card.
- What you’ll need: Fresh flowers, wax paper, heavy books, cardstock or blank cards, glue.
How to do it: Place fresh flowers between sheets of wax paper, then press them with heavy books for a few days. Once dry, glue the pressed flowers onto greeting cards to make personalized designs.
9. Painting with Flower Stamps
Use flowers as stamps to create beautiful, nature-inspired art. This activity introduces preschoolers to the concept of printing, enhancing their creativity while improving hand-eye coordination and color mixing skills.
- What you’ll need: Fresh or artificial flowers, paint, paper, paintbrushes.
How to do it: Dip flowers into paint and press them onto paper to create stamped flower patterns. Encourage children to experiment with different flower shapes and colors to create unique art pieces.
Math & Counting Activities
10. Counting Petals
Use flower cutouts or real flowers to teach preschoolers how to count by adding petals to a flower or counting the petals on actual flowers.
This activity helps children practice basic counting and number recognition while engaging in a hands-on, nature-inspired learning experience.
- What you’ll need: Flower cutouts or real flowers, markers, or stickers.
How to do it: Have the children count the petals on each flower, or draw numbers on flower cutouts and add corresponding petals. You can also use real flowers and ask the children to count the petals as they arrange them.
11. Flower Number Line
Create a number line using flower pictures to help preschoolers practice counting and number recognition. This visual aid supports early math skills by allowing children to associate numbers with flower illustrations in a fun and colorful way.
- What you’ll need: Paper, flower images or stickers, and markers.
How to do it: Draw a number line on a piece of paper and place flower pictures at each number. Ask children to count the flowers while reinforcing the concept of numbers and order.
12. Flower Shape Sorting
Encourage preschoolers to sort flowers based on their shapes, sizes, or other characteristics. This activity helps develop classification skills, which are essential for early math and logic development.
- What you’ll need: Various flower shapes (real or artificial), containers or bowls for sorting.
How to do it: Provide different types of flowers (round, oval, etc.) and ask children to sort them by shape or size. This activity can be expanded by adding colors or other distinguishing features to classify.
13. Patterning
Use flower images or real petals to create simple patterns, such as AB, AAB, or ABC. This activity promotes pattern recognition, a critical concept in early math, and supports cognitive development in preschoolers.
- What you’ll need: Flower images, real petals, or stickers.
How to do it: Create a simple pattern with flower images (e.g., red, yellow, red, yellow) and ask children to replicate it. You can introduce more complex patterns as children master the basic ones.
14. Petal Measurement
Introduce measurement concepts by comparing the lengths of different flower stems or petals. This activity helps preschoolers develop an understanding of size, length, and comparison while engaging with the natural world.
- What you’ll need: Ruler or measuring tape, real flowers or flower cutouts.
How to do it: Use a ruler or measuring tape to compare the lengths of different flower stems or petals. Ask children to measure and then compare which flowers are taller, shorter, or the same length.
Science & Nature Activities
15. Flower Life Cycle
Teach preschoolers about the stages of a flower’s life cycle through hands-on activities and visuals. This activity helps children understand the natural growth process of flowers, from seed to bloom, while fostering curiosity about the environment.
- What you’ll need: Flower images, seeds, soil, pots, markers, or crayons.
How to do it: Use images or a simple diagram to explain the life cycle stages. Plant seeds with the children, observing each stage as it progresses. Please encourage them to track growth and label each stage in their journals.
16. Growing Flowers
Guide children in planting seeds and watching them grow into flowers over time. This activity introduces basic gardening concepts and teaches patience as they observe the changes in their flowers from day to day.
- What you’ll need: Flower seeds, small pots, soil, water, and sunlight.
How to do it: Have each child plant a seed in a pot, then water and place it in a sunny spot. Monitor the growth over time, discussing each phase and encouraging children to notice any changes in their plant’s development.
17. Flower Observation Journals
Encourage children to observe real flowers and document their findings in simple journals. This activity enhances observation skills and allows children to express their thoughts and discoveries through writing or drawing.
- What you’ll need: Flower(s) (real or artificial), paper, crayons or markers, journals.
How to do it: Provide children with flowers to observe closely. Ask them to draw or write about the color, size, and shape of the flowers, and discuss their observations. Keep a journal to track their findings over time.
18. Flower Dissection
Carefully dissect a flower and show children the different parts, such as the petals, stem, stamen, and pistil. This science-based activity introduces the concept of plant anatomy and allows preschoolers to engage in a tactile exploration of nature.
- What you’ll need: Fresh flowers, magnifying glasses, scissors, and paper plates.
How to do it: Gently cut apart a flower and discuss each part (petal, stem, pistil, etc.). Use magnifying glasses to examine the flower’s structure closely, and have children draw or label the various parts.
19. Color Mixing with Flowers
Explore color mixing using flower petals and natural dyes. This activity introduces the basics of color theory and provides a hands-on way for preschoolers to see how different colors can be combined to create new ones.
- What you’ll need: Flower petals (real or artificial), food coloring, bowls of water, cups or containers.
How to do it: Place flower petals in different bowls and add food coloring to create vibrant hues. Encourage children to mix colors in separate bowls and observe how new colors emerge as they combine the petals and dyes.
Outdoor & Nature Activities
20. Nature Walks to Collect Flowers
Take a walk in nature to gather various types of flowers, fostering an appreciation for the natural world. As children explore, discuss different flower types, colors, and how flowers grow. This activity promotes outdoor exploration, environmental awareness, and observation skills.
- What you’ll need: Basket or bag for collecting, guidebook or flower identification sheet.
How to do it: Go on a nature walk with the children, encouraging them to pick different flowers along the way. Use a guidebook or online resources to identify the flowers they find and discuss their characteristics.
21. Flower Hunt
Create a fun flower scavenger hunt where kids search for various types of flowers in the yard or park. This activity encourages children to observe their surroundings closely while improving their problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
- What you’ll need: List of flowers to find, a clipboard or paper, and crayons or markers.
How to do it: Prepare a list of specific flowers for the children to find (or provide pictures). As they find each flower, they can mark it off or draw it in their notebook. You can also add clues or riddles for more engagement.
22. Flower Sorting by Color Outdoors
Sort real flowers by color, size, or type during outdoor play. This activity helps preschoolers practice classification skills while learning about different colors and flower varieties in a hands-on way.
- What you’ll need: A variety of real flowers, baskets or containers for sorting.
How to do it: Gather different flowers and challenge the children to sort them by color or size. You can create categories like “red flowers,” “small flowers,” or “large flowers” and ask the children to group them accordingly.
23. Flower Petal Paperweights
Make flower petal paperweights using real flowers and modeling clay. This hands-on project allows children to preserve flowers while creating a functional piece of art. It also introduces basic concepts of molding and design.
- What you’ll need: Real flowers, modeling clay, wax paper, and a rolling pin.
How to do it: Flatten a piece of modeling clay into a round shape and arrange the flower petals on top. Gently roll over the clay to press the petals in, then let it set. Once dry, you can use the flower petal paperweights to hold papers.
24. Outdoor Flower Painting
Set up an outdoor painting station where children can create artwork inspired by flowers. By using flower prints or stamping, children can explore art through nature while developing their fine motor skills and creativity.
- What you’ll need: Flowers (real or artificial), paint, paper, brushes.
How to do it: Dip flowers into paint and use them to stamp or press onto paper, creating flower prints. Alternatively, have children paint their flower designs using brushes, inspired by the flowers around them.
Fine Motor Skills Activities
25. Flower Beading
Use artificial flowers to create beaded jewelry or flower garlands, helping children improve their dexterity and hand-eye coordination. This activity also encourages creativity as children arrange the flowers in different patterns and designs.
- What you’ll need: Artificial flowers, beads, string, and scissors.
How to do it: Have the children cut flower petals or use pre-made flower beads. Thread the flowers and beads onto string to create necklaces or garlands. Help them with tying knots to finish their creations.
26. Flower Cutting Practice
Give children paper flowers to cut out and decorate with markers or stickers. This activity helps preschoolers strengthen their hand muscles and improve their cutting skills, which are essential for fine motor development.
- What you’ll need: Paper flowers, safety scissors, markers or stickers.
How to do it: Provide the children with pre-drawn flower outlines and guide them as they cut out the flowers. Once cut, encourage them to decorate the flowers with markers or stickers to enhance creativity.
27. Petal Pinching
Encourage children to pinch and place individual petals onto the glue to create floral designs. This activity helps strengthen the muscles in their fingers and improves their fine motor skills as they work with small objects.
- What you’ll need: Flower petals (real or artificial), glue, paper or cardstock.
How to do it: Provide petals and a small amount of glue. Have the children pinch each petal with their fingers and place it on paper to create flower designs. This promotes fine motor control and patience.
28. Threading Flowers onto a String
Help preschoolers thread artificial flowers onto string to make necklaces or garlands. This activity enhances hand-eye coordination and encourages the practice of threading, a key fine motor skill.
- What you’ll need: Artificial flowers, string, and scissors.
How to do it: Cut the flowers’ stems and use the holes in the center or small holes you create. Show the children how to thread the flowers onto the string. They can create beautiful garlands or necklaces as they work on their motor skills.
29. Flower Hole Punching
Use a hole punch to create flower shapes from paper and string them together for a garland. This activity helps preschoolers improve their precision and fine motor control as they work with small tools and small pieces of paper.
- What you’ll need: Paper, hole puncher, string, and scissors.
How to do it: Help the children use a hole punch to make flower shapes from paper. Then, show them how to string the punched shapes together to create a flower garland. This develops their ability to manipulate small tools.
Storytelling & Literacy Activities
30. Flower-Themed Storytime
Read stories about flowers, such as “The Tiny Seed” or “Miss Rumphius,” and engage children in discussing the themes of growth, nature, and beauty.
Storytime encourages language development, comprehension, and sparks creativity as children connect with the stories’ lessons and illustrations.
- What you’ll need: Flower-themed storybooks (e.g., The Tiny Seed, Miss Rumphius), comfortable seating area.
How to do it: Read the story aloud to the children, using expressive tones and pointing out the illustrations. Afterward, discuss the story’s themes, encouraging children to share their thoughts on the message of the story.
31. Flower ABCs
Incorporate flowers into learning the alphabet by creating flower-themed letter recognition activities. This helps children connect letters to real-life objects and strengthens both their literacy and language skills.
- What you’ll need: Paper, flower stickers or images, markers or crayons.
How to do it: Write each letter of the alphabet on a piece of paper and encourage children to decorate the letter with flower-themed stickers, drawings, or images. For each letter, help them think of a flower that starts with that letter (e.g., A for Aster, B for Blossom).
32. Flower-Themed Rhymes
Teach children simple, catchy flower-related rhymes or songs to enhance their memory and language skills. Rhymes help build phonemic awareness, improve listening skills, and are a fun way to incorporate flowers into everyday learning.
- What you’ll need: Flower-themed rhymes or songs (e.g., “I’m a Little Flower”), printed lyrics.
How to do it: Teach children a simple flower-related rhyme or song. Encourage them to sing along or perform motions that match the lyrics, reinforcing the connection between language and movement.
33. Create a Flower Story
Have children create their own story about a flower, either by drawing pictures or writing with your help. This activity boosts their creativity and narrative skills as they learn to express ideas through storytelling.
- What you’ll need: Paper, crayons or markers, story prompts.
How to do it: Ask children to think about a flower and create a story around it. You can provide prompts, such as “What happens to the flower in the garden?” or “Who helps the flower grow?” Help them draw pictures to accompany their story and encourage them to share it aloud.
34. Flower Poetry
Encourage preschoolers to create their simple flower poems using rhyming words. This activity helps develop their understanding of rhythm, rhyme, and the beauty of language, enabling them to express their thoughts through poetry.
- What you’ll need: Paper, crayons or markers, and flower pictures.
How to do it: Ask children to think of words that rhyme with flower, such as “power,” “hour,” or “bower.” Help them create simple poems using these words, and encourage them to draw pictures of flowers to accompany their poems.
Holiday & Seasonal Crafts Activities
35. Spring Flower Lanterns
Create lanterns using flower-themed paper to celebrate the spring season. This festive craft enables children to express their creativity while adding a seasonal touch to their decor. It’s a fun way to usher in spring while working on fine motor skills.
- What you’ll need: Flower-themed paper, scissors, glue, LED tealights, and markers.
How to do it: Cut the flower-themed paper into strips and glue them into a lantern shape. Decorate with markers or stickers, and place a battery-operated LED tealight inside. This craft can be used as a spring centerpiece or room decoration.
36. Mother’s Day Flower Craft
Make flower handprints or simple bouquets as a special gift for Mother’s Day. This activity enables preschoolers to create heartfelt, personalized gifts for their mothers, fostering creativity and bonding in the process.
- What you’ll need: Construction paper, paint, markers, scissors, and glue.
How to do it: Paint the child’s hand and press it onto paper to make handprint flowers. Alternatively, cut out flower shapes from colored paper and let children decorate them to form a bouquet. Add a sweet message to make it extra special.
37. Easter Egg Flower Hunt
Decorate Easter eggs with flower patterns and hide them for a fun Easter egg hunt. This craft combines seasonal fun with flower-themed art, allowing children to engage in both creative expression and outdoor activity.
- What you’ll need: Plastic Easter eggs, flower stickers or paint, baskets for collecting.
How to do it: Decorate Easter eggs with flower patterns using stickers or paint. Hide the eggs around your yard or home for a flower-themed Easter egg hunt, allowing children to find and collect the eggs.
38. Flower Garden Party Hats
Have children make flower-adorned hats to wear for a spring garden party. This craft is perfect for a seasonal celebration and helps children develop their fine motor skills while creating their fashion accessories.
- What you’ll need: Paper hats (or construction paper to make hats), artificial flowers, glue, ribbons, and markers.
How to do it: Help children create a simple paper hat or use pre-made paper hats. Have them glue artificial flowers around the hat’s brim and decorate with ribbons or markers. Once done, they can wear their creations at a spring garden party.
Conclusion
Flower activities offer numerous benefits in preschool education, from improving sensory inquiry and fine motor skills to fostering creativity and environmental awareness.
These activities engage children in hands-on learning, connecting them to nature and helping them develop essential cognitive and physical skills.
Let’s keep learning and growing together, happy crafting and learning! Ready to bloom with creativity?
Start today and let the flowers inspire your child’s learning experience!
How do your little ones enjoy these activities? Drop a comment below and share your favorite flower-inspired projects!
