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Home » How To: » DIY Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots and Painted Stone Garden Markers

DIY Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots and Painted Stone Garden Markers

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon Jessica Randhawa
January 26, 2018
5 from 5 votes


Last Updated June 29, 2022 | 0 Comments

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Turn reusing toilet paper rolls into a fun learning experience for kids with this easy toilet paper roll seedling pot tutorial. And for fun learn how to paint garden stone markers to know what you planted where in your garden.

DIY Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots and Painted Stone Garden Markers

Today I’m stepping outside of the kitchen to show you guys two fun and easy DIY garden-themed activities perfect for the whole family. Don’t worry, even the least experienced gardener will have a blast.

DIY Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots and Painted Stone Garden Markers

 

And the best part? They’re educational! But, shhh. I won’t tell the kiddos if you don’t.

DIY PART 1- Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots

DIY Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots and Painted Stone Garden Markers

Teaches kids all about,

  • gardening
  • plant life cycle
  • the importance of upcycling everyday products
  • where some of their favorite foods come from (like carrots!)
DIY Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots and Painted Stone Garden Markers

Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots

5 from 5 votes
Fun, easy, and enjoyed by both kiddos and adults, these Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots reuse old paper towel rolls and teach kids about plant growth and gardening. An easy indoor activity for cold, wet weather.
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Author: Jessica Randhawa
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Materials

Pair of Scissors
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • Cover the bottom of a small waterproof container with small pebbles or rocks.
    DIY Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots and Painted Stone Garden Markers
  • Cut the twine into approximately 6-inch pieces and use scissors or a sharp knife (careful with the kids!) to cut the toilet paper rolls in half. Tie the piece of twine around the toilet paper roll (the twine is to prevent the toilet paper roll from unraveling with watering of the seedlings).
    DIY Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots and Painted Stone Garden Markers
  • Gently nudge the toilet paper roll in the pebbles so that it stands straight up and doesn't fall over. Fill the paper towel roll with soil, gently pressing down on the soil with your fingers. Add the seeds to the soil according to recommended depth and cover soil. 
    DIY Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots and Painted Stone Garden Markers
  • Surround the toilet paper rolls with moss. Water each seedling until fully saturated, but not drowning.
    DIY Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots and Painted Stone Garden Markers
  • Cover the container with plastic wrap (or place in a plastic bag if it will fit). Keep the soil moist, but not too wet to prevent the toilet paper from molding. Once seeds start to sprout, remove plastic wrap to allow air circulation. Place them in an area that gets plenty of sunlight.
    Painted Stone Garden Markers
  • Transfer entire toilet paper roll to the desired planting location and remove twine. Make sure entire toilet paper roll is covered in fresh soil.
    DIY Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots and Painted Stone Garden Markers

Jessica's Notes

Colored craft paper rolls are not recommended as I am unsure if they are fully compostable. Unfortunately, I could only scrape together 3 toilet paper rolls in time for this post. 
Keyword: green seedling pots, Seedling Pots, Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots

 

DIY PART 2: Painted Stone Garden Markers

Teaches kids,

  • how to hold a pencil (or paint brush),
  • writing and drawing skills
  • their colors plus color combinations.

The end result of this project could not come at a better time. Octavian, my sweet little 4-year-old, suggested we gift this homemade, family project to his grandmother who loves gardening and spending time in her garden more than anyone I know.

DIY Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots and Painted Stone Garden Markers

DIY Painted Stone Garden Markers

5 from 2 votes
Chef: Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa
Kids will love painting rocks for friends and family in this DIY Painted Stone Garden Marker activity. A great way to let kids explore their own creativity and contribute their own artistic touch to the outdoor living space.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Calories

Ingredients
  

  • Newspaper
  • Smooth flat rocks of various sizes
  • Clean paint brushes
  • Paint trays
  • Tempera or Acrylic paints - (see notes)
  • Acrylic paint pens - (optional-recommended only for adults and older children)
  • Outdoor varnish
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Instructions
 

  • Find a safe working space, either indoors or outdoors. If you are painting with young children, I highly recommend setting up outdoors and dressing your children in play clothes that you don't care about.
    DIY Upcycled Toilet Paper Seedling Pots and Painted Stone Garden Markers
  • Cover a table with newspaper or craft paper and pick desired paints. Depending on how detailed you prefer your rocks to look, you will likely need to work in layers, waiting for each previous layer to dry before moving on to the next (this is the hardest part).
    child painting rocks
  • For these rocks I used acrylic paint pens as they dried the fastest, making this a one-day project instead of two or three. However, this takes some practice and has limitations. For Octavian, I allowed him to go crazy with acrylic paints as that is what I had on hand.
    using a marker to paint rock
  • Once you have finished painting the rocks and the paint has dried, spray with the varnish according to instructions and allow varnish to try completely.
    Painted Stone Garden Markers

Jessica's Notes

Paint types- if young children under two (or children who like to put paint in their mouth) will be participating in this activity, I recommend that they use tempera paint, as it is least toxic and totally kid safe. For older kids and adults, acrylic paint is best. Take note that these paints are water soluble and will require an outdoor varnish to seal the paint and prevent chipping. Always spray the varnish outdoors.

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword garden marker
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About Jessica

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

189 shares
Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

About Jessica Randhawa

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

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Chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

I’m Jessica! Aka mom, wife, chef, and travel-obsessed photographer. Welcome to The Forked Spoon. Here you can browse hundreds of incredible family-friendly recipes covering dozens of diets, courses, and cuisines. Learn more about me.

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