handprint flower pots

Last year we made cute flower pots with kids hand-prints for Ali's preschool teachers. Since I am a preschool teacher and decorate our house as such,  I made a couple extra pots with just Ali & Grey's hand-prints for use around the house.

Materials Needed:
Large plastic pots
Acrylic paint
Clear sealant spray
Paint pens

I used plastic pots since they were less likely to shatter if they fell on the floor, and because they were already the colors that I wanted. Since both kids have sensory issues, painting their hands was a challenge. I spread the painting out over a week and tried to use mixing colors to my advantage. For example, I might start with yellow paint on one hand and red on the other, getting a hand-print with each; then have them rub their hands together to make orange. Most of Grey's hand-prints came out smudgy, which looked rather cute.

After all of the hand-prints were complete I used paint pens to write the kids names and the date on the pots. A quick round of spray sealant and the pots were ready to use. I have used one pot for plants, and the other as storage for loose items. This (relatively) quick & easy project still makes me smile everyday. I plan on making more projects with their hand-prints this summer. It is so easy to forget how little they once were, and I love these sweet & tiny reminders.

tipsy pots

I loved making this project! I initially saw this idea on Pinterest, but cannot find the original link. If it turns up I will add it to give appropriate credit to the creative person who came up with this idea.

Materials Needed:
Spray paint & spray primer
5 foot of metal rebar
5-8 terra cotta pots (depending on size)
Dirt & flowers


I started out by spraying the terra cotta pots with spray paint, and quickly learned that primer was going to be a necessity. Some spray paints have primer added in, but it is harder to find. So, after re-spraying the pots with primer it was time to pick the colors! I don't use a lot of red inside our house, but the patio umbrella outside is bright red, so I was happy to use some bright warm colors on the pots.

After pounding the rebar into the ground about a foot, I placed the short, squat pot over the rebar and slid it down until it hit the ground. I had to fill up this pot with dirt in order to prop the next pot on top. After that it was simply a matter of sliding each pot on and angling it, then we added some dirt and flowers to finish the project. I was able to fit a small sprig of ivy in the bottom-most pot of the red tower, and am hoping that it will wrap around upwards as it grows.

The kids enjoy watching the water trickle down from the top pot when we water. The pots have had no trouble withstanding our constant breeze and have gone through a few giant wind gusts unscathed. Sturdy and eye-catching, this was a great project to celebrate the arrival of summer weather.