Uneaten, brown bananas are a source of guilt for me. I always plan to make banana bread, but rarely do and the spotty bananas go straight into my organic recycling bin.
A few weeks ago, I pulled out some toothpicks, raisins, mini-marshmallows, cloves and bay leaves and let my kids create creatures using bananas and apples as bodies. They loved the project and I loved seeing the results.
Your creatures will not last long before you have to throw them in the compost, but this is a project that is all about the creative process! Grapes would be fun to use as well and there are lots of interesting, spiky, funky fruits available at the grocery store these days. To prolong their “creatures'” existence, have your kids draw them or take a picture of what they created!
This would be a great Halloween project! Friends of mine have even done it on a larger scale, decorating pumpkins with greens and other vegetables, anchoring them with toothpicks and wooden skewers. It’s a great excuse to visit your local farmer’s market!
Creative Mama 