In Laurie Carlson's Green Thumbs, there are directions for converting plastic milk jugs into watering cans -- it's easy, quick (only takes about 10 minutes), and you've got something useful for the kids to take to the garden!
Here's how we did it:
1. You'll need scissors and/or a utility knife, and a hole punch or nail -- along, of course, with a clean, dry gallon-sized milk jug. (I suppose a smaller one would also work just fine, especially for the littlest gardeners!) Adult supervision recommended.
2. Cut a hole at the top of the jug, around (and removing) the spout. Make sure it's large enough that your children's fists will easily fit inside without scraping the edges -- no matter how smooth your cuts, you will likely leave edges that are a little sharp and could possibly cut if rubbed against hard enough. Make sure you don't cut into the handle area.
3. With a hole punch or a nail, punch several holes at the center front of the jug (across from the handle), and near the top. (We found that a nail worked best -- at least with our hole punch, too much force was required to make it an easy activity for the kids.) I made several dots for the children to use as a hole-punching guide, in kind of a bowling pin pattern.
4. Fill with water and ... pour! Our maiden jugsful were tinted with blue and green food coloring, just for fun!
They also make great bath toys!
We have found that when pouring onto a plant or tray (for indoor watering), you'll need to hold a towel under the spout holes, as the water will run along the underside of the jug. When watering in the outdoor garden, of course, this will matter less, if at all.
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