MLK Day of Service - Seed Bomb Style

Of course, I love doing service - I'm an AmeriCorps volunteer for the third time. For AmeriCorps volunteers (among other groups and individuals), MLK Day is all about service. This year, I got to spend the day at the Yale Peabody Museum coordinating the...

Seed Bomb Making Activity!

Seed Bombs are a super easy cheap way to entertain kids. And adults. Despite the mess, they're a cool way to get people thinking about things like beautification and gardening. This activity of the guerilla gardener is hitting mainstream - I saw seed bombs being sold in West Elm of Westport just the other day! But buying seed bombs suck, when it's so easy to make them yourself!

You'll need:

• clay
• compost
• seeds, preferably ones native to your area (we used a CT wildflower mix)

You take a marble size of the clay, flatten it, put in a heap of compost, sprinkle a few seeds on top, close it up like a burrito and roll it between your palms, et voila! You have yourself a seed bomb. Let the little guy dry out, and then throw it where you'd like to see some flowers - an abandoned lot, along a fence, at the bus stop or at a stop sign, your neighbor's perfectly manicured lawn...I kid! Really though, they're so easy. The rain will soften the clay, germinate the seeds, and in time, you have flowers!

We weren't the only organization at the Peabody. ACLU, DEP, and plenty of other (mostly environmentally-friendly) organizations were there, spreading good and healthy messages with plenty of take-homes for the families that came in. There was a poetry slam and some performances by breakdancers, and everyone loved it! I will definitely try to return next year - and the museum admission was free! Gotta love good vibes with good people in a good place.

So that was my MLK Day of Service, how was yours?