Summer Craft Ideas Using NatureSweet Tomato Containers
Jul 27, 2020, Updated Apr 25, 2022
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This post is sponsored by NatureSweet
We all know that NatureSweet tomatoes are the best snacking tomatoes, but did you also know that the containers can be transformed into fun crafts for kids? All it takes is a little imagination (and maybe some glue) to upcyle them into little crafts that kids go crazy for!ย
Piggy Bank
Teach your child the value of saving money with this cute DIY piggy bank. Not only is it adorable, but the money is easy to access without breaking the bank. Simply remove the lid or dump the money out from the top.ย
Hereโs what youโll needย
- Scissorsย
- Pink construction paperย
- Glue / super glueย
- Bottle capย
- Markerย
- Wiggle Eyesย
- Pipe cleanerย
Begin by drawing and cutting out two ears on pink construction paper. Draw and cut out a round circle that will become the pigโs snout. With a marker, color in two small ovals to represent the nostrils. Glue the circle onto the bottle cap. Glue the bottle cap in the middle of the container (hot glue works best).ย Place two wiggle eyes above the snout.ย lue the pigโs ears on either side of the container. Finally, wrap a pipe cleaner around a pencil or your finger to create curls and attach it to the back of the container (thread it through one of the holes in the cup).ย
Drawing Cups
Moms hear the dreaded phrase โIโm boredโ all summer long. Be prepared with an action plan! This โBordeom Busterโ drawing cup combats boredom quickly!ย
Have your child write down 5-10 activities they enjoy doing on small slips of paper. Fold the slips up and place them into the NatureSweet container. Next time, when your child comes to you with complaints of boredom, redirect them to the โBoredom Busterโ cup. Have them draw one slip of paper out of the cup and do the activity listed. Here are some ideas to get you started, but make sure your kiddo gets to add their ideas too.ย
- Build a fort
- Dance to a song
- Go outside
- Play a board gameย
- Read a book
- Jump rope
- Draw a pictureย
- Write a story
- Call a friend or family member
- Make up your own gameย
- Make a card to send to a loved oneย
- Write a songย
- Learn a magic trickย
- Play hop-scotchย
You can make drawing cups for all kinds of situations. Make chores more fun with a โChores Cup.โ Let each child pull out a chore to complete that day or that week.ย
How about a โSnack Attackโ Cup? Put all of the weekโs snack options into the NatureSweet container and let your child draw one out each day to reveal that dayโs snack. Turning snack time into a game letโs you sneak in some healthier options that maybe your child wouldnโt be so enthusiastic about trying otherwise. Here are some healthy snack ideas to get you started.ย
- Ants on a logย
- Watermelon slicesย
- Berry and granola parfaitย
- Snacking tomatoes and dipย
- Fruit kabobsย
- Cucumber sandwiches
- Mini veggie pizzasย
- Salad on a stick
Planter or Seed Starter
NatureSweet containers make great planters for propagated plants or seed starts. There are already built-in drainage holes!ย
Hereโs what youโll needย
- Rocks/gravelย
- Potting soilย
- Seeds or propagated plantย
Begin by placing a layer of rocks in the bottom of the cup. Next, add soil. Finally, add your seed or propagated plant and watch it grow!ย
Terrarium
Continue cultivating your childโs green thumb by helping them create a mini terrarium.ย
Hereโs what youโll needย
- Rocks/gravelย
- Potting soil (optional depending on plant)
- Air plant or succulentย
- Plastic animals or paper butterfliesย
To turn your NatureSweet container into a terrarium, simply fill the bottom half with gravel and/or soil, depending on your plant. We used an air plant in the terrarium pictured here, so no soil was required. However, if you are using succulents, youโll want to add a layer of soil too. Next, decorate with plastic animals or paper butterflies. The terrarium will look great next to your NatureSweet planter!ย
With a little imagination, you can turn your NatureSweet containers into just about anything! The possibilities are truly endless. Here are some other options โ but also encourage your child to come up with their own creations.ย
- Lantern – place a battery operated tea light in the bottom. Use a pipe cleaner to create a handle. Use markers or tissue paper to decorate the lantern sides.ย
- Firefly Catcher – Place a few twigs and leaves inside and spend the evening filling it up with lightning bugs. Keep the top NatureSweet label attached to prevent the bugs from escaping until you are ready to release them.ย
- Monarch Caterpillar Home – Place a single caterpillar inside with milkweed leaves, providing new milkweed leaves daily. Place cheesecloth over the top hole to prevent the caterpillar from escaping. Make sure there is a stick or two inside the container so the caterpillar can form a chrysalis when itโs ready to transform. Release the butterfly immediately.ย
- Gift Box – Place a small gift inside. Decorate the container with stickers, markers, or tissue paper. Glue tissue paper over the top hole. The recipient can โpunchโ through the hole to get to the surprise gift inside.ย
- Ping Pong Toss Game – Create a triangle with several NatureSweet containers. From a few feet away, toss or bounce a ping pong ball and see if you can get it into a container. For extra fun, label each container with different point values.ย A bouncy ball also works.ย
At The Produce Moms, we love fun activity sheets for the kids that you can download for FREE. In our latest activity sheet, the kids work on different math skills: addition, subtraction and identifying odds and evens.
Download and print the activity sheet here.ย ย
What creative ideas do your kids have for NatureSweet tomato containers? Share your summer craft ideas in the comments below. Better yet, tag us in your creations on Instagram @theproducemoms and @naturesweet.ย