The Simplest Scarecrow Ever

This project can take anything from half an hour, if all the preparation is done in advance, to a couple of hours, if you hand colour the papers and paint the flowerpot. The resulting scarecrow is as tall as a child, so it would make a lovely project do make in class, especially if accompanied by a storytelling session.

Clean a plastic flowerpot and (if you like, as this is not absolutely necessary, especially if the pot is terracotta coloured) paint it with flesh coloured waterproof acrylic paint. Before beginning to paint the flowerpot, I glued a nose, made from a plastic bottle cap, onto the side of the pot. It may take two coats of paint to fully cover the flowerpot. Set aside to dry.

I glued a plastic garden cane protector to the centre of the base of the pot, that I will push the scarecrow’s cane armature into, later on in the assembly process. As an alternative, drill a hole in the centre of the flowerpot, large enough to push a garden cane through.

When the paint is dry, with the pot standing on its base and the open end at the top, draw, paint or stick a smiley face on the outside of the flowerpot. I used goggle eyes, for a surprised expression, and pieces of fun foam and felt for the cheeks, lips and eyebrows.

Gather together some pieces of coloured paper in colours that will represent flowers, grass and leaves. I painted my own papers, but commercial ones will do just as well. Children love sloshing paint on paper, but this will make for a more messy activity. The papers need to be coloured on both sides so if you do paint your own papers, you need to allow lots of extra time for the papers to dry.

Cut a raggedy edge strip of green paper a little longer than the circumference of the flowerpot to represent grass. Stick it to the inside of the flowerpot with double sided Sellotape. The grass represents the scarecrow’s hair. You may want to introduce a few ‘curls’ by bending some of the grass stalks with your fingers. If you like, you can add some extra rows of grass/hair down the back of the pot to cover the back of the scarecrow’s head.

Push a circle of Oasis floral foam down inside the flowerpot until it is wedged firmly in place. This is to stick flowers into, to decorate the scarecrow’s head.

Cut plenty of flower and leaf shapes from the remaining coloured papers. I used a set of dies to make mine, but freehand cutting will be equally nice. Paint some sticks green to represent the flower stalks. Alternatively, straws or pipe cleaners will work just as well.

Layer two or three flower shapes together to make a composite flower, securing the layers to one another with glue or glue dots. Insert the stick/stalk between the back and the middle or top layer. Add a leaf (or two) to the stalk, securing it round the stalk with glue. Push each flower down into the Oasis as you finish it, until the Oasis is full of flowers. That completes the head.

 Alternatively, you could use artificial flowers to decorate the head. You could even put a present or some sweets (provided they are not too heavy) into the flowerpot, as a nice surprise for the recipient.

Make a simple cross-shaped armature from two garden canes. I used plastic canes but bamboo is just as good. Lash the canes together firmly with garden twine. I also packed out the very tip of my cane with some double-sided Sellotape, so that the scarecrow’s head would fit tightly.

Dress the scarecrow with a simple length of cloth, folded in two, with a tiny hole cut at the centre for the neck to pass through. I used a hessian sack for a rustic look. Add a bandana in a contrasting colour. Push the completed head onto the top of the neck end of the vertical cane. Voila!