This adorable gumdrop topiary DIY is great for home decor and parties, as well as being a fun craft for kids highlighting math skills and textures.
Create A Gumdrop Topiary
A Sweet DIY
Who knew math could be so fun? Your preschooler or kindergartener will delight in this counting activity that results in a beautiful holiday decoration for the whole family to enjoy. Your child can count out loud as he adds each gumdrop to the topiary, and as he sees how high he can go, he will be practicing important math skills! This activity will also help your child practice color recognition and learn about different materials and textures.
Topiary is the art of trimming and shaping trees into sculptural, ornamental shapes. Disneyland boasts some of the most famous American Portable style topiaries. In the early 1960’s Walt Disney used the theme park’s landscape shrubbery to recreate his beloved cartoon characters. They continue to be a highlight today!
What You Need:
- Large Styrofoam ball (this will be the “canopy” of your topiary)
- Wooden dowel, up to 1” thick and approximately 15” long
- Green spray paint
- Flower pot or vase
- Moss, faux grass, or shredded paper
- Floral foam (available at your local arts and crafts store)
- Toothpicks, broken in half
- Gumdrops in many different colors
- Ribbon (optional)
What You Do:
- Spray the dowel green with the spray paint and let it dry completely overnight.
- Cut a block of floral foam to fit inside the flower pot or vase and place it inside.
- Help your child insert the dowel into the center of the Styrofoam ball about 3” deep.
- Help your child insert the other end of the dowel into the floral foam all the way down so that it touches the bottom of the vase. Make sure the dowel is stable.
- Have your child sort the gumdrops by color.
- Have your child stick a gumdrop onto one end of the toothpick and push the other end of the toothpick into the Styrofoam ball. Working in rows, continue placing gumdrops all the way around the ball.
- As your child works, ask him to count each gumdrop out loud. Occasionally ask how many of each color he has used or has left.
- Once the Styrofoam ball is completely covered, assist your child in placing moss, faux grass, or shredded paper into the vase to cover the floral foam.
- Tie a bow around the dowel with the ribbon (optional).
- Now stand back and enjoy your new Candyland-inspired table topper!
Isn’t this a fabulously fun and festive DIY project? What a bonus that it provides practice with math skills, dexterity, and textures for your little ones too. This would even make a cute Mother’s Day present!
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~Lorelai
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Hi, this is always such a cute idea. However, having made these—I know they are very top heavy. I would recommend weighting down the containers—with sand and then some floral foam, or even better filling them up with plaster with the topiary sticks taped into a straight position. Nothing is worse than having a table bumped and entire line of these going down like dominos. Cute idea—though, Sandi
This is such a cute and sweet (pun intended) project. In bright colors, it makes a festive table decoration for spring. Kids would love making this topiary.
This is so cute! What a darling idea. My kids are adults, but I would make this myself!
Those are so cute!!! I’m thinking my daughter would love to make those with me–at least, she’d love to eat gumdrops while I make them 🙂
Ahhh…you found my weakness! I just love gumdrops! This is soo cute. #HomeMattersParty
Your gumdrop topiary DIY is so colorful and cute. I bet my kids would love to make these (and eat gumdrops, too!) #HomeMattersParty
Adorable idea and so colorful.Just seeing it makes me happy 😉 #HomeMattersParty
This would be great at a kid’s birthday party. So adorable. #HomeMattersParty
That is so pretty and colorful ! Forget the kids…I’m making one myself! Thanks for the great idea!
#HomeMattersParty
Jeannee
I did this with my kids years ago when they were little, great memories. #HomeMattersParty
I love this idea! It’s so cute!
This is such a cute idea.