How To Make a Grass Seat

You'll pull up the comfiest seat in the house when you plant a grass bucket seat. That's right, it's a functional stool that makes you feel like you're at a picnic, even if you're doing homework. All you need to create this pint-sized seat are a few handy things from around the house, some grass seed, sunshine, and a fondness for watching—or feeling—the grass grow beneath you.

Gather These Things

Projects for kids can get messy. When working with soil, water, and seed, it's a good idea to cover their work surface or find a spot in the yard where a little dirt won't hurt. Don't forget protective gardening gloves—a little safety helps keep the project focused on the fun.

• A metal or plastic bucket (an adult needs to add drainage holes to the bottom)
• 1 bag of Scotts® Turf Builder® LawnSoil™
• ¼ cup Scotts® Turf Builder® Grass Seed Perennial Ryegrass Mix
• A trowel, scoop or spoon, and a hand rake (you can also use your hands)
• Pieces of styrofoam or plastic containers headed to recycling (optional—use these as lightweight filler in the bottom of a larger bucket)
• A watering can or a garden hose with a sprayer attachment
• Scotts® Turf Builder® Starter® Food For New Grass

Follow These Steps

1. Fill your bucket to the brim with soil.Use a trowel or gloved hands to scoop Scotts® Turf Builder® LawnSoil™into the bucket, pressing the soil down gently. Keep adding soil until it reaches the brim: You want the soil surface to be firm and even with the top of the bucket. Soil has the important job of keeping seeds moist and helping grass to grow.

If you've chosen a large bucket, you can add a lightweight material, like styrofoam or an overturned plastic container, to the bottom third of the bucket before adding soil. This will make the seat lighter, and easier for kids to move around.

2. Sprinkle grass seed evenly across the soil surface. Use a scoop or gloved hands to sprinkle a thin layer (¼ cup, less for smaller buckets) of Scotts® Turf Builder® Grass Seed Perennial Ryegrass Mixonto the firm soil. This seed grows well in most regions and weather conditions. Cover the entire surface evenly, reaching the edges of the bucket. "Rake" the seeds into the soil surface with your fingers, then pat gently.

3. Water your newly planted grass. Use a watering can or a garden hose sprayer attachment set to a light sprinkle or mist to water slowly, thoroughly wetting the soil. When water starts to drip out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the bucket, your soil is saturated and you can stop.

4. Set your seat in a sunny spot. Even before you can see the grass appear, your seeds are working hard to grow into tiny blades of grass. Keep the soil moist while it grows (patience is key!), and water it daily. In about a week, you should see a few green shoots poke through.

5. Care for your grass seat.Once the grass has begun to grow, make sure it doesn't dry out. Keep watering it every day so it can grow taller, stronger, and thicker. To give it a boost, use Scotts® Turf Builder® Starter® Food For New Grass at planting time (adults, this is your bonding moment—step in to help). Soon you'll have a thick carpet of grass and a soft, comfortable seat! Once the grass is at least 2 inches tall, you can trim it with scissors.

6. Use your seat all summer. Grab the bucket's handle to move your seat around the yard, balcony, or patio. Sit and relax with a book, enjoy a picnic, or use it as a grassy play table to set the scene for small toys, like action figures, dolls or dinosaurs.

Wondering what to do with your leftover grass seed? You can use the seed for one of our other kid-friendly lawn projects, or make enough grass bucket seats for the entire family. Trust us, once those green blades pop up, everyone will want a chair!