Summer Play Idea For Kids: Make Your Own Pretend Perfume
Looking for a simple summer activity that gets little ones outdoors and sparks their imagination? Pretend perfume-making is always hit!
It's a wonderful way to encourage children to explore nature, engage their senses, and create something magical from the treasures they find in the garden.
Armed with a bowl or jar, head outside to collect colourful petals, interesting leaves, and fragrant flowers to create your very own pretend perfumes. It's a lovely opportunity to slow down and notice the little details nature has to offer.
As your little ones collect their ingredients, chat about the different colours, shapes, textures, and scents they discover. Which petals are the brightest? Which flowers smell the sweetest? What colour would make the best perfume?
And of course, every perfume needs a name! We had lots of fun dreaming up magical names for our creations.
What You'll Need
- A bowl or jar
- Water
- Petals from non-toxic flowers
- Leaves and other garden treasures
- A spoon for mixing
- A sprinkle of biodegradable glitter for extra magic ✨
- Plenty of imagination!
How We Made Our Pretend Perfume
We started by filling a bowl with water before adding our collection of petals, leaves, and garden treasures.
The little ones loved stirring everything together and watching the colours swirl around. We sprinkled in a little biodegradable glitter for extra sparkle and spent time talking about our favourite flowers and what magical powers our perfumes might have.
Once our mixtures were complete, we carefully poured them into jars and left them overnight to infuse.
The next day, I removed the petals and leaves and mixed the scented water with a small splash of vanilla essence and a tiny drop of essential oil. This gave my littlest rascal a special "perfume" to enjoy and extended the fun into imaginative role play.
The best part? Choosing a name for each perfume and pretending to run our very own shop!
Why We Love This Activity
This activity is packed with opportunities for learning through play. Collecting petals and leaves encourages children to observe the natural world around them, while mixing, stirring, and pouring helps develop coordination and fine motor skills.
It's also a wonderful way to build vocabulary as you talk about colours, scents, textures, and shapes together. Most importantly, it encourages curiosity, creativity, and a connection to nature, all while having lots of fun outdoors.
A Little Note for Grown-Ups
Safety always comes first when exploring nature.
- Please ensure you only use non-toxic flowers and plants. Some flowers can be harmful if touched or ingested.
- Children should be supervised at all times during this activity.
- Encourage children to wash their hands thoroughly afterwards.
- Any vanilla essence or essential oils should be added by an adult and used sparingly.
- The finished pretend perfume should remain under adult supervision and should not be consumed or applied to skin unless you have independently confirmed all ingredients are safe to do so.
- Be mindful of any allergies or sensitivities when choosing plants and scents.
A Final Thought
Sometimes the simplest activities create the biggest memories. A handful of petals, a little sparkle, and a lot of imagination can turn an ordinary summer afternoon into something truly magical.
Happy perfume making! 🌸✨