Flower arranging

Flower arranging is a classic Montessori activity when done within these guidelines
http://www.infomontessori.com/practical-life/care-of-the-environment-arranging-flowers.htm
But today we just had some fun with some leftover real and fake flowers to expand Tara's knowledge on living and non living.
I set up a tray with a small terracotta pot filled with soft play dough and cut some living flowers stems and added some non living flowers to the pile.

As she picked up a flower i asked her if it was wet or dry and if it had a smell or no smell. She looked at the stems and we spoke about non living and living flowers. What living flowers need and that non living flowers can last forever. Although we missed the Montessori practice of flower picking/pouring/presenting we enjoyed the appreciation of beautiful things in our environment.