The Imagination Tree

Creative play and learning for kids

Rose Petal Fairy Perfume

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 We have a beautiful rose bush in our garden that is producing volumes of blooms this year! Many petals are already falling so we set about having some fun with more concoction making, this time some rose petal fairy perfume. She’s just discovered Tinkerbell and thinks fairies are the bees knees! I’m hoping to steer her more in the direction of The Flower Fairies, but I’ll let you know how I get on with that one 😉 
 They both had fun gathering petals in a basket and playing with them.
Then we found a lovely glass jar and tipped them all in, pouring in water to make a wonderful rose petal soup.
 Lots of vigorous mixing and stirring occurred!
Some sniffing was necessary to take in that wonderful aroma! The more they stirred and squished, the more powerful the scent became.
 Then of course plenty more emptying, filling, mixing, stirring until the whole process had been done at least four times, playful exploration at its best!
 When I finally persuaded them it was time to let it settle, the lid went on and we left it overnight for the scent to intensify.
 Then we squeezed the petals and poured the liquid through a funnel into a pretty glass bottle. I decorated it with a Fairy Perfume label and some parcel ribbon and it’s all ready to go! No doubt they shall take this back outside and actually use it to wash their dollies, pour through containers and float boats in, rather than wear it as perfume, but it will smell delicious as they do so! The scent is very delicate and would be perfect for little girls who want to pretend at being big. There are also plenty of recipes for real rose perfume that can be made without too much difficulty if you are so inclined!

This activity is good for:

  • Science: exploring/ investigating/ experimenting with concoctions/ liquids/ mixing
  • Maths: volume and capacity/ full and empty
  • PSE: working together/ completing a project over a longer period
  • Motor Skills: pouring between containers/ into a funnel/ squishing with fingers
  • Sensory: exploring using all senses

Comments

  1. Catherine says

    This is wonderful! I used to make rose perfume like this with my mum when I was little, can’t wait to make some with M 🙂

  5. Anna @ The Imagination Tree says

    I made it with my Mum too Catherine, sweet memories 🙂

    Sarah, maybe you left the petals to putrify! Disgusting. If they are in and out overnight it smells delicious. You can heat it up, add vodka and some glycerine and coupla other things to make real, long lasting perfume too!

  7. Meggie says

    Where was this idea when I was growing up? I was such a hardcore fairy believer, and so glad to see that the tradition of “fairy play” is alive and well!

  8. Debi says

    Love it so much I am going to try it with my boys this week. What a great way to enjoy flowers, spark the imagination and spend time outside!

  10. rachelle | tinkerlab says

    With two girls in my charge, this project is definitely in our future! I would have loved to have made perfume when I was little. What a sweet and memorable afternoon.

  12. Momma Jorje says

    I absolutely LOVE this! I can’t handle perfume, but love rose water, it one of the few scents that don’t bother me. ANY of my kids would love to do this, even the 12yo!

    Thanks for sharing! Beautiful!

    Oh, and fairies ARE the bees knees!

  13. Calico Hen says

    How lovely! My daughter and I picked wild violets this week and she made them into a “tea” using water from our rain barrel (she shared them with her acorn people, but didn’t drink it herself).