Apothecary

An apothecary was a person who prepared and sold medicines made from herbs, roots, flowers and minerals, and it was also the name for their shop. Today, apothecary crafts are the fun, hands-on version: mixing plant-based ingredients to make things like lip balms, body mists, bath bombs and scented sachets, using jars, bottles, a pestle and mortar and a good nose.

Balms and salves are made by gently melting beeswax or shea butter with plant oils, then letting them set in little tins. Body mists and room sprays blend water with natural scents like lavender, rosemary or orange.

Bath bombs mix bicarbonate of soda with citric acid, which is why they fizz so happily when they hit the water. Seed bombs roll wildflower seeds into little balls of clay and soil, ready to throw onto a bare patch of ground.

You might also paint with homemade pigments from spices, fruit juices and dried flowers, or press leaves into air-dry clay to make plant prints.

Some plants contain natural colours that change when they meet an acid or an alkali. Tea made from butterfly pea flowers is a deep blue, but add a squeeze of lemon juice and it turns purple or pink. Red cabbage water does something similar. It feels like magic, but it's really a bit of kitchen chemistry, and it's a lovely way to spark questions about how the world works.

Yes, and it's one of those activities where everyone gets stuck in. Younger children love the measuring, pouring and sniffing, while older children enjoy choosing scents and designing their own labels. Grown-ups can help with the fiddly bits and pick up a few ideas to try at home. Everything is made from simple, plant-based ingredients, and you take your creations home at the end.

Wear clothes you don't mind getting a bit messy. Powders, oils and plant pigments can mark fabric, so an old top is a good idea. Roll up long sleeves and tie back long hair while you work.

You might also like Hapa Zome, Explosive Science and Botanical Story Trail.

See all Camp Kindling activities