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Irish Examiner

Tots to Teens: Choose sustainability with these plantable pencils that grow into herbs

Imagine if there were something you could do with your pencils after they had been worn down to stubs other than chucking them in the bin. MJ Jacob, the Waterford-based artist behind has a suggestion — Plantable Pencils. These are graphite pencils that can be planted once you finish using them. They come in packs of four, and you can choose either herbs or flowers. If you opt for herbs, you will receive a pack containing thyme, sage, coriander, and cherry tomato seeds. And if you select flowers, your pencils will grow in to forget-me-nots, daisies, carnations and sunflowers. The pencils are on sale for €14 from Family rules This list of family rules by Dublin-based Fab Cow has us feeling all warm and fuzzy. The award-winning business, run by artist Francis Leavey and his partner, Bernie Cryan, celebrates the kindness, respect, affection, acceptance, and love that make having a family so special. It's one of a range of prints, cards, and paintings created by Leavey and sold at It costs €29.95. Making memories Children have the funniest thoughts and ideas. It's worth taking the time to jot them down for posterity, as they will inevitably lose some of their quirkiness as they get older. This 3-Year Journal for Kids allows you to preserve those memories for years to come. Two pages are devoted to each week of the year. One asks children to answer a question. For example, they might be asked to name a favourite song. The other page sets them an activity or task. They could be asked to draw or describe their dream meal and then try to cook it with an adult. The following year, they will be asked to answer the same questions and complete the same activities and tasks. This allows parents to observe their children's evolution over the three years. The journal will inevitably become a cherished memento for parents and children. It's designed by Emma Jane Leeson, an Irish mum who has written a range of books, which are available from The journal is sold through the website, alongside other gift ideas, and costs €24.99. Festival of creativity If you're looking for family-friendly fun this May bank holiday weekend, you'll find it in Glenbower Woods in East Cork. Greywood Arts, the organisation that runs community and educational programmes in Killeagh, is hosting its May Sunday Festival, which celebrates local creativity, history, and ecology. The festival runs from Friday to Monday, May 2 to 5, and will feature lots of free events. There will be nature walks in the woods, interactive art performances, children's yoga sessions, live music, children's workshops in art and creative writing, an opportunity to build dens in the woods, bike rides, and more. Visit for the full lineup. Books galore Lismore Castle and town will provide the enchanting setting for a celebration of books, stories, illustration, and imagination this Saturday, May 2. The Co Waterford annual Towers and Tales Children's Book Festival will feature a range of readings, workshops, and other events with some of the most popular Irish and international writers and book illustrators. These include Sarah Bowie, the author of the bestselling Nina Peanut is Amazing; Leona Forde, writer of the Milly McCarthy book series; and Chris Judge, the author of the popular Evil Duck and the Feather of Fortune. Other events include book swaps, doodle walls, circus performers, and book clinics, which involve children talking to the book doctor about their favourite reads and being given a prescription recommending other books to explore. Visit Read More Tots to teens: Learn the simple signs parents can use to communicate with their babies