Plant a Seed

This activity gives children a firsthand experience in growing plants. The magic of planting a seed and watching it spring to life can spark a child’s sense of wonder. Teaching a child to care for a plant is a good way to help them gain a better appreciation and understanding of the natural world around them.

Materials

  • Potting Soil
  • Containers such as egg cartons, or milk cartons cut in half or recycled nursery packs with added drainage holes
  • Easy Seeds:
    Sunflowers
    Pumpkins
    Beans
    Nasturtium
    Gourds

Steps:

Planting a Seed Fill your containers with potting soil.

Plant the seeds and water.

Place the planted containers in a sunny window and keep the soil consistently moist.

Transplant outside after the last frost date in your area.

Good to Know

All seeds have a hard protective outer covering that protects the embryo plant inside until conditions are favorable for it to grow. Seeds contain nutrients for the young plant to draw on until it can emerge through the soil and photosynthesis can begin. Through the process of photosynthesis, the plant uses energy from the sun, and stores that energy in the tissue of the plant.

More than 230,000 different kinds of plants reproduce from seeds.

The pull of gravity tells a seedling which way is down. That is how the roots know which way to grow.

Some plant roots are strong enough to break boulders.

To learn more about planting pumpkins and other seeds, check out the video below!