Spring is in the air, and this time of year offers a great
opportunity to teach young children about how plants grow by getting them
involved in this easy springtime planting project. Radish seeds are very quick
to sprout, and if they are started in a damp paper towel, you can peek at their
progress every day. As they grow bigger you can talk with your child about how
plants reproduce, and how a little seed can grow into a mature plant.
Plants grow from
seeds: Pour several radish seeds from the packet onto a paper towel-lined
dish or plate. Let your child carefully pour some water over them, enough to
dampen the paper towel but not enough to make a puddle. Place another damp
paper towel over the top of them.
Plants need water:
Each day you can check by gently lifting the paper towel to peek at the seeds.
Have your child keep the paper towel moist with a few droplets of water or
spray from a spray bottle each day, explaining that all plants needs water to
survive. Within a few days the radish seeds should start to open up and put out delicate roots and tiny, pale green leaves.
Plants have roots
that drink water from the soil: After
a few more days, your radish seedlings will have larger, greener leaves and
longer roots. Now it’s time to plant! Have your child use a spoon to fill a
small cup with potting soil, and use his finger to make several small
indentations in the dirt. Help him gently place the seedlings in the
indentations, and sprinkle a little more dirt to cover them. Explain how plants
absorb water from the ground through their roots.
Plants have leaves
that make food from sunlight: Once the seedlings are planted, move the cup
over to a window and talk about how plants use the power of the sun to make
food for themselves. In a couple of days the seedlings should start pushing
green leaves through the soil. The complex mechanisms of photosynthesis can
wait until high school; right now you can just talk about how plants use
sunlight to make their own food and grow bigger.
