Kids' Gardening Projects
Spring Planting and Growing Fun with Your Children
Enjoy the outdoors with your child, with exciting and educational plant projects.
Seeds and dirt.
With just those two ingredients, you can treat your children to a celebration of spring.
Something as simple as planting a bean seed in a paper cup can be an exciting and educational nature lesson.
Let your children do all the work, get their hands dirty and use their imaginations.
Here are some ideas for simple gardening and planting projects for you and your children to enjoy together.
Grow a Word
You will need:
- A large wooden box or plastic shallow container, with holes in the bottom
- Potting soil
- Radish seeds
- Stick or twig
Fill the container with potting soil. Using the twig, scratch your name or another short word into the soil, using large letters, about ½ inch deep. Drop radish seeds into the letters, being careful to space the seeds evenly. Sprinkle more potting soil over the seeds and gently pat down. With a light-spray watering can, water the soil.
Radishes grow quickly, with tiny, delicate leaves. After only a few days of consistent watering and sun, you’ll start to see sprouts popping through the soil. Recognize your word?
Growing in Fun Containers
Take your child along to the nursery and let him or her pick out some small flower plants or seeds and plant them in a fun, funky container. Use your imagination! Anything that can hold dirt can be a planter. Try:
- An old sneaker or a boot
- Small wagon
- Barbie convertible car
- Car tire that’s been painted and decorated
- Wheelbarrow
- Toy dump truck
- Soccer ball with the top cut off
For best results make holes in the bottom of whatever you’re using. If that’s not possible, put a layer of small stone in the bottom and then potting soil on top.
Grass Heads
Make a green-haired funny-face and watch his hair grow!
You will need:
- 2-liter soda bottle
- Paints, markers, googly eyes and supplies to decorate
- Potting soil
- Grass seed
Cut the top off the soda bottle and decorate with eyes, nose, mouth and ears. Place potting soil in bottle, sprinkle with grass seed and apply another layer of potting soil on top. Water often and expose to sun. For best results, poke holes in the bottom of the bottle and place on a drainage saucer.
For more fun ideas for kids, see:
