Plants

Plants

Plants are the powerhouses of life on Earth. They capture energy from the sun, absorb carbon dioxide and generate the oxygen which enables animal life to exist. They can also be very beautiful, and profoundly calming. It is easy and very satisfying for children to grow a plant of their own, and in doing so they can appreciate the way that plants work. Many young children will enjoy "helping" in the garden, and in doing so may develop a life-long enjoyment of gardening and getting out into Nature.

Grow your own bean or pea plant in a jar to watch first hand how seeds germinate and grow.

Adopt a tree - get to know a special tree and study it through the year.
Children love flowers, but what are they for and how do they work?
Grow a tree from seeds, nuts or berries which children can collect themselves.
Leafprinting is fun and will draw children's attention to the different shapes of leaves and their vein structure.
Visiting a local wood provides an opportunity for a whole range of tree-related activities.
A magnifying glass will sharpen children's powers of observation and reveal fine details of plants.
Start a Nature Journal - a place for children to draw and write about their encounters with Nature.
Making a Minipond will introduce children to aquatic plants. They can even see the little bubbles of oxygen given off by underwater plants in the sun.
One of the most noticeable features of the seasons is the way that plants respond to them.