How to Show Kids Seeds Sprouting

This is a good project to do with kids. It shows them what happens underground after you plant a seed, but before the plant grows to the surface.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dry beans
• Paper Towel or thick scrap paper
• Plastic bag - sandwich bags are ideal

1. Find some beans.
   Beans you cook with like pintos or black eyed peas are ideal for this because of their size. The large size makes it easier to see what's happening as the seed sprouts. Go through your pantry looking for dry beans, or go to the grocery store.

2. 
    

   Soak the seeds.
   Put 3 seeds into a cup of water and let them soak for about 5 hours. This is a good time to explain how some types of seeds need to have the shells broken to sprout because the outside is so strong. In nature, walking on them in sand, scratches the shell. Check back on the beans every hour or so. When the skin is wrinkly, the bean is ready to plant.

3. 
    

   Fold a single paper towel in half about three times.

4. Wet the paper towel. It should be wet, but not dripping. Wring it out if you have to. This is a good time to explain that beans need air like people. If the towel is too wet, they don't get any air.

5. 
    

   Put the 3 beans into the middle fold.

6. 
    

   Put the 3 beans and paper towel into the plastic bag. Leave the bag open. You want oxygen to get to the beans.

7. Set the plastic bag somewhere at a comfortable room temperature, and not in direct light. Explain that you need to make the seeds think that it's spring time, and they are under ground.

8. 
    

   Check back on the bag with the child every day, or twice a day to see if the beans have sprouted. If the towel is getting dry, add just a little water.

9. When the sprouts get big, they can be planted in dirt.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have a digital camera, take pictures every day, so you can look back and see how they grew.
• Don't let the paper towel get too wet or too dry.