Continuing with our "Things that Grow" week we read Eric Carle's The Tiny Seed. As always with Eric Carle's books, the illustrations were beautiful and the message was sweet.
We had fun counting the seeds as they drifted and were lost, one by one. It was a great book for older kids to explore seed dispersal, the conditions needed for seeds to germinate, and the things that can happen to a seed before it is finally able to grow.
We had fun counting the seeds as they drifted and were lost, one by one. It was a great book for older kids to explore seed dispersal, the conditions needed for seeds to germinate, and the things that can happen to a seed before it is finally able to grow.
Planting "TINY SEEDS"
What better way to follow up a book about growing seeds than to plant some ourselves! In an effort to limit the number of supplies we were purchasing, we used some empty, cleaned out yogurt cups as our "flower pots." I was hoping to decorate them with markers as an easy craft, but unfortunately the washable markers wiped right off. Permanent marker or paint would both be good alternatives, but in a pinch I went with a simpler type of decoration. We cut up some bits of construction paper and glued them on the cup, then covered it with packaging tape. My toddler had a lot of fun moving the papers from cup to cup, which was great (unplanned) fine motor work!
After finishing our flower pots, we took them outside and filled them with some potting soil and zinnia seeds, added some water with our watering can, and let them out in the sun. We've had lots of rain since then, so there's been no need yet to return to give them more water. I hope we will see some sprouts in a few days.
After finishing our flower pots, we took them outside and filled them with some potting soil and zinnia seeds, added some water with our watering can, and let them out in the sun. We've had lots of rain since then, so there's been no need yet to return to give them more water. I hope we will see some sprouts in a few days.
Feeling the dirt, seeds and water were fun sensory experiences and scooping the dirt to fill the cups was good fine motor practice. Overall it was a pretty straightforward project and we look forward to seeing the results!