Caring for Plants

Activity Overview

With your student, identify plants in and around the home. Observe and discuss their color, shape, and any other characteristics. Take them around their home to view all plants available. If no plants are available, go outside for a walk.

What You Need

• Watering can or spray bottle (for watering)

• Child-safe scissors (for pruning)

• Cotton Balls (for cleaning)

Steps

1. Discuss with your student why plants are important, how we take care of them, and what they need to survive – water, soil, sunlight.

2. Water plants around the home with your student, using your best judgment as to which ones need water and how much.

3. Observe the plants and determine if they need to be pruned, if their leaves need to be cleaned, if they need more water, if they need less sunlight. Work together to care for the plants.

Guiding Questions

• What do you notice about this plant?

• What do the leaves look like?

• How does the soil feel? Dry or wet?

• What does this plant need, and how can we care for it?

Extensions

• To promote responsibility, work with your student to create a watering schedule.

• Have the student grow and tend to their own plant, promoting independence responsibility. Having the student, use soil, water, different seeds etc. to grow their plant and utensils.

• This activity can also be done at a nursery level, having students go around with their caregiver or parent and water plants, sticking their finger in the soil to test the moisture, pruning dead leaves, cleaning leaves.