Have you ever let your child grow something in a cup? This can be a fun experience for both you and your preschooler. Last week, my daughter had “Alaska Week” in her little preschool. They learned about all things Alaska related. One of the things they learned was about the state flower, the forget me not. She came home with a little cup of dirt and was very excited to show me what she had.
She made sure to tell me that she had to put it somewhere very sunny, and give it plenty of water. I have to admit, that I didn’t have high hopes for this little cup of dirt, but I was very encouraging anyway. Every day she made sure to take it into the bathroom and water it. A few times I think she drowned the poor seeds. But, lo and behold, about a week into things, a little green sprout appeared! She was beyond excited!
The next day she watered it again, and put a little too much water in the cup. She burst into tears and kept crying about her little flower “falling down”. Although she was sad, I was touched to see her take such extra good care of another living thing.
Helping your preschooler grow something can teach them lots of lessons. They can learn about the basics of how plants grow, but they can also learn as many object lessons as you want to teach them. How about perseverance? Every little seed has to have determination to grow. Even when it gets drowned in water!
You can also teach your preschooler about how they will grow also with lots of the necessary ingredients. Another object lesson is to identify how even though we all start small, we are all capable of great things. With faith in ourselves, we can grow into anything we dream of.
Help your child learn one of these valuable lessons by planting a seed in a cup. Or, start a garden in your yard this spring, and enlist the help of your preschooler. They will love picking the veggies, or fruit as they grow. Or, start with a potted plant in their own room. Teach them about responsibilities, and how they have to take care of the plant. Whatever method you choose, your child will love watching something grow!
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