Planting Seeds with Children

Planting Seeds Indoors with Children

As February winds down and the first whispers of spring stir in the air, it’s the perfect time to begin preparing for an indoor seed-starting project with your little ones. This simple yet magical activity fosters patience, wonder, and responsibility while providing a hands-on lesson in the rhythms of nature. As the days grow longer, these tiny seedlings will remind us that new life is just around the corner.

Why start seeds indoors?
While the earth outside may still be cold and sleeping, indoor seed starting allows us to begin the gardening cycle early. It gives young children the chance to observe the miracle of germination up close while preparing for outdoor planting in the coming months. Some plants, like tomatoes, peppers, and herbs, require a head start indoors to be strong enough for the garden by spring.

Gather your supplies and prepare your space

• Create your containers with supplies you have at home.  Cut a paper milk carton or egg carton, or even use egg shells to create plant containers or use paper cups. 
• A cookie sheet or other tray to easily transport and hold your planted seeds.
• Find a Sunny Spot – a bright window ledge or a table near natural light is ideal. If you don’t have enough light, grow lights can help mimic the sun.
• Organic soil
• Seeds: For young children, choose seeds that are easy to handle and sprout quickly. In early spring, you can plant tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, any members of the cabbage family, parsley, basil, and flowers indoors now. Do not plant squash, cucumbers, or beans yet. These plants grow very quickly and need to be moved outside within three weeks of germinating, so wait to plant them at the beginning of May or directly outside once the danger of frost has passed.
• Popsicle sticks for labelling, which seed is which

Instructions
Begin with a Little Ritual – Before planting, take a moment to acknowledge the gift of growing. You might say a simple verse like:
“The Earth gives us soil, so dark and deep,
The sun gives us warmth, where seedlings sleep.
The rain gives us water, gentle and free,
And we care for the plants, for you and for me.”

1. Prepare the Soil – Use an organic seed-starting mix and let your child scoop it into your chosen containers with their hands or a small spoon.
2. Plant the Seeds – Guide little fingers to make small holes in the soil, gently drop in the seeds, and cover them.
3. Water with Care – Use a small watering can or a spray bottle to moisten the soil. Talk about how plants need just the right amount—too much and they will drown, too little and they will be thirsty.
4. Label & Observe – Place a popsicle stick or a hand-drawn sign with the seed name in each container. Each day, check on the seeds together, talking about any changes you notice.
5. Sing & Speak to Your Seeds – Encourage your child to talk to their little plant friends or sing a gentle song. Some families like to tell stories about gnome gardeners who help the seeds grow!

Caring for your sprouts

• Keep soil moist but not soggy.
• Ensure plants get plenty of sunlight.
• Gently turn the pots daily to strengthen stems.
• Watering the plants and moving them to follow the sunlight can be a daily task for children.  If you end up with more than one seed per container, help them to carefully pull out the extra plants.
• If you start fast-growing seeds like beans, you may see sprouts within a few days! Others, like herbs, may take a little longer.

Bringing the garden outdoors
Once the weather warms, your indoor seedlings will be ready to transition outside. This process called “hardening off,” involves gradually introducing the plants to outdoor conditions over a week or so. When the time comes, let your child help gently transplant their seedlings into the earth, maybe even into a little space just for them to garden however they wish.

Gardening is a wonderful way to engage in meaningful work alongside your children. There are so many ways to get them involved – digging, planting, watering, weeding, hauling, harvesting, snacking right from the vine, and helping in the kitchen.

Gardening Resources
If you’re new to gardening with children and want to learn more, we suggest the following resources:
Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots by Sharon Lovejoy
Sunflower Houses by Sharon Lovejoy
Gardening with Emma by Emma Biggs
Gardening with Young Children by Beatrys Lockie

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This blog post was written by Mareesha Nesling from Daily Wonder Home Learning in collaboration with the Okanagan Waldorf School in Lumby, BC

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