Growing Together: Outdoor Play, Gardening, and Regrowing Plants at Home
At Plantos, we believe that outdoor play is one of the most powerful ways children learn. Fresh air, muddy hands, and moments of discovery all help young children grow curious, confident, and connected to the natural world. One of the most exciting ways we support this is through gardening and learning how to grow plants — both in soil and in water.
From planting seeds to regrowing vegetables from kitchen scraps, gardening provides children with magical opportunities to explore science, sustainability, and responsibility in hands-on ways.
Why Gardening Matters in Early Years
Gardening supports children’s development in so many positive ways:
- Builds motor skills
- Digging, scooping soil, pouring water, and using simple tools help strengthen hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
- Encourages curiosity and problem-solving
- “What happens if we give it more or less light?” “Why are the leaves growing?” These questions naturally arise as children observe plant growth.
- Supports emotional wellbeing
- Gardening offers calming sensory experiences — the smell of herbs, the feel of soil, the sound of leaves moving in the wind. You will notice that there are fragrant new herbs growing around the nursery. Take some time to smell them with your child!
- Teaches responsibility
- Watering plants and watching them grow shows children that their actions make a difference.
What We’re Growing at Nursery
This term, the children have been busy planting and caring for:
- Sunflowers, potatoes, peppers, strawberries
- Herbs like mint, sage, thyme.
- Cress in little yoghurt pots.
- Celery — regrown from leftover stalks placed in water!
The celery activity has been especially loved. Children are amazed that something from the kitchen can sprout again with just a little water and sunlight. They check daily for new leaves and measure changes each week.
Plants You Can Grow in Water: Easy, Mess-Free Learning
Growing plants in water (hydro-propagation) is perfect for nurseries and families. It’s clean, simple, low-cost, and works beautifully on a sunny windowsill. You can try it at home!
Here are the easiest plants children can grow without soil:
Celery
Place the stalk base in shallow water and watch new growth emerge from the centre.
Lettuce (Romaine or Little Gem)
New leaves appear quickly from the root end placed in water.
Spring Onions / Scallions
One of the fastest-growing plants in water — the green tops regrow again and again.
Garlic
A single clove will sprout green shoots that children can watch grow taller daily.
Carrot Tops
The leafy greens grow back, perfect for sensory play.
Herbs like basil and mint
Cuttings grown in water form roots in as little as a week.
These are brilliant for teaching children about roots, stems, and how plants drink water.
Easy Gardening Ideas for Parents at Home
You don’t need a garden to enjoy planting with your child. Here are simple, eco-friendly activities to try at home using items you already have.
1. Make Plant Pots from Yoghurt Pots
Wash, dry, and add drainage holes. Perfect for growing herbs or cress on a windowsill.
2. Create Watering Cans from Empty Milk Bottles
Poke small holes in the lid, fill the bottle, and let your child “rain” on the plants.
3. Regrow Veggies from Scraps
Try regrowing:
- Celery ends, lettuce bases, spring onion roots, carrot tops, garlic cloves
Place them in shallow water and watch them sprout.
4. Sunflower Seed Challenge
Plant a seed in a cup, decorate a label, and measure how tall it grows each week.
5. Grow Strawberry Tops
Plant the leafy tops in soil after letting them dry for a day. Tiny seedlings may appear!
6. Make a Mini Indoor Herb Garden
Basil, mint, parsley, and chives grow well in small containers and smell amazing.
7. Nature Spotting Bingo
On walks or in the garden, look for:
- Birds
- Leaves
- Worms
- Flowers
- Stones
- Clouds
A great alternative when the weather doesn’t allow planting.
Let’s Grow Together
Whether we’re planting seeds outdoors or regrowing vegetables in jars indoors, gardening helps children connect with nature in meaningful ways. It encourages patience, responsibility, and a sense of pride as they watch something they nurtured grow.
We’d love to hear about any planting projects you try at home — feel free to share photos or stories with us using the App and help inspire more little gardeners!