Plants

Young children love to explore living things, including plants. Although plants don’t move or interact the same way animals do, they can still ignite your child’s curiosity — especially when you join in carefully observing the tiny grasses, tall trees and colorful flowers in the world around you. The types of plants you and your child investigate will depend on your location and whether you live in a rural, suburban or urban area — but plants are everywhere. Look for flowering plants like maple trees, oak trees, apple trees, palms, cacti, roses, sunflowers, squash, tomatoes and grasses as well as nonflowering plants like pine, spruce and fir trees. And don’t forget weeds! Weeds are not specific plants but simply any plants a gardener doesn’t want. Some examples include buttercups, daisies, dandelions, violets, chickweed, crabgrass, knotweed, wild carrot and ivy. The wonderful thing about weeds is that nobody will mind if you and your child dig them up! Depending on their experience with plants, three-year-olds may know the names of some plant parts (leaves, flowers) and that plants need water and light to grow. They are also able to describe some basic characteristics of plants like their colors, sizes and shapes. As you and your child explore, talk together about your observations and ideas about what plants need to live and grow. Outdoors, look and listen for the insects, birds and other animals that make their homes in, on and around plants. When exploring, remind your child to keep all plants and plant parts away from their mouth. Although very few plants are dangerous, some could make your child sick. Make sure to avoid these plants.