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The Inspired Treehouse

Growing healthy bodies and minds through play!

Gardening Activities for Preschoolers: Seed Collections

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We love using gardening activities for preschoolers to promote developmental skills.  These seed collection printables are the perfect way to say hello to spring!

The Inspired Treehouse - These printable activities for kids are the perfect way to say hello to spring! this …

I’ll admit it.  I don’t have much of a green thumb.  I’ve killed more houseplants than I care to remember and last year our vegetable garden yielded a whopping six cherry tomatoes – and that was it.

Luckily, there is still lots of fun to be had with seeds, leaves and flowers outside of the garden with all kinds of great fine motor activities.  Today, we’ll challenge fine motor, grasping, manipulation, and visual skills while using up those leftover seeds with some fun gardening activities for preschoolers and elementary school kids!

Check out the book The Tiny Seed and some fun The Tiny Seed Activities!

Gardening Activities for Preschoolers and Elementary school kids

Working in the garden with kids is a great way to get them interested in nature and teach them about plants, insects, and the environment while also working on fine motor skills! Here are some tips to make it a fun experience:

  • Start by choosing a few plants to grow that are easy to care for and that the kids will enjoy, such as sunflowers, strawberries, or cherry tomatoes.
  • Involve the kids in the planting process by letting them help dig the holes, plant the seeds, and water the plants.
  • Teach them about the importance of soil and compost, and let them help you add compost to the garden bed.
  • Encourage the kids to observe the plants as they grow, noting any changes in size, shape, or color.
  • Use the garden as an opportunity to teach the kids about insects, pointing out the different kinds of bugs that visit the plants and explaining their role in the ecosystem.
  • Incorporate some garden crafts, such as making plant markers or creating a bug hotel.
  • Make sure to take breaks and have fun while working in the garden, and don’t worry too much about things being perfect. The most important thing is to enjoy the time spent outside with the kids and help them develop a love for nature.
    • Looking for ways to extend this activity by giving it some context beyond fine motor practice? Check out this How Seeds & Plants Grow Lapbook for 2nd – 6th grades.

    What You’ll Need

    -A variety of fruit/vegetable/flower seeds/dried beans/dried corn kernels (you’ll need a range of different sizes and colors)

    -Printable seed collection templates (collection, sort by color, sort by size)

    -Glue

    What to do

    These simple printable activities for kids will allow kids to sort and categorize seeds in a variety of ways, working on visual discrimination skills as well as fine motor coordination.

    1-Simple seed collection:  First, look through and explore your seeds with your child. Talk about what a seed is, how it grows, and his favorite foods that come from seeds.  Have your child write his name on his seed collection page.  Then, have him glue 5 or 6 of each type of seed into each box.  Have him label each box with the name of the seed that he glued inside.

    2-Sort by color:  Now, have your child try sorting his seeds by color.  Most are black or white…what other colors can you find?

    3-Sort by size:  Last, your child will sort his seeds by size, classifying them as small, medium, or large.

    How to change it up:

    -Kids have an easier time grasping small objects when they’re presented to them rather than having to pick them up from a smooth table where they can slip around.  Try placing several seeds in your hand and allowing your child to pick one up at a time.

    -For younger kids or kids who have more difficulty with grasping and fine motor coordination skills, use larger seeds like pumpkin, sunflower, etc.

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    SKILL AREAS ADDRESSED: Fine motor skills, grasp, coordination, visual perceptual skills, visual motor integration, cognitive skills

    The Inspired Treehouse - These printable activities for kids are the perfect way to say hello to spring!

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    Claire Heffron

    Claire Heffron is co-author at The Inspired Treehouse and a pediatric occupational therapist in a preschool/primary school setting. She began her career with a bachelor's degree in magazine journalism but quickly changed course to pursue graduate studies in occupational therapy. She has been practicing therapy for 10 years in public and specialized preschool/primary school settings. She is a mom to three funny, noisy boys and relies on yoga, good food, and time outside to bring her back to center.

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    1. […] I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again.  I stink at gardening.  I mean I REALLY stink.  My boys told me that the flowers I planted in the front yard are “looking sad” – and they’re right.  I may not have a green thumb, but the OT in me was still determined to come up with some fun fine motor activities that let my kids grow their own little “garden” anyway! […]

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