Plants Here and There

© T.F. Charlton

Different plants grow in different places. Point out plants whenever you are out and about. This will help your child become aware of plants and the different environments they grow in.

Look around as you walk to the playground, in the woods, or by a pond in your neighborhood.

• Take turns pointing out different plants, including trees, flowering plants, and bushes.
• Take (or draw) pictures together as you talk about the plants and the environments they are in. Write down where the plant is growing and what it looks like.

After your walk, make plant picture cards together. Use the pictures you took or drew. Or use the information you wrote about each plant to help you find pictures online or in plant catalogs.

• Glue one picture on an index card. Have your child write or describe (as you write) where you found the plant.
• Play games with the plant cards. You can compare how plants and the environments are the same or different. You can sort into groups or find pairs that are alike in one way (size, shape, color, etc.). 

Try to go back to the same locations at different times of the year to see if the plants look different. Take the picture cards with you so you can see how the plants have changed.