Plant Activities For Kindergarten or First Grade (Plant Needs, Life ... - Free Printable

Let’s think about what plants need to grow.

Plants are living things, just like people and animals. To stay alive and grow big and strong, they need certain things — kind of like how you need food, water, and sleep.

Here’s what most plants need:

1. Sunlight – Plants use sunlight to make their own food. This is called photosynthesis. Without sun, they can’t grow well.
2. Water – Water helps carry nutrients from the soil up through the plant. It also keeps the plant from drying out.
3. Air (especially carbon dioxide) – Plants take in air through tiny holes in their leaves. They use part of the air to help make food.
4. Soil (or something to grow in) – Soil gives plants support and holds water and nutrients that roots can absorb. Some plants can grow without soil (like in water), but they still need nutrients.

Now let’s look at the items shown in the activity:

- ✔ Sun → YES, plants need it.
- ✔ Water → YES, plants need it.
- ✘ Soda → NO, soda has sugar and chemicals that hurt plants. It’s not good for them.
- ✔ Air → YES, even though we don’t always see it, plants need air to breathe and make food.
- ✔ Soil → YES, most plants need soil to anchor their roots and get nutrients.

In the worksheet titled “What Do Plants Need To Grow?”, you’re asked to cut out pictures and glue them if plants need them. So you would glue:
- The cloud with raindrops (water)
- The sun
- The pile of dirt (soil)
- Maybe the air/cloud symbol (if it represents air)

You would NOT glue the soda can.

Also, on the flower pot labeled “A Very Special Flower”, when you ask “What does this flower need to grow?” — you’d pick cards like “sun” and “water” and put them in the pot. Cards like “soda” go in the “No” pile.

Final Answer:
Plants need sun, water, air, and soil to grow. They do NOT need soda.