Watering Plants

For ages: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Skills: order, coordination, concentration, independence, pouring

Materials:

An indoor plant at the child’s height, tray, small watering can, sponge, and floor towel.

Presentation

1. Invite the child to water the plant.

2. Carry tray with small watering can and sponge to the table.

3. Choose a plant to water.

4. Check to see if the soil is dry. Only choose a plant that needs water.

5. Grasp handle of watering can and slowly move the spout toward the plant.

6. Tilt and pour in the soil.

7. Replace watering can.

8. Grasp sponge and wipe spout. Wipe any spills on tray.

9. Replace sponge.

10. Check for spills on floor. If necessary, use floor towel or mop to clean spills.

11. Return tray to shelf.

Points of Interest:

Beauty of the watering can, size of the watering can, choosing a plant to water, feeling the soil, tilting the can, seeing and hearing water pour into the plant.

Control of Error:

• Only fill watering can with the amount of water that one plant will need, seeing water spill, seeing soil spill, and feeling the soil.

Language:

• tray, sponge, watering can, plant, dirt, soil, wet, dry, tilt, water

Variations:

If the plant is small, the child can carry the plant to their table and return the plant to its original location when they are done watering.

Extensions:

After plant is watered, a small flag that says, “I’ve been watered” can be placed in the plant so that plants will not be overwatered.

Comments:

Below is a picture of leaf polishing. Please reference the Polishing a Mirror lesson plan for step by step instructions.