Easter holiday activity - Growing a carrot top

You will need

• Carrot top (2-3 cm from stem with some root growth remaining on top)

• Shallow dish

• Cotton wool

• Water

• Sunny and protected spot

How to grow a carrot top

Simply add a layer of cotton balls to your small dish. Add a light dribble of water over the cotton balls so they are wet but not completely flooded with water. Press your carrot top into the wet cotton balls and place the dish in a sunny location. Be sure to check that the cotton balls remain wet throughout the growing period. You do not want to dry them out.

It will take a few days for children to see the carrot top begin to grow, however, once it starts it will grow quite quickly when in the right conditions.

Learning involved

This activity that is so simple to set up teaches children –

• How a root vegetable grows (science)

• Developing a sense of responsibility in looking after it

• Observational skills

• Plant care

Of course it is possible to grow other root vegetables like leek, spring onion or garlic, so why not give your child a chance to experiment a few different types and record their findings. Have them test to see if there is a difference between growth rate. There are so many ideas on the world wide Web how to grow them.

I know some of you already have planted things in your garden. Let your little ones help to look after your plants, by watering, pulling weeds and let them record what is happening ie. Your child can take photos. Or just ask them what they think is happening. Or if you haven't got green fingers like Susie, maybe try some cress/grass instead.