Is there anything as tactile as digging in the dirt? Any hopeful rush like seeds sprouting? Any thrill like well-tended plants thriving? Any joy like seeing a dormant tree bud and unfurl brand new, bright green leaves?

Spring is magical. I’m sure it’s even more so when the season shift is more dramatic than here in Southern California, but even our subtle changes are vibrant and beautiful. To get in on the fun, we planted some sunflower seeds a few weeks ago. You may remember last summer’s rather disastrous attempt, but if at first you don’t succeed fail a bunch more times till you do!

Planting seeds and observing them grow is such a simple way to engage kids in science. (And in our case, learn a little about trying and failing, and hopefully learning from our mistakes!)

About eight days after planting we saw a few sprouts! Eddie was over the moon! The little green leaves as a result of his tender loving care were quite the thrill! A short time later, he plucked a few long leaves off a bush when we were visiting some friends. He wanted to plant them and watch them grow. I’m pretty sure these are not the kind of plants that take well to being plucked off and heartily regrow once plopped down in some soil, but who knows! I’m always up for an experiment!

I’ll keep you posted on our progress!