The Imagination Tree

Creative play and learning for kids

Growing Beans on Cotton Balls

by

We have been doing lots of indoor growing recently and planted some beans at the same time that we grew our cress letters last month. This is a really easy, visual way to teach children about root systems and is something I used to do with my school children each Spring time. Plus it’s very exciting to watch how FAST the plants grow!

All you need for this easy activity is a glass jar or bottle, some cotton wool balls/ wads and a bean!

First of all Cakie stuffed cotton wool balls into a glass jam jar. Then she simply stuck one bean on either side of the jar so that we could watch 2 growing at once. We used butter beans straight out of the packet that we bought in the dried beans and pulses section in the supermarket. (We used these same beans in our Baking Sensory tub!) Next, she watered it until the cotton wool was damp but not too wet, and placed the jar in the window.

Within 2-3 days the bean started to sprout a small root, and 2-3 days later it grew these little tendrils.

Another 4-5 days and the bean developed a large network of shoots coming off the main root, and a sturdy stem grew straight upwards and above the top of the cotton wool. It dropped the shrivelled husk of the bean skin and looked ready to open up!

Just a day or so later and 2 big, dark green leaves began to unfurl. Cakie was very excited by this development!

And finally, 4-5 days later the beans were growing very steadily, tall and spindly with large leaves seeking out more sunlight. 

We carefully removed them from the jar and examined the complex network of roots that had, by this time, entangled themselves around the cotton wool balls at the bottom. We teased the roots off the cotton wool and replanted the beans into soil in pots in the garden. The girls watered them and are now watching their rapid growth outside with much excitement!

Extension Activities:

Older children could measure the beans each day and record their growth progress in a “bean diary.” They can draw a picture of what the plant looks like every 3-4 days, add a measurement and label the diagram with the parts of the plant as they develop. Alternatively, they could record using a digital camera and printing and sticking in their own photos.

Learning Links:

  • knowledge and understanding of the world/ science: talk about what plants need to grow, examine roots and discuss how plants absorb water, talk about leaves and what they are for, discuss life-cycles and growth
  • phse: talk about growing and life-cycles in relation to growing from a baby to a toddler to a child, look at photos over time and note changes
  • maths: measure the growth of the bean and make comparisons, create a growth chart to track progress
  • literacy: make a bean diary and chart the appearance of the bean on each day with diagrams and labels

Cakie: 3 years 6 months

Pop: 2 years

Do you remember doing this at school or at home when you were little?

Comments

  3. Crafting Play says

    I don’t think I realized how fast they grow! This would be something that I could do with my toddler where we’d have a growing plant before he lost interest! 🙂

  9. MsXpat says

    Wow this is impressive! I remember this from my primary school days, we used toilet tissue I think, sadly my tree never sprouted that well, lol.

  10. TheBoyandMe says

    Fantastic post, I’m going to do this tomorrow with The Boy as we’ve been growing seeds but I’d like him to understand the root system and how the plant comes out of the seed.

  11. Pernilla says

    Can you use any bean? Like, for exampel.. uh.. macadamias? peanuts?
    or do they have to be really dry and all?
    (I live in sweden so it’s kinda hard for me to find those kind of beans..)

    • Anonymous says

      Macadamias and Peanuts are not beans, they are nuts. You can use most dried beans though.

    • joanna says

      Actually, a peanut isn’t a nut, it is a legume. You can do this with a raw peanut. Just remove from the shell.

  13. Darci the STEM mom says

    Well done! I love that you list “Learning Links” explicitly at the end of your post! We are currently watching corn seeds germinate. We live in the midwest with corn around us everywhere. So we planted ours the same day the farmer planted his in the field. We are watching and comparing ours to the field next to our house. Then we’ll pick randomly select, and mark 5 field stalks to measure and observe throughout the summer and fall. I’ll be posting about his project soon. I’m a new follower of your blog, I LOVE it! 🙂

  14. Anonymous says

    thank you so much for posting this idea, the method in planting the beans, the pictures, and the “Extension Activities”!!!! magnificent!! 😀

  15. Olivia Le says

    First of all, thank you so much for making this wonderful blog with many different interesting activities. Please could you let me know what kind of bean you used in this picture? was it Mung Bean? but it is white and quite bigger than Mung Bean. Thank you once again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

    • Anna Ranson says

      It’s a butter bean. I did write it in the post but I should edit and make it more obvious as a few people have asked!
      Thanks for sweet words about the blog!

  21. Anonymous says

    Thank you for the good writeup. It in truth used to be a
    amusement account it. Glance complicated to far introduced agreeable from you!
    By the way, how could we be in contact?
    My web-site :: talkintalk.com

  23. Anonymous says

    You really make it seem really easy along with your presentation but I
    to find this topic to be really one thing that I believe I’d never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me. I am looking ahead for your subsequent publish, I will try to get the dangle of it!
    Have a look at my web blog : tsoy.crngames.com

  27. Anonymous says

    Hi there this is somewhat of off topic but I was wanting to know
    if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or if you have to manually code with HTML.
    I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding know-how so I wanted to get guidance from someone with experience. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
    Also visit my web-site ; Quick Cash Loan

  28. Anonymous says

    I absolutely love your blog and find many of your post’s to be exactly what I’m looking for.
    Would you offer guest writers to write content for yourself?

    I wouldn’t mind writing a post or elaborating on a few of the subjects you write regarding here. Again, awesome site!
    Here is my site : ShortTermLoan

  29. Anonymous says

    Incredible! This blog looks just like my old one! It’s on a entirely different topic but it has pretty much the same page layout and design. Superb choice of colors!
    Feel free to surf my website instantloans960

  30. Anonymous says

    Hi there it’s me, I am also visiting this web site regularly, this web page is genuinely fastidious and the visitors are genuinely sharing nice thoughts.
    my website > quick payday loan

  32. Anonymous says

    I’ve learn several excellent stuff here. Definitely price bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how much attempt you put to make such a excellent informative website.
    Also visit my page … fast payday Loans 360

  34. Anonymous says

    I feel this is among the such a lot vital info for me. And i’m satisfied studying your article. But wanna remark on some general things, The website style is wonderful, the articles is in reality excellent : D. Excellent process, cheers
    Feel free to visit my site : quick payday loans 720

  35. Anonymous says

    Having read this I thought it was rather enlightening.

    I appreciate you taking the time and energy to put this content together.
    I once again find myself spending a lot of time both reading
    and posting comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile!
    Also see my page :: cashloan720

  37. Anonymous says

    Nice post. I was checking constantly this blog and I’m impressed! Extremely helpful information specially the last part 🙂 I care for such information much. I was looking for this particular information for a very long time. Thank you and good luck.
    My web blog ; Thinkstr.Com

  38. Anonymous says

    With havin so much content and articles do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright violation?
    My website has a lot of unique content I’ve either written myself or outsourced but it seems a lot of it is popping it up all over the internet without my authorization. Do you know any ways to help protect against content from being stolen? I’d genuinely appreciate
    it.
    Stop by my website :: Topshelfd.com

  39. Anonymous says

    I blog quite often and I genuinely appreciate your information.
    Your article has truly peaked my interest. I will bookmark your site and keep checking for new details about once per week.
    I subscribed to your Feed too.
    My web site – nachat24.Com

  41. Christy says

    I had a question about the cotton you used. Does it have to be cotton wool or could you use plain old cotton balls? Thank you!