What your Preschooler will Learn from this Preschool Plant Activity

The dinosaurs were probably wiped out when a meteor hit earth hard enough to cause a giant ball of dust to form. It blocked out the sun, and plants started to die. Without plants the dinosaurs couldn't eat and became extinct.

That plants need sunlight to survive.

What you'll Need for this Preschool Plant Activity

Two of the same house plants in pots or if the weather is good, two outdoor plants.

A sunny spot

A dark spot such as a garage, basement, laundry room etc.

Water

What To Do

Step one: Have your preschooler choose a sunny or light-filled spot to set up their plant.

Step two: Have your preschooler choose a dark spot for the other spot. Make sure this spot will get little to no light.

Step three: Observe the plants for changes. Over time, the plant kept in the dark will yellow and eventually dies without light. The plant in the light should thrive. To really prove your point, as soon as your plant starts yellow, move it out into the light. It should become healthy again.

Step four: You and your preschooler should care for these plants the same, so make sure you or your preschooler are watering them around the same time and the same amount every day.

Hi! I'm Theresa Halvorsen, the preschool science and nature writer for Preschoolrock.com. I have twin boys and am blown away by their fascination with preschool science and how the world works around them. I am always looking for fun and simple science activities so preschoolers can learn about science and the natural world. Please contact me with any suggestions, ideas or questions you have about this site.

Helpful Tips for Parents

• Always ask "What do you think will happen?" before running an experiment. Prediction is the core of scientific thinking, and preschoolers' predictions are always worth hearing.

• Visit science museums, planetariums, and nature centers regularly. Real encounters with scientific environments are more motivating than any experiment at home.

• Give children real tools: a real magnifying glass, real measuring cups, a real thermometer. Toy versions deliver less sensory and intellectual feedback than actual instruments.

• Integrate science into daily routines: cooking (chemistry), gardening (biology), building (physics), weather watching (meteorology). A science-rich home requires no special equipment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I explain the science behind experiments, or let children discover it?

Sequence matters enormously: always let children observe and wonder before explaining. "What do you notice?" and "Why do you think that happened?" should precede any explanation. If children ask why, give a simple, accurate answer — never give incorrect explanations to protect the mystery. After the child has observed and hypothesized, confirming or expanding their theory with correct information is appropriate and satisfying. Explaining first removes the inquiry that makes science learning durable.

How do I keep science learning going between experiments?

Science is a mindset, not a schedule. Keep a magnifying glass accessible for impromptu investigation. Ask "why do you think...?" during daily life. Notice scientific phenomena out loud: "Look at how steam rises from the soup — where does it go?" Maintain a simple nature observation area (a window bird feeder, a terrarium, a weather chart). The child who develops the habit of curiosity about the physical world is doing science continuously, not just during scheduled experiments.

Related reading: See also our color mixing science and our garden science guide for more ideas on this topic.

🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

• ⚖️ Cause & Effect Understanding — Seeing that one action reliably produces a specific result builds the logical framework children use in mathematics, reading (one event causes another in stories), and everyday reasoning.
• 🌍 Nature Literacy — Learning the names, habits, and relationships of plants, animals, and natural phenomena builds the nature literacy that connects children to the living world and lays the groundwork for environmental stewardship.
• 🔬 Scientific Method — Even a simple experiment teaches the predict-test-observe cycle that is the foundation of scientific thinking — and preschoolers who internalize this process approach problems with genuine scientific confidence.
• 💬 Science Vocabulary — Science introduces children to precise vocabulary — observe, predict, hypothesis, dissolve, absorb, transparent — that dramatically expands language range and supports the academic vocabulary children need in school.

Does your preschooler love dinosaurs, but doesn't understand why they're not around anymore? Or are you looking for a preschool plant activity to explain why plants need the sunlight? With this fun and easy preschool plant activity, your preschooler will understand how the dinosaurs died out and the importance of sunlight to plants.

This preschool plant activity ties in great with Preschool Themes - Dinosaurs from the Education PreschoolRock site.