A Simple Science Experiment for Kids: Grow Beans

A simple science experiment we did in middle school is simple enough for even preschoolers to participate in! We simply used Dixie cups, but your child can try all sorts of different ways to grow beans. Will they grow in a cup? in a plastic bag? in just water? in a paper towel?

You can use quite an assortment of beans, but we used lima beans.

Add some dirt in your cup. Water daily and place in the sun!

Unfortunately it has been extremely cold and cloudy here for the past week so I just could not get my beans to grow!! Normally the shoot up like crazy! Try placing some beans to grow in the sun, and placing some in the dark to grow (don’t forget to water them!) The beans in the dark will grow MUCH taller than the beans in the sun because they will be growing quickly in search of light. However, because they will not be able to product chlorophyll as the plants in the sun, the beans in the dark will be yellow and sickly looking even though they are taller.

Here is a simple diagram that you can show your child about beans and plants!