Simple Plant Science Experiments for Kids	Interacting with plants is good for kids but even when it's too cold to get outside and into the yard or garden you can still use some simple plant science experiments to sharpen your little ones   interest in seeds and plants. These activities are designed to appeal to kids ages 4 to 6.	Start with a field trip to your local grocery store. Stroll through the produce section and help children name all the different fruits and vegetables in the market. Talk with them about which ones they have eaten. Identify which forms of produce are scientifically classified as fruits (the female parts of plants that have seeds) and which are vegetables (edible roots leaves or stems).	Use the information provided by the store to find out where the produce was grown and then later look for these places on a globe or map. Use online resources or books to find out how produce is shipped to your local store.    	Have younger children describe the sizes colors shapes scents and textures of the produce. While you are at the store pick up samples of several different fruits for the next activity. Suggestions: apples (at least two varieties) oranges strawberries avocados tomatoes bananas pomegranates seeded grapes green beans sugar snap peas.	Back at home help your child cut into the various fruits and identify different parts of the fruit. Point out the layers of the fruit  the skin the fleshy or juicy mesocarp (which is often the edible part of the fruit) and the seed. Ask the children why they think the fruit has these different layers.	Point out that new baby plants grow from seeds that must be protected and moved to new ground where they can grow. Ask children to speculate as to why they think so many fruits are so sweet and tasty. Ask older children to count the number of seeds they find in each type of fruit. If appropriate ask how this information could be displayed or communicated and help them to construct a simple data table with the names of the fruits and the number of seeds they counted.	Help younger children compare the fruits by showing you which fruits have larger or smaller seeds whether the seeds are inside or outside of the fruit whether the seeds seem to be hard or soft. Many children are surprised that the tiny black dots in bananas are actually the seeds; reassure timid youngsters that eating the seeds is perfectly okay.	Create a collection of seeds from different types of fruits and vegetable.	What you will need:	What to do:	Variation	For younger children use one type of seed (I suggest the lima beans as they are large enough for little hands to grasp easily). Instead of a jar put the seeds and paper towels into plastic bags with a zip closure. Leave a small corner of the top open for air circulation. Prepare three seed bags. Place one in the refrigerator; tape one to the inside of a sunny window and put one on a shelf inside the room. Ask the children to predict which seeds will sprout first. Talk about the conditions that seeds need for germination.	Ask children what a plant needs to grow. Obtain several small flowerpots and a packet of fast-sprouting seeds (see suggestions above). Plant seeds in several pots kept under different conditions and compare the growth of the plants.	Suggested conditions:	Many seed packets instruct the gardener to sow the seeds and then thin out the seedlings to a given distance. Have your child plant identical seeds in two different pots. In one pot plant the seeds the recommended distance apart or thin the seedlings when they come up. In the second pot plant several seeds very close together or allow the seedlings to grow without thinning. Keep the pots in a warm sunny location and keep the soil moist. Observe how crowding affects the growing plants.	Plants and gardening can provide endless opportunities for observation and experimentation. Try some of these activities indoors. When the weather finally warms expand your observations to the great outdoors!	Related:	Science Experiments for Kids	Cool Science Experiments for Hot Summer Days	Frozen Fun: Try These Cold-Weather Science Experiments