I'm looking for a Summer project for my son?

Question

I remember in school we grew plants but I forgot how. Can I just put a bean or a sunflower seed in some water to get it to sprout? I'd appreciate any other ideas you have.

Answer 1

Go to Wal*Mart or Kmart and get a "herbal garden" kit.  They have everything needed to grow fresh herbs and you can use his herbs when you cook.

You can also make butter using a small jar (peanutbutter jar, mustard jar, doesn't matter) pour in enough whole milk to half way up the jar.  Set the jar of milk in a window with the top screwed down very loosely.  Starting the 2nd day every once in awhile shake the jar for a couple of minutes then put it back in the window.  Do this every day and you will be able to see the milk begin to curdle and eventually there will be a soft "lump" remove the lump salt it if you want, wrap the lump in waxed paper/plastic wrap and place in refridgerator for a day or two.  Take it out and spread it on toast.

If you have any celery on hand and food coloring fill a glass half way with water, drip a couple of drops of food coloring in the glass of water, take a stalk of celery, cut of a small portion of the wide end and place it into the glass.  In a couple of days you will be able to watch the colors move up the stalk of celery.

Answer 2

The local library probably has a summer reading program he can participate in.  Most of the time, they offer prizes/incentives as well.  You could also go to the library and get a list of books for boys his age, and he can pick some out to read.  When he finishes, treat him to a day out or a special treat or something.  Another idea is that he could choose books and visit the local nursing home and read to the residents-this will not only practice his reading skills, but benefit the elderly (it will make their day!) and perhaps teach him something other than reading skills.

A garden is always good.  Pick some flowers or fruits/veggies.  Once his garden starts producing, he could give flowers to grandmother or neighbor, or one of those nursing home residents!  They really do love visits from children.  If you choose fruits and veggies, once he has products from his garden you can make a dish using them as ingredients-something to be double proud of.

There is no reason why a boy can not learn to cook, sew, and the like-in fact, they quite like it!  Bake cookies (you can use math adn reading skills) or something.  Teach him to turn old mismatch socks into puppets.  

How about building a fort?  It will be a good project and will last a while.

There are other things, such as a sundial.  You can find directions online or in a book at your local library.

Go to the park regularly, and have him pick up litter before he plays.  This can also lead to a badge if he is in Scouts.

Check with your local church to see if their are summer programs that he can get involved with.

How about starting a collection?  What is he intersted in?  

Yes, you can just grow a sunflower if you want...but there are many other ideas you can go with as well (and you can do more than one).

Have fun!  Y ou did not list his age, so I was not sure exactly what we were working with...

Answer 3

okay to plant: buy seeds from the store.  plant in potting soil in a pot.  water and keep in a screen room, on a window sill, or outside.  watch it grow.

Something else that I suggest.  Visit triops.com .  I got some before they are really cool.  Go to the website and check it.  Tell me what you think of them.

Answer 4

Just go to you're nearest gardening store, have him pick out seeds for a plant that he likes. Get a large foam cup, put soil in there, drop a few of the seeds. Leave by window and water every day.

Answer 5

How about you helping him make his own calandar? Or he can make up his own game to play and invite some friends over to try it out. Teach him how to make cookies too maybe.

Answer 6

how about learning how to builkd a bike? it is really fun actually.

Answer 7

there area lot of projects he can do you can have him doing educational things like growing plants ohh you can do experiments

he will love this one my little brother loves this one .......

ingrediants:

five plants(all the exacte same kind)

various liquids( you need only five)

a ruler

five pots to plants to the plants

a measureing cup

directions:

1)what you need to do is plant the plants in the same ammount of soil, every thing has to be the same ammount...the use the ruler to measure how tall the stocjk or stem is , count all the leaves and see the condition is it in

2) after planting the plants let them adjust to there new pots, then lable them plant A or plant B or give them human names. then water them with thevarious liquids... such as plant A gets one liquid and  plant B gets one of the others .

3) measure how well there growth is doing... count leavesagain . you only want to water or give the plants there assinged liquid every other day .

after one month of caring for the plants you will see how the plant survive on the odd liquids...i encouraghe you not to use water though becuase then the results will be that water wins...(it always happens..)

Answer 8

You left out the soil part. Water the soil after putting in the beans and just water for it to spout. If you have not soil use ripped up paper towel. It works the same.

Answer 9

well, you need dirt and water. Maybe it would be a good thing to get him building something? like a model of some sort. I think that has a more visual result, cause out of some peices of wood he made... an airplane... or whatever.

Answer 10

You will need some soil but yeah, it is pretty simple.  The seeds are like 50 cents around here.

As a teacher, I would have him learn something from this project.   I would make it into a science activity.  You can start by having a few different pots and have different conditions.  Like have one pot in direct sun, one in the shade, and one in a closet.  Then have 3 different pots (for a total of 6) and vary the amount of water given in those (but keep the light the same on these).  It is important in science to only have one variable at a time - that means only have one thing different.  You can't have less water and the closet in the same pot.    You can keep going and increase the number of pots by trying different soils or fertilizers too.  You can make it as simple or as complicated as you want.

Now, an important thing here is to monitor the results.  If they are younger, they need to draw a picture of each pot each day.  If they are older, they need to write in complete sentences (using correct punctuation, capitalization, and grammar) what they are observing.  Did I mention that I am a teacher?  :)

Anyway, they need to make a hypothesis (or educated guess) about what they think will happen with the seeds BEFORE the experiment begins.  Then they monitor the growth.  They will then have to summarize their results for you.  Verbally if a small child (needs to draw the conclusion that the plant needs light to grow and some but not to much or too little water).  If they are 3rd grade or highe, I would make them write it out!  :)  

I love reading posts like this!  You are an AWESOME parent!  Can your child be in my class next year?  

God's best to you!

Answer 11

Along the line of what you did in school: Bean Sprout project

(1) Get a damp paper towel

(2)Get a clear plastic cup

(3) Place whatever bean you desire inside cup, between paper towel and wall of cup.

     Watch daily, within a few days you should see some growth. Keep at room temp, above fridge or similar place.

Also you can try a mold project(not a favorite among mothers)

(1) Get two clear large Gladware dishes (or something similar)

(2) Take one order of small fries from Mc'Donald's (has to be from Mc'Donald's to work)

(3) Take a peanut butter and jelly sandwich

(4) Place each in a separate container (

     Watch as mold grows on the sandwich and not the fries!

Hope this helps,

Answer 12

how about a modle car?  they take time and gives him something to be proud of

Answer 13

I used to love making the volcanoes with my dad! So much fun!!!! And making hoemade icecream while dancing to "shout" LOL!!! It was very fun!!

Answer 14

teach him how to recycle seperating cans, glass ,plastics newspapers, and tell him he will get the money when you take the stuff off.

Answer 15

I think I remember putting an avacado pit in water using toothpicks to hold it half way out of the water.  I think they grow pretty fast too.  Also bean plants grow really fast.  If you have a store near by, like Hobby Lobby, they have all sorts of projects like models, build and paint bird house, treasure boxs, painting, coloring, clay... and they really aren't too expensive.

Answer 16

You first need to wrap the seed in a WET paper towel and put it in a plastic bag. after the sprout is about 1.5 inches you can plant it. (lima beans were what we used)