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23 Plant Experiment Ideas

ThoughtCo / Hilary Allison

• Cell Biology
• Weather & Climate
• B.A., Biology, Emory University
• A.S., Nursing, Chattahoochee Technical College

Plants are tremendously crucial to life on Earth. They are the foundation of food chains in almost every ecosystem. Plants also play a significant role in the environment by influencing climate and producing life-giving oxygen.

Plant experiments and studies allow us to learn about plant biology and its potential usage for plants in other fields such as medicine , agriculture , and biotechnology . The following plant experiment ideas provide suggestions for topics to be explored.

Plant Experiment Ideas

• Do magnetic fields affect plant growth?
• Do different colors of light affect the direction of plant growth?
• Do sounds (music, noise, etc.) affect plant growth?
• Do different colors of light affect the rate of photosynthesis ?
• What are the effects of acid rain on plant growth?
• Do household detergents affect plant growth?
• Can plants conduct electricity ?
• Does cigarette smoke affect plant growth?
• Does soil temperature affect root growth?
• Does caffeine affect plant growth?
• Does water salinity affect plant growth?
• Does artificial gravity affect seed germination?
• Does freezing affect seed germination?
• Does burned soil affect seed germination?
• Does seed size affect plant height?
• Does fruit size affect the number of seeds in the fruit?
• Do vitamins or fertilizers promote plant growth?
• Do fertilizers extend plant life during a drought ?
• Does leaf size affect plant transpiration rates?
• Can plant spices inhibit bacterial growth ?
• Do different types of artificial light affect plant growth?
• Does soil pH affect plant growth?
• Do carnivorous plants prefer certain insects?
• 7 Major Types of Algae
• Guide to the 6 Kingdoms of Life
• Phases of the Bacterial Growth Curve
• Gram Positive vs. Gram Negative Bacteria
• Animal Studies and School Project Ideas
• Angiosperms
• 10 Facts About Pollen
• Nematoda: Roundworms
• Is Spontaneous Generation Real?
• Parts of a Flowering Plant
• 5 Tricks Plants Use to Lure Pollinators
• Carnivorous Plants
• Mutualism: Symbiotic Relationships
• The Photosynthesis Formula: Turning Sunlight into Energy
• All About Photosynthetic Organisms
• All About the Protista Kingdom

Top 17 Plant Science Experiments: Exploring Plant Growth

Join us as we embark on a journey of scientific exploration, unveiling the wonders of plant life one experiment at a time.

We have selected the best plant-related science experiments for this collection. These hands-on, educational activities are suitable for students of all age groups and not only satiate our curiosity about the natural world but also anchor our understanding of ecology and biology.

Let’s get started, and hopefully, this botanical journey will inspire a lifelong appreciation for the marvels of mother nature.

1. Grow Your Own Plants

This experiment offers an immersive learning experience, allowing students to witness firsthand the stages of plant growth, understand the requirements for healthy development, and observe the effects of various environmental factors.

2. Chlorophyll Paintings

“Chlorophyll Paintings” offers an innovative and artistic approach to plant science experimentation that both students and teachers should explore.

This unique experiment combines the worlds of biology and art, allowing participants to create captivating masterpieces while exploring the wonders of chlorophyll, the pigment responsible for a plant’s green color.

Learn more: Chlorophyll Paintings

3. Color Changing Flowers

This experiment provides an excellent opportunity to explore the process of water uptake in plants and how it affects the distribution of pigments within the flowers.

Learn more: Color Changing Flowers

4. Low-Prep Flower Dissection

“Low-Prep Flower Dissection” presents an accessible and engaging plant science experiment that is ideal for both students and teachers seeking hands-on learning experiences with minimal preparation.

This experiment offers a fascinating glimpse into the intricate anatomy of flowers and the functions of their various parts.

Learn more: Low-Prep Flower Dissection

5. Acid Rain Science

“Acid Rain Science” presents an impactful and relevant plant science experiment that offers valuable insights into the environmental effects of acid rain.

Students and teachers should engage in this experiment to understand the detrimental consequences of pollution on plant life and ecosystems.

6. Reveal a Plant’s Vascular System

“Reveal a Plant’s Vascular System” offers an exciting and enlightening plant science experiment that allows students and teachers to explore the hidden wonders of a plant’s circulatory system.

Learn more: Reveal a Plant’s Vascular System

7. Make Oxygen at Home

Through the process of photosynthesis, plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, a vital component for supporting life on Earth.

This experiment offers a unique opportunity to understand the connection between plants, photosynthesis, and the oxygen we breathe.

8. How Water Travels Through Leaves

Students and teachers should engage in this experiment to gain a deeper understanding of how plants absorb and distribute water, while also exploring the concepts of transpiration and the importance of water in plant survival.

Learn more: How Water Travels Through Leaves

9. Growing a Bean Plant

By following simple steps, participants can cultivate their own bean plants and observe the stages of germination, root development, and leaf growth.

This experiment offers an excellent opportunity to explore plant anatomy, photosynthesis, and the importance of environmental factors for healthy plant growth.

10. Easy Seed Sprouting

“Easy Seed Sprouting” offers a simple yet rewarding plant science experiment that students and teachers should embrace to witness the wonder of seed germination and plant growth.

Learn more: Easy Seed Sprouting

11. Leaf Color Chromatography

By conducting this experiment, participants can explore the fascinating world of pigments and chromatography, gaining a deeper understanding of the diverse hues present in plant leaves.

12. How to Revive Any Dying Plant

This experiment offers a hands-on opportunity to understand the factors influencing plant health and to develop skills in plant care and problem-solving.

By exploring various techniques such as adjusting watering schedules, providing appropriate light exposure, and optimizing soil conditions, participants can revive and rejuvenate struggling plants.

13. Make Your Own Fun Light Maze for Plants

By constructing a maze using various light sources, participants can investigate how plants respond to different light conditions and orientations.

14. How Plants Breathe

By engaging in this experiment, participants can gain a deeper understanding of how plants exchange gases and respire, just like humans and animals.

Through this experiment, students will discover the importance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in plant metabolism and growth.

15. The Color-Changing Celery Experiment

This experiment provides a unique opportunity to witness the movement of water and the transportation of pigments through the xylem vessels of celery stalks.

16. Growing Seeds in Eggshells

This experiment not only promotes sustainable practices by repurposing waste materials but also provides an opportunity to explore the principles of seed germination, root development, and plant nutrition.

Learn more: Growing Seeds in Eggshells

17. Make a 3D Flower Model with Parts

By constructing a three-dimensional model using various materials, participants can explore the different parts of a flower and their functions.

Learn more: Make a 3D Flower Model with Parts

Similar Posts:

• 68 Best Chemistry Experiments: Learn About Chemical Reactions
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5 Easy Plant Experiments That Kids Can Do At Home!

Fun STEM Activities 03/31/2022 8 minute read

“What do plants need to grow?” “Where are the places trees can thrive and flourish?” “How do minuscule seeds transform into mighty oaks?”

The above are simple questions to ask your child if you want to pique their curiosity about plants. Conducting hands-on and sensory experiments helps illustrate big concepts like responsibility and sustainability in a manner that kids appreciate.

Kids are natural explorers and truth-seekers, so they won’t stop wondering until they understand how the world works, in this case, plants! Here we have 5 easy plant experiments they could try to build the foundations of a child’s understanding of plants.

Note: if you’re not a big fan of running to the store to buy some materials, the PlantExplo Science kit contains every tool your child needs to perform 10 unique plant experiments (other than the ones we’ll discuss here today!)

In any case, here are the 5 fun plant science projects!

5 Stay-at-home Science Experiments with Plants 

1. salad leaf flavoring experiment.

The first plant experiment is pretty simple; try to quiz your child by asking if they could change the flavor of a plain old salad leaf. But here’s the clincher: No dressing allowed!

This plant science experiment deals with a familiar concept in plants called capillary action, or the process of how water and nutrients are transported from the roots underneath the ground up to the leaves.

Here are the things you’ll need:

3 Lettuce leaves (of similar sizes)

3 beakers or cups

Instructions:

Fill three beakers or cups with water until half-full.

In one beaker, dissolve half a teaspoon of salt. In another, dissolve half a teaspoon of sugar. Leave the last beaker unaltered, as this will serve as the control setup.

Place one lettuce leaf in each of the beakers and make sure the shoot is dipped into the liquid.

Leave the setup for 5-6 hours, and then taste the lettuce leaves afterwards. Do they taste different?

The leaves will exhibit a slight change in taste depending on where they are submerged: One will lettuce leaf will be sweet, another a tad bit salty, relative to the one dipped in water.

Explanation:

In the experiment, the lettuce absorbed the water from the shoot up to the leaves in a process called capillary action — the same process that facilitates the root’s absorption of water and other nutrients from the ground up to the different parts of a plant.

2. What are the hidden colors of leaves?

It’s easy to consider how some kids may think leaves are green-colored because it’s what our eyes can see. But other colors are hiding underneath leaves, and this is one of the plant experiments to reveal all of them!

Cup or beaker

Scissors 

Filter paper or kitchen paper towel

Directions:

Take 1-2 leaves from a plant or tree and grind them using a mortar and pestle to make a paste.

Mix equal parts of water and alcohol in a beaker. Add the paste to the solution and stir until the clear mixture changes color.

Cut the filter paper to make long strips (about an inch thick).

Dip one end of the strip into the solution while the other end is taped outside of the beaker. Make sure no more than 3-4 cm is dipped in the mixture.

Let the setup sit still and return after a few hours, and ask your child to describe what they see.

The solution will slowly seep up the filter paper revealing 2-3 different colors: green, yellow/orange, and sometimes red.

The color of leaves is caused by the different pigments found in them. Chlorophyll is the pigment giving leaves their distinctive green color. Carotenoids are yellow/orange pigments. Unlike these two pigments present throughout the year, anthocyanins are red pigments only produced by plants around autumn, which explains the reddish hue of leaves around that time.

3. Pinecone experiment

If you have pinecones in your area, this might be a fun plant experiment to wow your child. They’ll see firsthand the ability of pinecones to move in response to the environment.

An open pinecone

Thread or string

Any small weighty object

A clear mason jar (where the pinecone and object can both fit)

Pick an open pinecone and tie a string on one of its scales. Knot a small weighty object like a bolt. 

Place the pinecone-string-bolt inside the clear mason jar. Fill the jar with water until full. The idea is that the pine cone must remain submerged in water, hence using a weighty object.

Wait for 5-10 minutes and observe the magic.

The scales of the open pinecone would seal shut by the end of the experiment.

The closing and opening of a cone's scales are caused by the swelling and shrinking of the cone's plant cells. This open-close mechanism is a dispersal mechanism of pine trees. When the weather is dry, the pinecones open to reveal the seeds dispersed by the strong winds. While if it’s rainy, the cones close since seed dispersal is difficult.

4. Flower dying activity

How amazing would it be if we could design our own flowers from scratch? Unfortunately, we can’t, but at least there are plant experiments that can help us transform white petals into colors of our choosing without using any paint.

Flower cuttings with white-colored petals like chrysanthemums, gerberas, or carnations

Gel food coloring

Pour water into the mason jar until almost filled

Dye the liquid with any gel food color of choice

Submerge the stem of the flower cutting into the jar, leaving the flower head exposed

Leave it for several hours, and then observe how the petals look

Result: 

The petals will adopt the color of the solution.

We’ve mentioned above the concept of capillary action, which is the pulling of water and nutrients from the bottom up to the different parts of the plant. The same principle applies in this activity. 

5. Transpiration in action

Transpiration is one of the most basic processes that plants undergo and is often described as their cooling mechanism. If your child loves cooling off on a hot day by drinking a smoothie, plants have their ways to chill too! 

The transpiring process is invisible to the naked eye, but we’ll make it visible in this plant science experiment!

A plant in your garden

A Ziploc bag

Let your child choose a plant in your garden (preferably with several branches).

Place the Ziploc bag over a branch of the plant such that the Ziploc covers the part, and then seal the bag.

Expose the chosen plant to sunlight.

Observe after a few hours. What does the bag look like?

There should be water droplets condensing along the insides of the Ziploc.

Transpiration is the process of releasing evaporated water from microscopic pores called stomata along the backside of a leaf. When the environment gets too hot, leaves open up this pore allowing water to evaporate, cooling the plants. Essentially, it’s like their own version of sweating.

The plant experiments above are some of the best home experiments you could do to teach children a thing or two about plants. And you might awaken their inner botanist when you engage in the listed activities. Understanding plants is becoming increasingly important in today’s urbanized and techno-centric era, especially as we seek renewable energy and green technology sources!

We hope you have fun doing them!

Our PlantExplo Kit Has it All!

You can do many fun plant experiments at home, but sometimes, you’ll need to outsource some materials from the store to get them. If you don’t like driving for material errands, why not get a science kit that packs everything your child needs? 

TheSTEMkids’ PlantExplo kit has all the materials your kids need to conduct 10 exciting experiments. Feel free to read more about it and check our other science gadgets !

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Easy Plant Experiments For Kids

Plants come in all shapes, sizes, and colors and are essential for life on Earth. Learn more about how incredible plants are with these hands-on plant experiments and printable plant worksheets. You will find easy plant activities and ideas for elementary to middle school. We love do-able science experiments for kids!

Plant Science

Plant science or botany is a fun topic to teach to kids of all ages. We have a range of plant experiments and projects that would work well in a wide range of settings, from home to the classroom.

Our science activities are designed with you, the parent or teacher, in mind. Easy to set up and quick to do, most activities take only 15 to 30 minutes and are fun. Plus, you don’t need a ton of expensive materials!

Learn about…

• How living things form part of systems.
• How energy flows through simple systems.
• Develop observational skills and practice making predictions.
• Understand the role of variables in measuring changes.

These plant experiments below are great for elementary to middle school students. For our younger kiddos, check out our list of plant activities for preschoolers .

Plant Facts For Kids

• Most plants need water, soil, and sunlight to grow.
• We need plants because they produce oxygen, clean the air we breathe, provide food, they are homes and food for many other living things, and more.
• Some plants are carnivorous. That means they eat animals (like spiders and insects)!
• 80% of flowering plants have adaptions so that they can be pollinated by bees and other insects or birds.
• Some plants do not have flowers or seeds, moss, and ferns. They reproduce by making spores.
• There are over 390,000 different types of plants in the world. Over 90% of which are flowering plants.
• Some plants live underwater and are called aquatic plants.
• About half of all plants are edible. Yet we only eat about 200 plants, and three plants, rice, wheat, and corn, make up over 50% of the plants we eat.

Tips For A Plant Science Project

Science projects are an excellent tool for kids to show what they know about science! Plus, they can be used in various environments, including classrooms, homeschool, and groups.

Kids can take what they have learned about using the scientific method , stating a hypothesis, choosing variables , and analyzing and presenting data.

Our seed germination experiment and plastic bottle greenhouse are both great plant growth experiments to consider for a science project.

Want to turn one of these experiments into an awesome science fair project? Check out these helpful resources.

• Science Project Tips From A Teacher
• Science Fair Board Ideas
• Easy Science Fair Projects

Click here to get your printable spring STEM Cards!

Free spring stem guide and challenge cards.

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Science Experiments With Plants

More than plant growth experiments, we have lots of fun ways for you to explore plant science for kids. Learn about capillary action, osmosis, respiration, and more.

Acid Rain Experiment

What happens to plants when rain is acidic? Set up an easy acid rain project with this flowers in vinegar experiment. Explore what causes acid rain and what can be done about it.

Celery Experiment

This celery food coloring experiment is a great way to show how water travels through a plant.

Color Changing Flowers

Turn white flowers into all sorts of fun colors! Observe capillary action at work as water moves up the stem to the flower.

Flower Dissection

Grab some flowers, and do a simple flower dissection to identify and name the parts of a flower. Pair it with our printable parts of a flower diagram.

Glowing Spinach

Transform ordinary spinach that you eat into a glowing green mixture under ultraviolet light! Learn about the pigments present in plants, particularly chlorophyll and how certain pigments can absorb light at one wavelength and emit light at another, resulting in the observed glow.

How Do Plants Breath

This fun plant science experiment is a great way to teach kids about plant respiration. All you need are some green leaves and water to observe how plants breathe.

Iodine Starch Test

Use iodine to figure out what plants and foods have stored energy in the form of starch!

Leaf Chromatography

Have you ever wondered how leaves get their color? Discover the hidden pigments that are in leaves with this fun chromatography experiment. Chromatography is a technique used in chemistry that separates the components of a mixture into its individual parts.

ALSO CHECK OUT: Marker Chromatography Experiment

Learn about how water travels through leaves with this simple science experiment. Watch what happens when you put leaves into a jar of colored water!

Mini Greenhouse

Enjoy the wonder of growing plants by making an easy mini greenhouse from plastic bottles. Includes suggestions for turning it into a plant growth experiment.

Plant Growth Experiment

Explore how light, water, and temperature affect plant growth. What conditions do plants thrive under?

Potato Osmosis Lab

Plant roots absorb water from the soil through osmosis. Learn about osmosis with this fun potato osmosis experiment. Investigate what happens to potatoes when you put them in a concentration of salt water and then pure water.

Regrow Lettuce

Did you know that you can regrow certain vegetables from their stalks right on the kitchen counter? Give it a try!

Seed Germination Experiment

Investigate what factors affect the germination of seeds with a simple germination jar. Kids love being able to watch the growth of the seeds!

Bonus Plant Activities & Worksheets

Ever noticed that different plants live in different parts of the world? Learn about what a biome is and examples of biomes around the world with this fun biomes lapbook project. 

Carbon Cycle

Plants have an important role in the carbon cycle which sustains life on earth. Find out what the carbon cycle is , and how plants are involved.

Explore the important role plants have as producers in the food chain . Includes printable food chain worksheets.

Honey Bee Life Cycle

Bees are important pollinators for flowering plants. Find out some fun facts about honey bees with this printable bee life cycle lapbook activity.

Life Cycle Of A Bean Plant

Learn about green bean plants with these fun and free printable life cycle of a bean plant worksheets! Find out more about how beans grow and learn about the stages of bean growth.

Life Cycle Of A Pine Tree

Learn about pine trees, and how they are different to flowering plants with these printable pine tree life cycle worksheets.

Parts of a Flower

Learn about the parts of a flower and what they do with this fun printable parts of a flower diagram.

Parts of a Leaf

A fun and easy way to learn the parts of a leaf . Grab this printable leaf coloring page!

Photosynthesis

How do plants get their food? Green plants make their own food and food for us through the process of photosynthesis . Use these printable worksheets to introduce the steps of photosynthesis to kids.

Plant Cells

Color in and label the parts of a plant cell as you explore what makes plant cells different to animal cells.

Plant Needs

From food to shelter, air to water, explore the basic needs of plants and animals with printable worksheets and fun, hands-on activities!

Pollinators

Explore the important role of pollinators in the reproduction of flowering plants with our printable pollinator activity guide.

Printable Spring Pack

If you’re looking to grab all of the printables in one convenient place plus exclusives with a spring theme, our 300+ page Spring STEM Project Pack is what you need!

Weather, geology, plants, life cycles, and more!

Subscribe to receive a free 5-Day STEM Challenge Guide

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10 Plant Science Experiments for Kids

We shared ideas of seed science experiments for kids a while ago. Today we will share easy plant science experiments you can do in your backyard or in your kitchen with kids. Kids will love to learn plant biology concepts, such as photosynthesis, transpiration, capillary action, with easy and fun activities.

Easy Hands on Plant Science Experiments for Kids

What do plants need to grow ? Why not set up a science experiment to answer the question.

Can a plant survive on orange juice rather than water ? Choose two plants of the same kind; two containers, one filled with water, the other with orange juice. Put one plant in each container, observe and record the difference of growth.

Here is another plant growth experiment , but this post explained more in details on how to write hypothesis and how they recorded plant growth data.

To go little deeper in the subject, you can ask how long can different plants survive without sunlight and water ? Design an experiment putting plants of different sizes in a black room and don’t water them. But do go check their status daily and record the data. Do you see a difference between the plants of different sizes?

How will plants grow under artificial light compared to nature light? Will you be able to design the experiment yourself?

This is a simple experiment comparing the growth of different plants . You can easily do it in your kitchen.

RELATED: 45 Science Experiments for Kids to Learn Plant Life Cycle

How plants absorb water ? This is an easy but fun experiment young children love.

While the last experiment shows how water travels through the leaves, this one shows how water travels through flowers .

After the last two experiments, you will need this one to explain why plants need water .

How fast does a plant grow ? You will find a free printable recording sheet on that post too.

After learning what plants need for growth, try growing sweet potato in your science desk or kitchen science lab. Kids will to see the changes over time and watch the sprouts and roots.

Next post: LEGO Building Challenge Games to Learn Area and Perimeter

Previous post: Pepper and Soap Experiment and More Pepper Science for Kids

Thank you so much. I have a 7 year old daughter who was struggling to get inspired for her school science project. I knew she loved nature and searched for nature science experiments, and voila: here you are! There are so many fun and engaging ideas on this page, now the difficulty and choosing one! Thanks.

Thanks! Hope your daughter likes those ideas too.

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