Flowers are turning into a real crop in Arkansas. On Nov. 17, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture's Cooperative Extension Service is holding a one-day cut flower short course at its state headquarters in Little Rock, covering variety selection, pest management, soil testing, record keeping and drip irrigation. "Interest in locally grown cut flowers is growing across Arkansas," Extension's Anthony Bowden said (UADA Cooperative Extension, Nov. 10, 2026). Registration closes Nov. 13.
That course is built for growers, but the science at its heart starts with something small enough to fit in your child's palm: a seed. Every bucket of flowers at a farmers market began with a seed that woke up, pushed out a root and reached for the light. This week, your kids can watch that happen up close, right on the kitchen counter, with one of the most cheerful flowers there is: the sunflower.
What your kids will learn
Grades K-5
- The parts of a seed: seed coat, embryo and stored food
- What a seed needs to sprout: water, warmth and air
- How to observe, draw and describe changes from day to day
- How to measure a growing root with a ruler
Grades 6-12
- Germination physiology: water uptake (imbibition), enzyme activation and the first root (radicle) breaking through
- Writing a hypothesis and setting up a controlled experiment
- Calculating germination rate from real data
- Analyzing results and writing a short lab conclusion
This week's activity: the warm spot vs. cool spot seed race
Real flower growers keep careful records, just like the Extension course teaches. Your kids can do the same with this simple experiment. You need seeds (raw, unsalted sunflower seeds in the shell work, or any garden seeds you have), paper towels, two zip-top bags and a ruler.
- Ask a question. Does temperature change how fast a seed sprouts? Have your child write a prediction before starting.
- Prepare two bags. Dampen two paper towels so they are wet but not dripping. Place five seeds on each, fold the towel over and slide each into its own bag. Label one "warm" and one "cool."
- Change only one thing. Put the warm bag somewhere cozy, like the top of the fridge. Put the cool bag in a chilly spot, like a cool windowsill or an unheated mudroom on these November Arkansas nights.
- Check every day. Count how many seeds have sprouted and measure the longest root in millimeters. Record it all in a simple chart.
- Do the math. On the last day, divide the number of sprouted seeds by five and multiply by 100 to get each bag's germination rate.
- Share a conclusion. Was the prediction right? Why might a flower farmer start seeds in a warm greenhouse instead of a cold field?
Keep raw seeds out of reach of very young children who might put them in their mouths.
For a ready-made version with a full lesson plan, the Sunflower Seed Germination Science Kit includes 10 sunflower seeds, absorbent germination paper and a resealable germination pouch. Sunflower seeds typically sprout in 2 to 5 days, so kids see results fast, which helps keep young scientists hooked. Choose Grades K-5 or 6-12 at checkout and you will receive four grade-level lessons plus worksheets by email after purchase: a daily observation log with space for drawings, a root-length measurement chart, and an end-of-project reflection or a lab report template.
Want a second species to compare? Add the Surprise Herb or Vegetable Seed Germination Science Kit and race a mystery seed against your sunflowers.
Join the growing community
Every Sunflower kit includes an invitation to Aardvark's Seed Planting For Little Hands, our private group for families using our kits. Kids post photos of their first roots, parents ask questions and troubleshoot, and everyone cheers each other on. Young growers from Arkansas, West Virginia and Arizona are all in there, so your child's seed race can become a friendly comparison across three very different climates.
Plant your first flower seed this week
Arkansas's next generation of flower growers might be sitting at your kitchen table right now. Give them a seed, a ruler and a notebook, and see where their curiosity goes.
