Grow Carrots from Carrot Tops Science Experiment.
Looking for a simple science experiment that you can do at home with your kids?
Then this plant science experiment is really easy to set up and you and your children can observe how new life can grow from old.
So have a go at setting up a simple science to see a carrot top grow.
It is important to note that you will not grow a carrot from this experiment just the top leaves.
Growing Carrots Tops
We have always loved this simple science experiment and even very young kids can get something out of it.
With older kids there are lots of possibilities so continue reading to see some of the ideas that we suggest doing around this activity.
Materials Needed for Carrot Top Science
- About an inch of the top of a carrot
- A shallow dish
- Water
How to Set Up Your Carrot Growth Experiment with the Kids
- Chop the top off a carrot.
- Place in a shallow dish.
- Add enough water to cover the base of the carrot stump.
- Monitor the water daily and water and observe it grow.
Experiment with Toddlers and Preschoolers
With young children, you can use this as a way of helping them learn a little about gardening.
Check out other resources for gardening with toddlers and preschoolers.
They can monitor the water, check that it has enough light and warmth and watching it grow.
This will help them learn responsibility.
You could also try starting a simple nature journal with them where they could draw the carrot as it grows.
Or like we did take a picture and stick it in a journal to show how the carrot is growing.
You could even turn it into a slide show video at the end to see the growth sped up.
Experiment with School Kids
With kids that are a little bit older, it’s time to get more mathematical and scientific!
- Measure the growth of the carrot and plot it on a graph daily to see how quickly it grows.
- Document the growth with images and create your own video from it.
- Repeat the experiment with the carrot in different conditions – light/dark, water levels, inside a plastic bag, in the fridge etc…
More Simple Plant Experiments for Kids
- Investigate bulbs with this simple nature study
- Grow beans in a jar to see how roots work
- Explore how plants transport water up their stems with celery
Cerys Parker
Cerys is a marine biologist, environmental educator, teacher, mum, and home educator from the UK. She loves getting creative, whether it is with simple and easy crafts and ideas, activities to make learning fun, or delicious recipes that you and your kids can cook together you'll find them all shared here on Rainy Day Mum.
This worked really well. 2 weeks on and we have 4 stems growing out of the top, one of them being about 1 1/2 inch tall. Very easy to set up for a great little lesson.
I’m so glad that it worked 🙂 isn’t it fun and so adaptable to different ages of kids. IF ONLY it would grow a real carrot!
I didn’t realize you could do this with carrots – very cool!
Wow! It really works. I am impressed. Will so have a go with the kids now!