Home Hot Topics Articles About Us / Contact Us Activities & Curriculum Activities for Outcome-Based Learning Arts & Crafts Music for Learning Recommended Reading ECN Radio NEWSlink How to Get a School Grant Movement, Play and Physical Activity for Children Topics In Early Childhood Education Art and Creativity in Early Childhood Education Job Sharing Board State Licensing Requirements Subscribe today to our bi-weekly newsletter!   ACTIVITY Sunflower House By Rae Ann Hirsh Preschoolers delight in watching things grow - especially big things. This activity is an exciting one, as preschool children plan, plant, and watch mammoth sunflowers grow into an interesting playhouse. Curriculum Area Science and Fine Motor Skills Before You Start Mark off a six-foot by six-foot area to make the sunflower house. Clear away all grass and rake the soil to make it loose. Add a couple of bags of good quality topsoil to the area. Let's Begin 1. Read the Sunflower House by Eve Bunting. 2. Ask the children if they would like to create their own sunflower house. Lead them to the area prepared for the sunflower house. Give them rakes and invite them to rake the topsoil. 3. Show the children the different kinds of sunflower seeds. Ask them to sort the seeds and to guess which one will produce the biggest sunflower. 4. Have each child choose a mammoth sunflower seed. Each child will measure six inches and then plant a sunflower seed around the perimeter of the six by six foot area. 5. Decide where the entrance of the sunflower house will be, and plant seeds 12 inches apart. Water thoroughly. 6. Choose a different child each day to be responsible for watering the seeds. As the plants begin to grow, clip off any leaves that grow to the inside of the house. This will leave room inside of the sunflowers for children to move and play in. 7. As the sunflower house grows above the preschool children’s heads, furnish with tree stumps and other natural materials. Furthermore When the sunflower house begins to die, collect a couple of the flowers. Hang upside down in brown paper bags to save the seeds. Roast some for the children, add some to bird feeders and save some for the next growing season.   Tweet Mammoth sunflower seeds Mixed sunflower seeds A 6ft. x 6ft. outdoor location that receives plenty of sun. 5 bags of topsoil Shovels Rakes A six-inch marker The book Sunflower House by Eve Bunting Large and X-Large Shovels - Set of 8 Shovels and Rakes - Set of 8 Watering Can Children's Garden Seed Kit - 7 Packs 4' x 4' Raised Bed Garden Frame Articles and activities listed on this website may be printed for single use. No article or activity may be duplicated or distributed in any form, in whole or in part, without permission from the publisher, Excelligence Learning Corporation. Contact Permissions Department.

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