Are you looking to introduce your child to growing their own? Maybe you want them to understand a little more about where food comes from? Cress is one of the quickest and easiest plants to grow, so here are 7 fun ways to grow cress that kids will love.
Children love to experiment, get a little mucky and impress their friends — and they’re much more likely to enjoy trying new fruit, vegetables and herbs if they’ve grown it themselves. The great thing about cress is that it can be grown on a windowsill, in the garden, or pretty much anywhere you have a bit of light and a few days to spare.
We’ve picked 7 fun cress ideas that grow quickly enough to hold the interest of even the youngest gardener, and none of them need much space. Along the way, your child will pick up a little science about how things grow — and growing your own is a great way to encourage more adventurous eating habits.
7 Fun Ways To Grow Cress That Kids Will Love
#1. Grow Your Own Initials in Cress
How impressive would it be to grow your own name and eat it? It’s a simple project that can be done any time of year, and best of all, it only takes about a week for your name to magically appear — long enough to add to a favourite salad, egg sandwich or wrap.
#2. Grow Your Own Cress Bunny
Image courtesy of look-what-i-made
How cute is this cress bunny from look-what-i-made? It’s made using a cardboard tube, cotton wool pads and cress seeds. Find out how to make your own cress bunny — perfect timing for Easter, or any time your child fancies a fluffy little project.
#3. Grow Your Own Cress Head
Check out how you can easily grow your own cress head on a windowsill or in the garden with just a few simple steps.
Once it’s grown, you can trim it and eat the “hair” as part of a salad or sandwich — an egg and cress sandwich is a firm favourite in plenty of houses!
#4. Grow Your Own Cress Lamb
Image courtesy of Gardening With Kids
If spring lambs are more your style, this simple project from the Gardening With Kids blog will be a big hit. Your lamb can be grown anywhere you like, and it’s a fun project for a party or a classroom activity.
You may also enjoy — Grow Your Own Pizza Garden
#5. Grow Your Own Cress World Map
Image courtesy of Adventures and Play
From the wilds of Africa to the icy plains of the Arctic, this fun project to grow your own cress map can be as large or small scale as you like. Find out how to make your own cress world map on Adventures and Play.
#6. Create a Cress Time-Lapse Project
If your child is usually more interested in growing their score in the latest game than growing their own, why not get them to film a cool time-lapse video using one of the cress ideas above? They can wow their friends with their growing skills and their editing skills at the same time.
You might also enjoy — The Beginner’s Guide to How to Make a Stop Motion Movie
#7. Grow Your Own Cress Dinosaur
We love this funky dinosaur made using empty smoothie cartons, soil, water and cress seeds. Quick, easy and impressive — a great one to try during a school holiday or a rainy afternoon.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to grow cress?
Cress is one of the fastest plants to grow at home — most of the ideas above are ready to trim and eat in about a week, which makes it a great choice for keeping younger children interested.
Do I need soil to grow cress?
No. Several of these ideas — like the cress bunny and cress head — use damp cotton wool instead of soil, which makes them cleaner and easier for little hands to manage.
Can kids eat the cress once it’s grown?
Yes — once it’s grown, cress can be trimmed and added to salads, sandwiches or wraps, just like the egg and cress sandwich mentioned above.
Where’s the best place to grow cress at home?
Cress is happy on a sunny windowsill, in the garden, or anywhere it gets a little light. It doesn’t need much space, which is why it works well for classroom projects too.
Related Articles
- Grow Your Own Pizza Garden
- The Beginner’s Guide to How to Make a Stop Motion Movie
- Gardening With Kids: Fun with Cress
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Has your child had a go at growing cress? Or do you have another fun cress idea we should try? Share it with us in the comments below.
