Mar 31 2009
The Great Sunflower Race
Spring is wonderful. The grass is green again, the birds are chirping, and the kids love being able to play outside again. We all know that rain goes hand in hand with spring though, so we all need activities to keep the kiddos happy when mother nature is doing her thing.
Kids from toddler to adult will love participating in The Great Sunflower Race.
Necessary Supplies:
Potting Soil
Sunflower Seeds
Ruler
Construction Paper (or any type of paper)
Sharpie Marker
Disposable plastic cups or peat pots
If you have done any gardening, or if you grew up in a rural area, you are probably familiar with the exaggerated growth cycle of the sunflower. The seed germinates within days and will begin poking out of the soil in less than a week. The young sunflower seedling will grow measurably every day, which is fun and exciting for youngsters. The purpose of The Great Sunflower Race is to compete to see whose sunflower grows the most.
When the sunflowers have outgrown their small pots they can be planted outside.
Just a word of warning though, sunflowers aren’t usually transplanted, so there is a chance they may not survive the move out of doors. If this is the case, just use the remaining seeds for direct sowing outdoors when the danger of frost has passed.
First, mark your peat pots or plastic cups with the names of each player and fill each pot with soil. Plant 1 or 2 seeds (player’s choice) in each pot and water. Place the pot in a sunny window and continue to water every other day, or as needed. It is the responsibility of each player (if they are old enough) to select a sunny spot for their plant and keep it watered.
As the master of the sunflowers, it is your responsibility to assign rewards or prizes for each phase of the game. You may want to award stickers or a special treat or privilege to the winner of each phase.
Phase 1: The first seedling to fully emerge from the soil, with the stem visible, wins.
Phase 2: The seedling with the greatest amount of growth in week 2 wins
Phase 3: The seedling with the greatest amount of growth in week 3 wins
Phase 4: The seedling with the greatest amount of growth in week 4 wins
Phase 5: The seedling that is the tallest at the end of the four weeks wins the grand prize
Phase 6: The seedling to have roots poke through the bottom of the pot first, wins (only if you use a peat pot)
To measure growth, give each player a piece of paper to write their name on and decorate. At the end of each week, stand the piece of paper up behind the seedling and mark its height on the paper. To determine weekly growth, use the ruler to measure the difference between the lines on each piece of paper.
At the end of the competition each player will have their growth chart as a keepsake of The Great Sunflower Race. The Master of the Sunflowers may also collect them and collate them into a scrapbook documenting the race. Be sure to take pictures of the planting day, and growth along the way as well!
The cost of the race is minimal and breaks down as follows:
Sunflower seeds: 20 cents - $1.00
Peat Pots: 1.00
Potting Soil: 1.00
Total: $2.20 - $3.00 for up to 10 players
Additional Considerations: Cost of prizes, if any, and the cost of other materials such as paper, marker, and ruler, if you don’t have them on hand.
For more information about the growth of sunflowers, click here. Share information with kiddos about the growing process and how plants affect our lives. Make this activity fun, frugal, fabulous, AND educational. 
