How to Grow a Bean in a Sandwich Bag (Easy Science Experiment for Kiddos)
- Briesha Bell
- 5 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Did you know that you can kickstart the growth of a bean inside of a plastic sandwich bag?! Big shoutout to my amazing former co-worker and mentor, Cindy Haase, who showed me this simple science experiment!
While working together, we did this activity with three different cohorts of toddlers in a classroom for 2 and 3-year-olds. Each year I was just as amazed as the kiddos to watch the beans grow and thrive.
Although I never thought to record our classroom science experiment, I redid it at home and posted it on my Pinterest account. The video pin continues to be one of my most popular videos on Pinterest with 5,000+ saves!
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🫛 Materials Needed:
Green bean seed (I used a pack from Dollar Tree)
Paper towel
Potting soil
Pot (or old yogurt container)
⏰ Time Required:
Setting up the experiment only takes about 5 min. or less. Witnessing the complete transformation of the seed into a seedling takes about 10 days, but most plants show noticeable growth between days 4-6.
👥 What Ages Can I Do This Experiment With?
I’ve done this experiment with kids as young as 2. Adult supervision is required, as the beans can present as a choking hazard if ingested. Fortunately, the time children spend holding the bean is very short.
But, this experiment is pretty cool to do with a wide range of kiddos (ages 2+).Tbh, I was in my late 20s when I did it for the first time and I was truly amazed!
🌱 How to Grow a Bean in a Bag: Step-by-Step Instructions
Wet a paper towel
Wrap seed or bean in the paper towel.
Drop your “experiment” in the bag. Release excess air from the bag. Then, seal it close.
Note: Gently press out most of the excess air before sealing the bag. But don't flatten it completely because the seed still needs some oxygen to germinate.
Tape bag to a sunny window and wait patiently.
💡Tip: If doing with multiple children, write each name on masking tape and attach to their respective bag.
🥰 Making the Mindful Memories
Watching and observing the seedling grow is pure joy. At dropoff, the kiddos in our classroom were eager to come into the classroom and check on the progress of their seedling.
So much visible growth happens over the 10 days, it just creates this magical experience for toddlers. These are the mindful memories I hope to help my readers create. If you want to try a similar gardening activity, check out my Grow a Grass Caterpillar post!
📚While you’re waiting for the bean to grow, this could also be a fitting time to explore the classic fairytale, Jack and the Beanstalk.
🧠 Educational Skills:
Developmental Benefits:
observation (intro to STEM); counting (the number of roots); cause & effect; sensory (visual) processing
Teaches:
curiosity; patience; delayed gratification; resourcefulness; optimism; nature appreciation
Repotting & Next Steps:
Parents & Caregivers:
Pot the seedling in soil for continued growth, child can help water it daily.
Teachers:
Send home with a note for parents to pot the seedling in soil for continued growth
→ Related: 🫘 Halloween Sensory Bin Using Lentil Beans
🤔 FAQs:
What seed/bean to use for this experiment? Does this experiment work with any seed?
Although the experiment can work with other seeds, I've only tried it with green bean seeds. Generally, larger sized seeds are easier to observe through the plastic bag and easier for toddler hands to manipulate (and not drop lol). Other larger-sized bean options you can try are lima beans and kidney beans.
Why does this experiment work?
It turns out that this is experiment is a process called seed germination. The wet paper towel provides water, while the air left inside the bag provides oxygen. And the warm environment helps the seed germinate. As the seed begins to sprout, sunlight from the window provides it with the light it needs to continue growing.
Is there a way to prevent mold?
I've only run into a mold issue once. Since then, I've made sure that I merely wet the paper towel, instead of leaving it soaking wet.
Although I haven’t tried it myself, a couple kind Pinterest users gave the following suggestions in regards to preventing mold:
Pinterest user @JasonKelsoe, shared: “sprinkle on some cinnamon and it will prevent molding and promote good growth.”
And pinterest user @daisy_bell_36 elaborated: “you can sprinkle cinnamon on the paper towel before putting it in the bag to prevent molding as cinnamon in a natural mold fighter”
What do I do if mold starts growing in the bag?
While doing the experiment with toddlers, there have also been a handful of times that it looked like their beans were molding, and to our surprise, they ended up sprouting a couple days later! So, I say, just leave it and see what happens.
How do I know when it’s time to pot the seedling?
When it looks like your seedling is about to burst out of its bag, it’s a good time to pot it.
Thank you for reading! If you try this experiment with your kiddo, send me a DM with a photo and I'll include them in this post (with proper photo credit, of course)! ☺️
Stay Conscious + Curious!
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