Cress Projects

Watching plants grow is a lovely experience for your little ones, and the rapid growing nature of cress makes it a great plant to monitor for a project.  You can buy packets of cress seeds in supermarkets, garden centres and hardware stores; a single packet will have plenty of seeds for a few growing projects.

Cress grows very well on cotton wool which is less messy than using more traditional soil.  You can grow cress in any receptacle, here are a few ideas:-

• Create growing 'pots' out of Duplo, Lego or other building blocks
• Take some egg shells and grow in there, draw faces on the front to make 'cress men'
• Use an egg box to create a mountainous landscape with cress 'trees'
• Grow cress in the shapes of your childrens initials, try creating their whole name!
• Use small boxes, tins or any other containers

Lay some cotton wool inside your chosen 'pot', sprinkle seeds on top and saturate it with water.  Leave it in a warm and  light place such as a windowsill.  Look at the pot each day and see what happens.  Watch as the seeds start sprouting and then grow into tall cress.  After a few days you will be able to harvest the cress - chop it with a pair of scissors and sprinkle it inside a sandwich and enjoy the reward of your labours!