Jack and the Beanstalk Plant Growing Activity for Kids (Spring Classroom Craft)

If you’re looking for a hands-on spring plant growing activity for kids, this Jack and the Beanstalk classroom project is such a fun way to teach children how seeds grow while creating an adorable keepsake to take home. Kids plant real bean seeds, learn about soil, sunlight, and watering, and watch their beanstalk sprout day by day. The fairy tale theme adds excitement, but the real learning comes from caring for their own growing plant and seeing science happen right in front of them.

I love it when spring comes around — it’s such a fun time to make hands-on projects and colorful spring crafts like this hyacinth pipe cleaner flower, painted popsicle flower pot, and melted crayon suncatchers. This is the season for planting activities, growing experiments, and sweet classroom crafts like this beanstalk project, simple seed-starting cups, and colorful spring science activities. The kids will get so excited checking their plants each day, and I love that it turns into something they can take home and remember.

This activity works best if student photos are taken ahead of time.

WHAT YOU’LL LOVE ABOUT THIS ACTIVITY

• Combines science + literacy + crafting
• Kids plant a REAL seed and watch it grow
• Makes an adorable photo keepsake
• Perfect for spring classroom units
• Works for preschool through early elementary
• Easy prep for teachers

SUPPLIES NEEDED

• Cup for planting
  (I used a clear 9 oz. plastic cup)
• Potting soil
• Bean seeds – fast sprouting or pole beans work best
• Wooden dowel (12 inches)
• Photos of the kids standing on tippy toes with hands stretched upward, looking toward the castle
  (laminated and cut out)
• My castle printable
• Optional name tag printable
• Crayons and scissors for coloring and cutting
• Clear tape (for attaching the castle and photo to the dowel)
• Cotton balls (for gluing under the castle clouds)

Teacher Prep Tip:
If you plan to include student photos, take the pictures a few days ahead of time. Have kids stand on their tippy toes with their hands reaching upward like they’re climbing. Print and laminate the photos before the activity so they’re ready to attach during the project.

To create a realistic climbing pose, have kids bend one arm and one leg at a 90-degree angle as if they’re climbing upward.

How to make this Seed Growing Activity and Photo Craft for Spring

If you haven’t downloaded the printable yet, grab it now so everything is ready before you start.

Before you begin:
If using student photos, be sure they are printed and laminated ahead of time. Having them ready makes the activity run much more smoothly.

Plant the seeds
Fill each cup with soil and plant the bean seed according to the packet directions. Lightly water the soil.

Color and cut the castle
Have the kids color the printable castle and carefully cut it out.

Add the clouds
Glue cotton balls around the base of the castle to create fluffy clouds.

Prepare the photo climbers
Cut out each laminated photo of the child standing in a climbing pose.

Attach to the dowel (adult step)
Tape the castle near the top of the wooden dowel and tape the child photo lower down on the same dowel so it looks like they are climbing upward.

Place the dowel in the soil
Insert the dowel into the planted cup.

Watch it grow!
Follow the directions on your seed packet for watering and sunlight. (Tips for success are below!) Over the next few days, the beanstalk will sprout and grow upward toward the castle.

EXPERT TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL GROWING

• Pole beans or fast-sprouting beans work best
• Plant seeds about 1 inch deep in the soil
• Keep soil moist but not soaking wet
• Place cups near a sunny window
• Sprouts usually appear in 5–10 days
• Rotate cups every few days, so plants grow straight

FUN VARIATIONS

• Let kids decorate the cups with markers
• Add a label that says “Watch My Beanstalk Grow!”
• Have students measure the beanstalk each day
• Turn it into a science journal activity

Need the printable? You can download it here and start your beanstalk project anytime.

*Adults should always supervise children during crafts and activities – small parts are choking hazard