Grow Bean Sprouts Without Soil

What You Need:

• Small plastic cup such as a mini measuring cup
• Coffee filter
• Water
• Dried beans
• Sunlight

What You Do:

1. Have your child moisten a coffee filter with water and stuff it into one of the small plastic cups. He can tear the filter into smaller pieces to make it easier to work with.
2. Ask him to tuck several beans between the coffee filter and the inner wall of the container.
3. Place the container on a windowsill that gets plenty of warm sun.
4. Invite him to check on the container daily, moistening the coffee filter if it starts to dry out. After 2–3 days, he might see something cool. If all goes according to plan, his beans will sprout roots!

Did you know? The United States produces the most dried beans in the world. Beans come from plants and are a good source of protein. There are many different kinds of beans including azuki beans, broad beans, chickpeas or garbanzo beans, lentils, lima beans, and soybeans. What's your favorite kind of bean?