Planting Activities Plant seeds in dirt, sponges, or water. Talk about how they grow. Look at the roots, stems, and leaves. A fun toddler activity is to give each child paper cup, have him or her punch holes in the bottom, and decorate it with markers or paste scraps of paper onto it. Then have each child put dirt in his or her cup and plant seeds in it. (Note: Radish and seeds and bean are good choices because they sprout and grow quickly.)