Every plant, from the tulsi in a pot to a huge mango tree, is built from the same few parts: roots, a stem, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. Learning the parts of a plant for kids is one of the first science topics in UKG and Class 1 EVS, and it is one of the easiest to make hands-on, because the examples are growing on your balcony and sitting in your kitchen.
Print-ready worksheets for this topic
EVS & GK Worksheets PDF for UKG & Class 1 – My Body, Plants, Animals, India & GK Quiz, Ages 5–7 (42 Pages) – A4 PDF, instant download. ₹99 ₹199
This guide gives a one-line job for each plant part, a simple sprouting experiment with moong that children can watch over a few days, a table of plant parts we eat (some will surprise you), and 15 quiz questions with answers to check understanding.
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Quick answer: The main parts of a plant and their jobs:
- Root: holds the plant in the soil and takes in water.
- Stem: holds the plant up and carries water to the leaves.
- Leaf: makes food for the plant using sunlight, air and water.
- Flower: makes seeds, and often turns into a fruit.
- Fruit: keeps the seeds safe.
- Seed: grows into a new plant.
Parts of a plant for kids: what each part does
| Part | Where it is | Its job (in one line) | Say it to a child |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root | Under the soil | Holds the plant firmly and takes in water and minerals from the soil | “The roots are the plant’s feet and drinking straws.” |
| Stem | Above the soil | Holds up the leaves and flowers and carries water up and food down | “The stem is like a road for water.” |
| Leaf | On the stem or branches | Makes food for the plant using sunlight, air and water | “Leaves are the plant’s kitchen.” |
| Flower | On the stem | Makes seeds; many flowers later become fruits | “Flowers make baby seeds.” |
| Fruit | Grows from the flower | Protects the seeds inside it | “The fruit is a box for seeds.” |
| Seed | Inside the fruit | Grows into a new plant | “A seed is a sleeping baby plant.” |
For UKG, roots, stem, leaves and flower are usually enough. Class 1 children can add fruit and seed and the idea that leaves make food. In later classes this food-making is called photosynthesis, but there is no need to use that word yet.
What a plant needs to grow
Ask your child: “What do you need to grow?” (food, water, air, sleep). Then compare with a plant. Most plants need:
- Sunlight to make food in the leaves.
- Water, taken in by the roots.
- Air, which the leaves use.
- Soil, which holds the roots and gives minerals. (Some plants, like money plants in a bottle, can grow in water for a while.)
- Space to spread their roots and leaves.
Try this simple test: keep one small potted plant in a sunny spot and one in a dark cupboard for a few days (water both). Children will see the cupboard plant turn pale and lean. Bring it back into the light afterwards.
Sprout a moong seed: a simple experiment
Whole green moong is cheap, found in most Indian kitchens and sprouts quickly, so children can see a seed come to life within a day or two.
You need
- A small handful of whole green moong
- A bowl of water
- A clean, damp cotton cloth or a wet paper towel
- A small plate or box
Steps
- Soak the moong in water overnight. Next morning, notice that the seeds have swollen.
- Drain the water and wrap the seeds in the damp cloth. Keep them on a plate in a warm place.
- Check every morning. Sprinkle a little water if the cloth feels dry.
- After a day or so, a tiny white tail appears. This is the first root.
- Plant two or three sprouts in a small pot of soil and keep it in the light. Over the next days a shoot and small green leaves grow.
Daily log
Draw this table in a notebook and let your child fill one row each day, with a small drawing.
| Day | What I saw | Length of the tail (short, medium, long) | My drawing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seeds soaked and swollen | none | |
| 2 | |||
| 3 | |||
| 4 | |||
| 5 |
Afterwards, cut out pictures of the stages (seed, sprout, small plant, big plant) and put them in order. Our picture sequencing worksheets post has more ideas for this kind of ordering activity.
Plant parts we eat
This is the part children enjoy most. Bring out vegetables from the kitchen and sort them by plant part.
| Plant part | Foods we eat |
|---|---|
| Root | carrot, radish (mooli), beetroot, sweet potato, turnip |
| Stem | potato, ginger, sugarcane |
| Leaf | spinach (palak), methi, cabbage, lettuce, coriander, mint |
| Flower | cauliflower, broccoli, banana flower |
| Fruit | mango, banana, apple, and also tomato, brinjal, bhindi and cucumber |
| Seed | rice, wheat, moong, rajma, peas, peanuts |
Two surprises worth sharing: the potato grows underground but is actually a swollen stem, not a root; and tomato, brinjal and bhindi are fruits to a scientist because they hold seeds, even though we cook them as vegetables. An onion is a bulb made mostly of thick, fleshy leaves.
Prefer ready-to-print pages?
EVS & GK Worksheets PDF for UKG & Class 1 – My Body, Plants, Animals, India & GK Quiz, Ages 5–7 (42 Pages) – A4 PDF, instant download. ₹99 ₹199
Activities for parts of a plant for UKG and Class 1
- Leaf hunt: collect five different leaves on a walk. Compare shapes, sizes and edges. Press them inside a heavy book.
- Celery or white flower experiment: put a white flower or a celery stick in water mixed with food colour. After a day, the colour climbs up, showing how the stem carries water.
- Plant a label: draw a plant with roots, stem, leaves, flower and fruit, and stick paper labels on each part.
- Act it out: feet are roots (stand firm), body is the stem (stand tall), arms are leaves (reach for the sun), face is the flower (smile).
- Kitchen sort: use the table above and sort real vegetables into labelled bowls.
Plants connect naturally with other EVS topics. Our guides to EVS worksheets for Class 1 and UKG EVS worksheets show the wider topic list, and five senses worksheets pair well with a leaf-feeling and flower-smelling walk.
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15 quiz questions on parts of a plant (with answers)
- Which part of the plant grows under the soil? (root)
- Which part holds the plant up? (stem)
- Which part makes food for the plant? (leaf)
- Which part makes seeds? (flower)
- What keeps the seeds safe? (the fruit)
- What grows into a new plant? (a seed)
- Which part takes in water from the soil? (root)
- What colour are most leaves? (green)
- Name two things a plant needs to grow. (any two: sunlight, water, air, soil)
- A carrot is which part of the plant? (root)
- Spinach is which part of the plant? (leaf)
- Cauliflower is which part of the plant? (flower)
- Is a potato a root or a stem? (stem)
- Which part carries water from the roots to the leaves? (stem)
- Rice and moong are which part of the plant? (seeds)
For UKG, use questions 1 to 8 orally with a picture. Class 1 children can try all 15, writing one-word answers.
Printable parts of a plant worksheets
Our EVS and GK Worksheets PDF (42 A4 pages, ages 5 to 7) includes parts of a plant (root, stem, leaf, flower, fruit), what a plant needs and how a plant grows, inside a food-and-plants section that also covers food from plants or animals, healthy food and a fruits and vegetables sort. Other pages cover my body, my home, animals, transport, safety, seasons, water, India and a picture GK quiz, with answer keys for every page that has an answer.
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Try a few pages first: the free EVS and GK sample has 3 real pages plus the cover and contents page, free at checkout with your name and email. The EVS pack is also part of the Complete Worksheet Library bundle (₹699, 20 original packs).
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Frequently asked questions
What are the main parts of a plant for kids?
The main parts are the root, stem, leaf, flower, fruit and seed. Young children usually start with root, stem, leaf and flower.
What is the function of the root?
The root holds the plant firmly in the soil and takes in water and minerals, which travel up the stem to the rest of the plant.
Which part of the plant makes food?
The leaf makes food for the plant using sunlight, air and water. Leaves are green because of a green substance that helps them catch sunlight to make this food.
Is a potato a root?
No. A potato grows under the ground, but it is a swollen stem that stores food. A carrot and a radish are roots.
Does the EVS and GK pack include parts of a plant?
Yes. The 42-page EVS and GK Worksheets PDF includes parts of a plant, what a plant needs and how a plant grows, with answer keys at the back.
