Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Seed Dispersal Cards: Free Printable Card Set for Year 2
- ForYear 2
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Seed Dispersal Cards is a free printable card set for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7). Children cut out the cards, read about plants and sort them by how their seeds travel to new places. It takes about 15 minutes, needs only scissors and a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children cut out the cards and read each one. Every card names a plant and says something about what happens to its seeds. The job is to sort the cards into groups by how the seeds travel, and to say why each card fits. Children can work on a table or the floor, on their own or with a friend, and talk through each choice as they go.
- Dandelion seeds float away on the wind
- Sycamore seeds spin like helicopters
- Burdock burrs stick to fur
- Blackberry seeds are in fruit eaten by birds
- Coconuts float on the sea
- Water lily seeds float on a pond
- Gorse pods pop open and fling seeds
- Squirrels bury acorns
- Pea pods split open when dry
How the activity builds understanding
Read and look closely
Each card gives a short clue. Children read it slowly and think about what is happening to the seed.
Sort into groups
Sorting asks children to compare cards and decide what they have in common. This is a core science skill.
Give a reason
Saying why a card belongs in a group turns a guess into an explanation. Ask for a reason every time.
Check and talk
Children check their groups against the notes on page 2, then talk about anything that surprised them.
Why do seeds need to travel?
A seed holds a tiny new plant and a store of food to help it start. If every seed dropped straight under its parent, the young plants would crowd together. They would compete for light, water and space. Seeds that reach new places have a better chance to grow into healthy plants.
Plants cannot walk, so they rely on other things to move their seeds. Wind, water and animals all play a part, and some plants have ways of spreading seeds themselves. Year 2 children can notice that the size, shape and surface of a seed or fruit often give clues about its journey.
Take care on seed hunts outdoors. Never eat berries, seeds or plants found outside unless an adult has checked they are safe. Wash hands after handling plants and soil.
Seed facts for children
- A seed has a tiny new plant inside it.
- Seeds need water, warmth and space to start growing.
- Plants cannot move, so their seeds need help to reach new places.
- Some seeds are small and light. Others are big and heavy.
- A seed that lands too close to its parent plant may not get enough light.
Skills and curriculum link
- Sorting
- Plants
- Explaining
- Observing closely
- Scientific talk
What children will be able to do
- I can say that seeds are spread in different ways.
- I can name wind, animals and water as ways seeds travel.
- I can match a seed to how it travels.
Science ideas to help you talk about seeds
- Seeds and plantsMost flowering plants start life as a seed. A seed holds a tiny new plant and some food to help it begin growing.
- Why spread outSeeds that land away from the parent plant have more room, light and water. That gives them a better chance to grow.
- Ways to travelSeeds can be moved by wind, by water or by animals. Some plants also have ways of sending out their own seeds.
- Looking for cluesThe shape and surface of a seed or fruit can hint at how it moves. Ask your child what they notice before you explain.
Key words
- SeedA small part of a plant that can grow into a new plant.
- DisperseTo spread out to many different places.
- FruitThe part of a plant that holds its seeds.
- PodA case that holds seeds.
- Parent plantThe plant that a seed came from.
- GrowTo get bigger and develop into a full plant.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Cut out the cards together. Read each one aloud so every child knows what it says.
- Sort the cards into groups on a table or the floor. Ask, "Why does this card go here?"
- Check the groups against page 2. Talk about any card that was placed differently and why.
- Come back another day and sort the cards again. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Do one group at a time. Pick a way seeds might travel and look through the cards for ones that fit. Read each card aloud and underline the key words. Say why a card fits before you move on to the next group.
To stretch confident children
Think of a brand new way a seed could travel. Draw the plant and its seed, then describe the journey to a friend. Ask them to guess which group your seed belongs in and to explain their thinking.
Make it a game
Take the cards on a walk, or look for seeds in a garden or park. Spot a plant, guess how its seeds might travel and say why. An adult decides what is safe to touch. Do not pick or eat anything.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child says all seeds just fall to the ground.
Try thisAsk, "What if the plant is by a pond, or the day is windy, or an animal passes by?" Look again for clues on the cards.
Watch forA child sorts by the colour or size of the plant instead of how the seed travels.
Try thisAsk, "How does the seed get away from the plant?" Reread the card and find the word that tells you.
Watch forA child puts a card in a group but cannot say why.
Try thisRead the card sentence aloud together. Underline the action word, then ask which group that action belongs to.
Talk about it
- How might this seed travel to a new place?
- Why do plants need their seeds to spread out?
- Which seeds have you seen blowing in the wind?
- What would happen if all the seeds fell in one spot?
- Which card was easiest to sort? Which was hardest?
- Where could you look for seeds near your home or school?
Take it off the page
Seed hunt
Walk around a garden, park or street and look for seeds and fruits on the ground. Look only. Talk about how each one might have got there.
Design a seed
Draw an imaginary plant and design a seed that could travel a long way. Label the parts that help it move.
Seed drawing
Look closely at a seed or fruit from the kitchen, such as an apple pip. An adult cuts anything that needs cutting. Draw what you see and describe its shape.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go and let them lead. Fifteen minutes is plenty. Ask for a reason with each card and praise the thinking, not just the sorting. A walk outdoors afterwards makes a good follow up.
Teachers
Use it as a starter or plenary in a plants topic, as an early finisher task or as a table activity. It needs only printing and scissors. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Pair the cards with a garden or park walk, a library book about plants or planting some seeds. The sheet is free to reprint, so brothers and sisters can sort the cards too, or you can revisit them in a few weeks.
Where this fits in science
In Year 1, children learn to name common plants and describe their basic parts. In Year 2, the plants strand asks them to observe and describe how seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants. This card set adds the idea that seeds need to reach new places first.
In Year 3, children look at the parts of flowering plants and the life cycle, including how seeds are formed and spread. Sorting cards in Year 2 builds the simple ideas and vocabulary that make that later work easier.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- How might this seed travel to a new place?
- Why do plants need their seeds to spread out?
- Which seeds have you seen blowing in the wind?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Seed Dispersal Cards for?
It is written for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7), in Key Stage 1. Older children can use it as revision. Younger children can try it with an adult reading each card aloud and talking through the choices.
- What will children practise?
Children practise sorting, talking about plants and explaining their thinking. They learn that seeds are spread by wind, animals and water, and sometimes by popping open, and they match each plant to how its seeds travel.
- How long does it take?
It takes about 15 minutes. Cutting out the cards, sorting them and checking against page 2 all fit in that time. Work on one group at a time if you want shorter sessions.
- What if it feels too hard?
Do one group at a time and say why each card fits. Read each card aloud and underline the key words. Come back to the rest on another day. Short, calm sessions work better than pushing on.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. The sheet prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Children can colour the cards in if they like, which gives them another reason to look closely at each one.
- Is it suitable for teachers to use in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing and cutting, and page 2 has support and stretch ideas.
- Can I use it for home education?
Yes. Home educators and tutors can use it alone or as part of a wider plants topic. It pairs well with outdoor walks, planting seeds and books about plants, and it is free to reprint.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.