Sticky Seeds – a seed dispersal investigation

You might have already seen our exploding seed pods and flying seed helicopters for learning about different types of seed dispersal.

This activity teaches children about sticky seed pods. The challenge is to make a container for a seed that sticks ( temporarily ) to clothing.

One way plants disperse their seeds is by using an animal as a carrier. This type of seed usually has sticky hooks it can stick to an animal and get carried away from the parent plant.

Humans are also good at dispersing seeds. Have you ever found a seed stuck to your clothing or eaten a fruit with a seed inside and thrown the seed outdoors?

Which plants have sticky seeds?

Burdock plants have sticky seeds that attach easily to animal fur. These remind me of velcro!

Design a sticky seed pod

The activity involves designing and making a stIcky seed pod that will stick to clothing for a few minutes before falling off.

You’ll need

Velcro

Double-sided tape

Paper

Small containers

Glue

Pom pom or small seed

Instructions

Gather together your materials and create a design for a sticky seed pod. You can print the sheet below to help.

Draw a design and then try to make the seed pod.

We made a very simple package by wrapping a pom pom in paper like a parcel and then attaching double-sided tape to one side.

Test to see if it sticks to your clothes.

Does it stay attached if you jump, run or stretch?

More challenges

Test your stick seed pod on different materials such as cotton, wool, paper, card and foil.

What do you notice about the materials your pod sticks to most easily?

Find out how dandelion seeds fly on the wind.

If you struggle to tell trees apart, this tree ID sheet from The Woodland Trust is super helpful!

Last Updated on September 20, 2023 by Emma Vanstone