Printable Plant Needs Worksheet for Kids – Cut & Paste Activity

Plant Needs Cut & Paste Worksheet – A Low-Prep Activity

Growing kids’ understanding of how plants live is fun — and it doesn’t have to be complicated. This Plant Needs Cut & Paste Worksheet gives young learners a hands-on, low-prep way to explore what plants do and don’t need to thrive. It’s perfect for preschool, kindergarten, or early primary science lessons.

What’s Inside

This printable worksheet includes:

• A “happy plant” and an “unhappy plant” drawing as sorting zones.

• Cut-out items such as sun, water, soil, air, and a few non-essentials (toy, sunglasses) for comparison.

• Spaces around each plant for students to paste (or glue) what the plant needs vs what it doesn’t need.

• Clear, simple visuals to support comprehension and discussion.

Why It’s Useful

• Builds foundational science knowledge: what living things (plants) require.

• Reinforces critical thinking: distinguishing essential vs non-essential factors.

• Supports fine motor skills (cutting, pasting).

• Low-prep for teachers/parents — just print, and kids can work independently.

• Great for visual learners and early readers with labelled pictures.

How to Use This Worksheet

1. Prep: Print enough copies. Pre-cut the items if younger children will use it.

2. Introduce the topic: Discuss what plants need to grow — light (sun), water, soil, air. Ask questions: what happens if a plant doesn’t get water?

3. Worksheet activity: Have students cut out the item boxes. Then sort them: glue sun, water, soil, air around the happy plant. Glue the “toy” and “sunglasses” etc. around the unhappy plant.

4. Follow-up discussion: Why aren’t toys or sunglasses needed? What if a plant had no sun? What if it had no water?

5. Extensions (if desired):

   • Add more “non-needs” for sorting (e.g. candy, pillows, etc.).

   • Let students draw their own “non-essentials.”

   • Turn into a game: time trials, or contest who sorts correctly fastest.

This worksheet is a simple but powerful tool for helping kids understand the essentials of plant health. It blends science, motor skills, and decision making — all with minimal prep for you. Print it out, paste, discuss, and watch young minds grow!