One of my favorite ways to get kids involved with gardening is helping them start their own seeds. The wonder that comes through when those first tiny seedlings break through the soil surface with just so fun to watch! When I first started growing our own seedlings for our garden, I bought expensive plastic compartment trays from our local nursery. Little did I realize that they would end up being absolutely worthless. We lost a lot of seedlings trying to pry them out of those little cells especially when they kids were helping me. Luckily, I found several other ways of starting seeds indoors with kids that work so much better and are super cheap using everyday stuff around the house.
There are two ways to get plants for our gardens. The most common way for novice gardeners is to buy baby plants (seedlings) from their local nursery. These are (hopefully) healthy plants that will get off to a great start in your garden. However, the selection is usually pretty small. You’re probably not going to find a wide selection of different varieties – at least not at our local nurseries. Buying seeds to start ourselves opens up a whole new world of possibilities! When your seedlings have at least 2 sets of true leaves, they’re ready to be planted. Check the seed packets for when to plant which seeds in your area. I also love this planting calendar based on zip code from the Farmer’s Almanac.
Supplies Needed
- Seedling Mix – Although you can use potting soil for starting seeds, soilless seed starting mixes are better. They’re easy to find at most local nurseries or online. I stick with OMRI Listed products, which helps me keep to organic standards even as a backyard gardener. You can also make your own with 1/3 sphagnum peat moss (or coconut coir), 1/3 finely screened compost, and 1/3 vermiculite.
- Sunny Window – Place your seedlings in a sunny south facing window.
- Seeds – Choose plants that your kids would like to grow and eat (if growing edibles). Roots veggies and large seeds (peas, beans, melons) are best sown directly outside. Lettuce, flowers, broccoli, cauliflower, and leafy greens are great for starting indoors.
- Fertilizer – I prefer a water soluble fertilizer for my seedlings. This is easy to find at your local nursery. Whatever you use, follow the label directions for how much and how often to use for seedlings.
- Recycled Materials – newspapers, plastic produce containers, paper towel and toilet paper rolls, egg cartons

How to Make Newspaper Pots for Seedlings
Newspaper Pots
First up – My favorite way for starting seeds indoors with kids! Making seedling pots from newspapers is so easy that the kids can do it themselves! Sure, you could go down the road of origami newspaper pots but those were a bit too complicated for us. For the newspapers, I try to use only black and white print but those pages can be hard to find. Luckily, most newspaper ink nowadays (including colored ink) is soy-based and safe for gardening.
Once your seedlings are ready to plant, you can plant the whole thing. Make sure the garden soil covers the top of the newspaper pot otherwise water may wick up and dry out the seedling. The newspaper will decompose right in the garden and the seedling’s roots will expand. If you have poor garden soil, which can delay decomposition, you can gently unwrap the seedling and plant it without the newspaper pot.
How to Make Newspaper Pots for Seedlings
- Fold a 1/2 page of newspaper in 1/2 the long way.
- Line up the edge of a small soup can (think Campbell’s) with the edge of the newspaper. Roll the can up the length of the newspaper.
- Fold the excess newspaper over the bottom of the can to create the bottom of the newspaper pot.
- Remove the soup can. Fold down the other side of the newspaper about 1/2″ to create the rim of the pot.
- Fill with moist soilless seed starting mix and plant 2-3 seeds. Thin to one seedling per pot.
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Toilet Paper and Paper Towel Rolls
These are really handy to have on hand for craft projects with your kids and they also make great seedling pots. One paper towel roll will give you three seedling cups. A toilet paper roll is a bit too long for my liking so I cut off about 1″. Cut a small slit in one end to make it easier to fold over to create a bottom to the seedling cup.
Fill with moistened soilless seed starting mix and plant 2-3 seeds. Thin to one seedling per roll. You can plant these directly into the garden, but make sure the top of the paper roll is completely under the soil. Or, like I prefer, you can remove the roll before planting the seedling. Tip: These are difficult to stand up, so I like to keep them in a plastic produce carton.

A few of my favorite ways to start seedlings with my kids!
Egg Cartons
I’m not a huge fan of using egg cartons because the area for the seedling’s roots is quite small. Stick to smaller plants like lettuce and spinach if you’re going to use these. When the seedlings are ready to plant, scoop our the whole cup with a spoon and gently plant the seedling in your garden. Even though some egg cartons are made of paper, they’re thick enough that they’ll take long to decompose, which will restrict the development of the roots. Strong roots = strong plants!
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Plastic Produce Containers
The plastic containers that some produce come in make great seedling pots. Choose containers that are deep such as those that tomatoes and strawberries come in. Since these don’t have individual cells to plant in, space out your seeds. I’ll put 4 seeds in a cherry tomato container and six in a strawberry container. When the seedlings are ready to plant, very carefully scoop out the seedlings with a spoon while trying not to disturb the roots too much.
Disposable Cups
Disposable cups are my go-to seed starting container when out doing gardening demos and classes with kids. While this isn’t a great recycling tip, they’re cheap and perfect for gardening with kids. Plus, my kids love the different colors and designs. Since most of these cups are coated in wax, you’ll need to cut the cup off the seedling before planting. Poke a hole or two in the bottom for drainage and fill the cup with moistened soilless seed starting mix. Plant 2-3 seeds per cup but thin to 1 seedling per cup before planting.
With so many options, there’s really no need to buy fancy seed starting trays especially when starting seeds indoors. Kids will love growing their own plants with these easy supplies found around the home. This is also a great way to talk to them about the importance of recycling and reusing what we already have handy.
Such a fun idea! I pinned to share. I love the ways to use recycled materials to do this!
Thank you for sharing!