Every spring, my kids look forward to dandelions in our yard and making wishes by blowing their seeds off the stem. But while that’s fun and all, I just learned some super cool dandelion fun facts that my kids love, and I bet yours will too. Download and print our dandelion fun facts and use them at home or in the classroom.
Download here –> Fun facts about Dandelions
Dandelion Fun Facts
I’m so excited to share these fun facts about dandelions that I just learned about! I also put my favorite ones in a printable dandelion facts worksheet that make learning much more fun.
- Dandelions are flowers that open in the morning and close at night.
- Their fluffy white seeds help them float away in the wind.
- Dandelions have long roots that go really deep underground.
- They can grow almost anywhere, even in sidewalk cracks!
- Bees love dandelions because of their bright yellow petals.
- You can eat dandelion leaves in salads or make tea from them, just make sure to wash them properly!
- They’re related to sunflowers, like cousins in the plant world.
- Eating dandelion leaves is good for you because they’re full of vitamins.
- Dandelions can be yellow, pink, or even orange!
- A single dandelion can produce up to 2000 seeds!
More Dandelion Facts for Kids
Did you know that every part of the dandelion is useful? I’m not sure I’ll be making dandelion soup (or beer, seriously, keep reading) anytime soon, but you can actually eat or drink every part of the dandelion, including the flower, leaves, and root.
Doesn’t sound like a true weed now, does it? But that’s far from the only fun fact.
To some, the dandelion represents the three celestial bodies. Challenge your kids to guess how…
The puff of white seeds is the moon; when your kids blow the seeds off, that’s the stars; and the yellow flower is the sun!
As if that isn’t cool enough, dandelions also recognize morning and night. Just watch them and see: at night the flower closes up, and in the morning it opens up!
Really want to wow your kids? Tell them that dandelion seeds can “fly” as far as five miles away, thanks to the wind and the fact that the seeds act like parachutes!
What about the word “dandelion,” where does that come from? It originates with “dent de lion,” which is French for “lion’s tooth.”
In fact, dandelions have a long and storied history… dating back to ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian times.
They have also long been used in all sorts of medicines, including through herbal medicine (often to treat infections) and Chinese traditional medicine.
Going back to food and drink, many have used dandelions to make everything from wine, coffee, and tea to root beer. Need a diuretic? Just turn that dandelion into tea!
And why are dandelions so important to the ecosystem? For many reasons, including the fact that birds and insects alike eat parts of the dandelion, including the seed and nectar.
Even so, dandelions are incredibly resilient. Not only do they not need to be pollinated in order to seed, but if you mow them down (like many do), they’ll just grow shorter stalks next time.
No wonder they’ve survived for thousands of years!
Despite their resiliency, people keep trying to use pesticides on them.
But they are no weed, as Bee Happy Gardens has shared. They’re actually a good plant to have, and have been for centuries.
Download Facts About Dandelions Free PDF File
Download here –> Fun facts about Dandelions
SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR Dandelion PRINTABLES
- Something to color with: favorite crayons, colored pencils, markers, paint, water colors…
- The printed dandelion facts printables template pdfs
- This coloring page is sized for standard letter printer paper dimensions – 8.5 x 11 inches.
MORE FUN FACTS FOR KIDS TO PRINT
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- China facts for kids
- Cuba facts for kids
- Japan facts for kids
- Mexico facts for kids
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- Earth’s atmosphere facts for kids
- Grand Canyon facts for kids
Did you enjoy learning these dandelion facts for kids?
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