Can watermelon seeds grow in your stomach or can seeds grow inside you? We’ll cover watermelon seeds growing in stomachs myth, plus other cool things like seed science / gardening lesson plans, garden science for kids, fun gardening activities for kids—including garden lesson plans for middle school and elementary, preschool lesson plans for garden theme, and more.

Can a watermelon seed sprout in your stomach?

Seeds, including watermelon seeds, can grow in almost any part of the body, including the stomach, nose and ears. However, it is not likely that a watermelon seed will germinate and grow in your stomach (or in any of these areas) because the environments are not hospitable. The stomach has a very low pH level and high acid, which would kill and seed trying to germinate. While it is technically possible for a watermelon seed to grow in your stomach, nose or ears, it is not likely to happen.

The nose and ears are both warm and moist, which are ideal conditions for seed growth. However, if a watermelon seed does manage to germinate in one of these areas, it will likely be dislodged fairly quickly because the body will attempt to expel it.

So no, swallowing watermelon seeds will not cause them to grow in your stomach. The watermelon seeds will simply pass through your digestive system and be excreted as waste.

Don’t miss the how to start learning about plants and seed science for kids below. KEEP SCROLLING!

Is swallowing watermelon seeds bad for you?

There is a lot of folklore about watermelon seeds and what happens when you swallow them. Some people believe that the seeds can grow in your stomach, while others think that watermelon seeds are toxic. Some seeds like apple seeds, seeds of apricots, peaches, plums, or cherries, contain a small amount of cyanide and may be toxic in large quantities. However, watermelon seeds are safe and some people even cook them up the same as roasting pumpkin seeds!

FUN FACT: A 2015 review from University of Leeds said it would take 83 to 500 apple seeds to get acute cyanide poisoning if you ate them. (Don’t try it!) [reference]

ALSO ON THE PODCAST: HOW A SEED GROWS IN YOUR NOSE AND ALSO IN ANOTHER WEIRD PLACE IN THE BODY! LISTEN NOW!

Gardening Lessons for Kids and Activities for Growing Seeds for Kids

• Grow your own watermelon seed (outside of your body!) – get different types of watermelon seed kits!
• Learn about the life cycle of seed / plant
• Download a free classroom garden lesson plan pack
• Get free lessons with a watermelon theme
• Make a recipe for watermelon seeds (use this pumpkin seeds recipe, but with watermelon seeds instead)
• Learn about how animals spread seeds / about seed dispersal
• Get seed experiment ideas or science fair ideas with seeds
• Learn about the energy stored in seeds that allow them to grow in inhospitable environments
• Plant a Victory Garden

Seed and Gardening Books for Kids

We hope you enjoyed learning can watermelon seeds grow in your stomach and gardening activities!