For older children, you can make a backyard hide-out by planting the sunflowers in a circular or square patterns, placing the seeds rather close together. Be sure to leave a spot for a "door." These plants can get 8-10 feet high, providing quite a bit of seclusion. If you want to make a toddler get-away, look for the dwarf varieties of sunflowers that only grow about 2 feet high. That way, your toddler feels like they've got a hiding spot, but you can always see where they are and what they're doing.
Sunflowers will sprout in about a week, but they do take a while to reach full height (up to 90 days). While they're growing, you can make some sunflower arts and crafts.
And if you don't have a back yard, but you do have a sunny spot on a patio or indoors, you can grow a sunflower in a container. Consider giving your sunflower to a grandparent or neighbor as a gift. You can decorate a plain terra cotta pot with your baby's yellow handprints and tie with sunflower fabrics or ribbons.
