Watermelon Facts for Kids

What am I?

I'm a popular summer snack, and you usually pick me because I'm juicy and sweet. I have been cultivated for thousands of years, and was enjoyed even by the Egyptians. Over the years I have changed a lot in my size, shape, color, and even my seeds.

Where I grow

I grow in warm and sunny regions, where the weather is just right for me to thrive. You can find me in many places around the world, including countries like the United States, Brazil, and China. Look for me on vines with big, green leaves sprawling across the ground.

After I'm picked

After I'm picked, I am usually enjoyed in slices or scooped out into juicy chunks. Some people like to chill me in the fridge for a cool and refreshing treat. I am a perfect addition to picnics, barbecues, and beach outings. You can also blend me into refreshing smoothies or use me in fruit salads for a burst of sweetness.

Did you guess... Watermelon

Español: sandía

Did you guess Watermelon? Watermelon is a perfect summer snack! Do you prefer it with seeds or without?

How to pick a watermelon

​​The best way to know if I'm ripe is to listen to me. Knock and listen for a dull, hollow sound. I'm also sweetest when I have an ugly yellow patch (or spot). Most people don't know that I come in many varieties and colors, like yellow, orange, and pink! My rind (outside skin) can even be yellow! I can even be grown in a cube shape!

Watermelon Facts

​Most watermelons that you find in stores today are seedless, but it wasn't always this way. Ask your parents about spitting watermelon seeds when they were kids. 

HOW IT GROWS
Just like how you crave watermelon on a hot day, watermelon loves the sun, too. The plant grows a vine on the ground. The vine stretches out and can grow up to 20 feet long! Two flowers grow - one for pollinating and the other for growing the watermelon. 

DID YOU KNOW

• 5,000 years ago, watermelon grew wild in Africa and was a small, hard, and bitter fruit.
• To grow seedless watermelon, farmers have to first grow 3 treated crops.
• The best way to know if a watermelon is ripe is to listen to it. Knock on it and listen for a dull, hollow sound. 
• When choosing a watermelon at the store, look for ugly yellow patches (or spots). Surprisingly, this is usually a sweeter, ripe watermelon!​
• Watermelon can grow to have yellow, orange, and pink fruit! The rind (outside skin) can even be yellow! 
• You can grow watermelon in molds or boxes, so it grows to be a cube shape! This is popular in Japan.

Watermelon Recipes

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