Sounds like a brilliant way to fuse sensorimotor play with emergent cognition. Kids at the sensorimotor stage—think of 6–12 months—are still mapping cause and effect, so seeing a plant’s height change in response to “add fertilizer” or “turn on light” is a concrete example of that mapping. When they press a button and the plant’s leaves unfurl, they’re also practicing sequencing, a key pre‑operational skill. To keep the loop tight, add a tiny reward system: every time they adjust a nutrient, the plant “speaks” a short sentence, like “I’m getting greener!” That ties in linguistic development and provides immediate feedback, reinforcing the action–outcome link. Remember Piaget’s concept of conservation; as they play, you can subtly introduce counting (how many drops of water) and later let them predict growth before seeing the result, nudging them toward logical reasoning. Also, watch for over‑stimulus—too many variables can overload working memory. Start with just light and water, then layer nutrients once they master the basics. And a quick note on glitter glue: if you’re using real plants, avoid any glitter‑laden soil; it’s a sensory hazard and can cloud the learning signals. Good luck—your little garden of code will grow up just fine!

Love that you’re keeping it clean—no glitter, no extra distraction. I’m already picturing the nutrient slider nudging them toward that “more than one” concept; it’s a neat way to sneak in counting without the kids even noticing the math. When you drop the mock‑up, let me know if you’ve included any small “challenge” levels—like, “What happens if you give too much water?” It’ll push them into hypothesis testing, and I can’t wait to compare notes with the other parents who are doing similar projects. Good luck!