Cloning is a hot topic these days, but growers of African violets have been doing it for years. You and your child can, too. It's easy to propagate tiny plantlets with leaves and flowers exactly like the mother plant, and with the right light, temperature, and fertilizer, they'll grow into beautiful houseplants that bloom most of the year. They were first discovered in West Africa in 1892 by Baron Von St. Paul of Germany, and by the late 1920s breeders had developed a few hybrids. Since not many types grow true from seed, the best way to get more plants is to root a leaf cutting.
Roots develop from the petiole, the area where the stem meets the base of the leaf.
You'll need a clean plastic or ceramic flowerpot with drainage holes. If you're using a recycled flowerpot, help your youngster make a solution of 9 parts water and 1 part chlorine bleach. Soak the pot in it for a few minutes to kill fungi or bacteria that could infect the plant, and rinse thoroughly. Disinfect a sharp knife in the same manner. Pack the flowerpot with dry vermiculite, then place the pot in a saucer of lukewarm water for half an hour to thoroughly moisten.