I don’t know if I have any special hints. I can tell you what I did though. Last year was my first year planting sunflowers.
I took an aluminum lasagna pan (I garden cheap), put drain holes in the bottom, and filled it with potting mix. I scattered seeds on top, covered with more mix, watered, and put the container outside the beginning of May. I’m in zone 6, so you could probably plant earlier. They sprouted pretty quickly. When they looked big enough, the kids and I transplanted them directly into the spots we wanted. Nothing complicated you didn’t already know, I’m sure. Maybe I was just lucky last year.
My daughter seemed to really enjoy gardening. She noticed every tiny sprout in our containers, and got excited when she noticed certain plants growing and flowers blooming. We definitely learned patience last year growing most flowers from seed, which was new for me. It was a blast, we just didn’t get blooms as early as I’m used to. Some bloomed until frost though.
My son wasn’t as into it, but liked picking tomatoes, and was impressed how fast and long the vining zucchini grew.
Thanks — I’ll try that, we direct seeded them in the past.
LOL on your lasagna pan -— I’m even cheaper, I use the previously used banquet buffet table aluminum pans from where I work!!!! Everyone knows to not throw them out. And I just keep reusing them, I have about 30 of them stacked up in the barn.