Plants For Kids – Sparking a Love for Plants and Nature
When I was young, (I mean, really young, like in grade 6), I used to have a collection of plants in our home. They were all lined up in one spot instead of being tastefully displayed throughout the house. I can still picture my parent’s buffet covered in plants!
The years went by and I started prioritizing phone calls and outing with my girlfriends over caring for my plants…I still loved plants and enjoyed their beauty but I was focussing more on other things. Eventually, I got a job and moved out with my boyfriend, who I ended up marrying, and we bought a couple of plants, mostly to enhance the look of our new home. I am an Interior Designer by trade so every plant in our home has always been carefully selected for a specific spot to give it a very specific look!
While I’ve always loved plants, (and lately landscaping and gardening too), it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I fully realized how much the plants in our home were positively affecting my mood.
Because of my professional training, buying a plant and the right pot for it has always been like buying a piece of art or a piece of furniture for me. Like with art, there is a specific location for a specific plant within our homes. The size, proportions, shape and colour of the foliage dictates the right location of the plant. This location, together with the type of plant, dictates the type of pot or stand this plant will need. Once the job of plant decorating our house was done, I started realizing the actual benefits of surrounding ourselves with plants.
Not only our house looks better with plants; I feel more positive and inspired! I can’t believe I am saying this, but it’s true! Having plants, and seeing them grow or blooming, actually gives me joy! I find myself excited if one of my plants blooms and I am often in disbelief of the beauty of some plants flowers, and foliage patterns and intricacy!
I am so excited that my kids, especially my daughter, (she hasn’t figured Fortnite yet), are starting to look at the plants themselves to find any changes. My daughter’s genuine interest for plants and nature in general reminded me of my interest when I was young(er). I know what I know today about plants because of my dedication to them when I was just a kid. I now understand the importance of introducing kids to plants and have them involved with watering, planting, propagating and even choosing their own plants and pots.
The environmental crisis is real and we, as knowledgeable adults, have the responsibility to teach our children the importance of respecting and admiring nature.
There are several benefits in surrounding ourselves with plants; these benefits go beyond the aesthetic value, the air purifying characteristics; they do make us happy for real! Caring for plants, gives us satisfaction and gratification!
So let’s take a look at ways we can introduce our kids to plants and spark their interest, curiosity and love for nature!
Curious Plants
One of the first things to do with your kids to introduce them to the beauty of plants, is to take them with you to your next visit to the local greenhouse or plant shop. I remember taking my kids for the first time in the middle of January, when the selection of plants is quite limited here in the Canadian prairies, (not for the lack of supply, but with temperatures ranging in the -40s people are not that inspired to go out to buy plants, unless they are desperate for some greenery!!). We were just back from our annual Arizona trip and were so amazed by the beauty of cacti that we decided to go get some for our home! Useless to say, the kids were drawn to the cacti section right away and the first plant they picked was a moon cactus. Nicholas chose one with a yellow top, (since yellow is his favourite colour), and Gaia picked the red one! Then they proceeded to choose a second one and they wanted the one with the most and longest “prickles”, (spines). Gaia ended up getting a Mammillaria that eventually bloomed gorgeous pink flowers. It was really neat for her (and myself) to observe this cactus blooming phases!
It’s not that hard to find plants kids find interesting! Here are some examples.
This is Gaia’s blooming Mammillaria. Kids love cacti in general as they are drawn to their spines.
Succulents are also very interesting for kids; their shapes, colour and geometry are unique!
This coral cactus made our kids laugh the day I brought it home! They asked me; “what is it?!?”. This is definitely the first plant they like to show their friends and their reactions and shape interpretations are entertaining…
This is our Air Plant. It always sparks a lot of questions…whether it’s kids or adults. How does it survive without soil or roots? Doesn’t it need a pot? Is it dead?
Photo Credit: Curious Plants
I remember buying a couple of Venus Flytrap when I was a kid! I used to love watching them close up when I put my finger inside its trap, (I know, I wasn’t supposed to do that…but how can a kid resist?). We don’t have one of these plants in our house yet, but I am for sure going to keep my eyes open for it!
Photo Credit: Garden Hom Dec
This Mimosa Pudica, or Sensitive Plant, or Shy Plant is also very interesting for kids! Like the Venus Flytrap, this plant, closes its leaves when you touch it! Gaia was really attached to her Sensitive Plant but unfortunately we lost it last summer…We will need to replace it!
Photo Credit: Botanique Workshop
We used to have a Pineapple Plant because my husband loves pineapple and honestly, this plant looks so cool and fun with a little pineapple on the top. He took it to work when we moved and it’s still thriving by his desk..The interesting thing about this plant is that once you pick the pineapple, you can grow a second plant with its little crown.
Photo Credit: Elite Home
Lithops or Living Stones are a type of succulent that puzzles kids and adults. They can be purchased individually but they are more effective when assembled in a group!
Curious Pots
Once your kids have picked their very own plants, it’s key that you help them maintain their interest alive…One good way to do that is to find a pot that enhances their plant and almost make it look funny or relatable to an animal or a favourite character. Make sure that this pot ties in with the surrounding decor….
This is Gaia’s collection of succulents. As you can see, she chose fun plants and together, we picked pots that suit her personality and her room decor. All little girls love unicorns and pretty faces!!
Gaia showcasing her Unicorn Pot!
I admit it, this is the case where we chose the pot first and then we picked the right plant for it. String of Pearls or String of Bananas are perfect and fun for these type of pots!
Photo Credit: Anthropologie
These cute little people and faces are great for a collection of succulents and cacti!
Photo Credit: Apartmenttherapy
If you feel crafty, you can even make these dinosaurs planters! They are ideal for little boys rooms! These planters are great for the vintage toy corner of your house as well!
Photo Credit: Urban Outfitters
These googly eyes are hilarious and perfect for kids!! What I love about these pots is that they are so neutral and minimalistic and they can pretty much suit any decor….
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Curious Compositions
Playful plant compositions are very intriguing for kids. Whether, they are open or sealed terrariums or even fairy gardens, these compositions can be assembled by using interesting plants, fun containers and elements that that kids relate to based on a favourite character or animal.
Let’s see some options…
OPEN TERRARIUM
An open terrarium is a container in which plants of different kinds are combined in a tasteful composition. When planning an open terrarium, you need to consider the type of container you want to use and the right plants for the location your terrarium will be displayed. If you are buying or assembling a terrarium for a kid, you may want to add some figurines to it.
If you want to learn more about terrariums and how to assemble one with the proper plants and layering of soil and decorative rocks, check out my blog on how to build a terrarium in 5 easy steps!
Photo Credit: Art Station
This open terrarium is brilliant! A typical glass bowl has been used to assemble the terrarium. A painted terracotta pot and two saucers have been used to create the structure of the gumboil machine. Two simple pieces of hardware have been added! In this case the playful component stand with the actual composition without the use of added figurines.
Photo Credit: Pinterest
This is a simple glass bowl terrarium in which a little dinosaur figurine has been added to create that playful look kids find curious and interesting.
SEALED TERRARIUM
Sealed terrariums differ from open terrariums simply because they are closed environments. Just the fact that plants survive in a closed environment is interesting and puzzling to kids. If your kids are old enough you can blow their mind by explaining to them that the plants inside these sealed containers create their own water cycle, and for this reasons, these plants need seldom watering. We have two sealed terrariums in our house and other than being the lowest maintenance plants, they really spark a lot of curiosity.
They are a bit more complex to build then open terrariums and they do require completely different types of plants, but once assembled, you can pretty much forget about them, (unless you want to enjoy their stunning look!).
If you want to learn more about sealed terrarium, check out my blog on how to assemble a Closed Terrarium in 7 Easy Steps!
Photo Credit: Realestate.com.au
Photo Credit: Better Home & Garden
FAIRY GARDENS
How do fairy gardens differ from terrariums? There is a fine line between the two and if you search the web for an answer, you’ll have a hard time finding a straightforward answer. In my mind, the biggest difference is that a fairy garden does not necessarily require living plants. It’s mostly focused on the miniature accessories for fairies and gnomes, rather than real plants.
I have built fairy gardens, both in jars and trays with my daughter that had no living plant in it. I believe there is a specific use, function and application for both.
Here are some examples of fairy gardens integrating living plants and mosses with the miniature world of fairies accessories! Sneaking real plants and living mosses into your kids fairy gardens, is a good way to keep that plant and nature caring connection.
Photo Credit: Coach Decor
This is a very cute terracotta pot in the shape of a mug . It is basically a pot, on top of which a layer has been added to create the fairy garden world!
Photo Credit: About-Ruth
In this case, all the fairy garden components have been used; a tea cup, living plants and miniature fairy accessories!
Recommended Projects
Here are some ideas on how to keep your kids involved and engaged with plants and caring for them. It can be as simple as asking them to help watering the plants or picking veggies from the garden. The more exposure you give your kids to plants, the more they are likely to grow a love for nature!
Gardening
Kids love to get their hands dirty and you should take advantage of their young age to get them involved with gardening, before they worry too much about the dirt under their freshly manicured nails…
Kids can help you planting seeds in your garden and picking veggies throughout the season or at the end of the season, depending on what you are planting. If you don’t have a garden, you can plant an herb box for your kitchen! Gardening teaches kids how veggies and fruits grow and where they come from. It’s so exciting for them to see how seeds grow into a veggie or a fruit they can eat!
Picking carrots and potatoes is always a fight between my kids…They love to pull on the plant and see what comes out from underground!!!
caring for plants
Caring for plants is not a seasonal activity. You and your kids can do this all year long!
Whether it’s watering or repotting plants, kids love to help. Who doesn’t like playing with water and getting their hands muddy?!?
Misting plants is one of Gaia’s favourite plant caring activities…(make sure they mist the leaves, not your walls!)
Repotting and planting is even more interesting when you have your own gardening gloves and tools.
propagating
To me, propagating plants is one of the most rewarding plant caring activities! And kids like it even better that planting seeds and watching them grow.
Why? Because you can make another plant by skipping the seeding process! A plant can actually grow its own roots without a seed! Gaia and I have cut off Pileas and Sansevierias pups sprouting off the main plant and placed them in tiny water jars to observe the root formation process. It is so cool! Gaia always checks out her “propagation station” to look for progress.
Some plants are easier to propagate than others and some are extremely fast at creating roots!
Pileas have been the fastest for us! Once the roots are developed enough we place them in mini pots with dirt and seal them in a jar, just like you would do with a sealed terrarium! Pileas love the humidity of a closed jar and you can see them grow daily!!
Gaia checking out the root development status of her 8th pilea pup the mother plant has given us in 7 months, since we took the plant home in October!!
Aerating the sealed pilea. We open up the jar for a coupe of hours once a week to allow the pilea some fresh air.
building a terrarium
Whether it’s open or sealed, building a terrarium is a bit too complex for a kid, but they sure can help you! For them, it’s like planting or repotting a plant. It’s the final result that is intriguing to them, especially once the playful components like the ones described and shown here above have been added!
There are so many ways you can get your kids involved with planting and plant care. By no means, this is an exhaustive list. These are just alternative ideas to the usual planting seeds and watching avocado pits rooting, (we are doing that too…but so far nothing is happening!).
The most important thing is that you share the love for plants and nature with your kids! They are our future and our hope for the earth!
And there you have it!
I hope you found this article inspiring and informative!
Feel free to reach out to me with any questions you should have!
Cheers,
Cecilia
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