Everyone seems to be obsessed with terrariums these days and frankly, I can’t blame them. These projects are pretty cool and take very little time. We’d say that’s a big plus for everyone. Brighten up your home and learn a little in the process with this Air Plant Terrarium. They make great gifts that kids can make, too!
Please note, I have provided links for supplies as they are hard to find in stores. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This is at no cost to you.
What are Air Plants?
Air plants named tillandsia are a type of flowering plant that is known for its ability to live in almost any environment without soil. Pretty cool if you ask me. They cling to trees, telephone wires, rocks and more, wherever the wind blows their seeds.
It’s like they live on air alone! But in reality, these plants are extremely good at pulling what they need from the environment around them. Their long leaves absorb moisture and nutrients from the air. The roots are used to attach themselves to their growing space.
Air Plant Terrarium Supplies
These terrariums can totally be customized for the supplies you have on hand. Jars, bowls, cups all work. Any type of trinkets, rocks, shells, sea glass, etc. make great ornaments. It’s especially fun to use things you’ve found on walks in the jars. You can use colored sand to make a layered base, too. And one quick note, tall jars make for a more striking terrarium, but for little hands, shorter jars are easier.
- 1-quart mason jar
- 1 cup sand
- Pebbles, shells, sea glass, or other decorative items
- Air plant like tillandsia
- Water sprayer
How to Make an Air Plant Terrarium
Making a terrarium is a super easy project, just fill and enjoy!
- Pour sand into mason jar.
- Add pebbles, shells, and other decorative natural items,
- Place air plant in terrarium jar (do not cover with lid to keep air circulation around the plant).
- Spray air plant with a little water.
How to Care For an Air Plant Terrarium
To keep your air plant healthy, place in a bright location (but not direct sunlight). Spray with water once a week and once a month give it a soak. To soak, place the air plant in a bowl of water for 10 minutes. Remove from the water and place on a paper towel to remove excess water.
If you live in a dry location, water more often.
Gifts Kids Can Make
These air plant terrariums make great gifts, for friends and family. Here are a few more ideas of fun gifts kids can make.
Painted Coasters: Make striking geometric patterns with these easy, painted cork coasters. Perfect for the coffee or tea loving family member!
Perler Bead Change Holder: If your kids love Perler beads, I’m guessing you have a bucket of them in the closet. Melt and build this bead dish as a perfect change or jewelry holder.
Slime Balls: These fun slime-filled ornaments make perfect gifts for the kids’ friends or siblings.
Water Activities for Kids
This project is a sneak peek into the STEAM Explorers Water activity ebook!
Come explore our water-filled world with STEAM Explorers! Kids will love learning about our how submarines dive, angler fish glow, water makes music, and more though hands-on science, tech, engineering, art, and math projects. Delicious recipes that teach about science while you snack. Printables perfect for home or school that get kids thinking about what makes animals special. Pages to read that help kids understand the watery world around us and get inspired by STEM careers that work with water. And as always, lots of fun stuff like color by coding, word searches, seek and finds, and more.
