This week I had a wonderful time with preschoolers and I want to share the simple project with all of you. It’s always fun to bring the outdoors in and especially rewarding with children. Here are a few tips for a fun meaningful project anyone can do at home or at school.
First of all we purchased nothing. You do need a container. I found an old small fishbowl, but any small glass container would have worked, just make sure it is strong so breakage is not a worry.
Two children helped find a few small rocks and a child help find a little dirt and we looked for native plants (you may call some weeds – but we love them) around the school and in my yard, that no one would miss. A little moss is a great candidate for this and especially good if you don’t feel comfortable in knowing your plants.
Many children helped with this project taking turns. They put the rocks at the bottom, then some sand, next came dirt, and lastly the plant. We even added a small piece of bark with lichens growing on it. Let the watering begin!
This project is wonderful for so many discussion topics. We learned about the importance of drainage (our rocks and sand) so plants don’t drowned with too much water. We talked about native plants. What does grow around us at this time of year? We learned that some lichens are a complex life form that contain both fungus and alga in a symbiotic partnership. (We didn’t go into great detail about all of that), but the first thing the children noticed is that lichens did not grow on the dirt. In the case of our lichens, it grew on a piece of bark. After making our terrarium we went for a walk outside and found that lichens grows on rocks, trees, and a wooden bench, but not on dirt.
So far we have kept out terrarium simple, but you could always add a special rock, decoration, or maybe a snail. Living things require care. Your child’s terrarium will need occasional watering and sunlight. These are all good things to talk about. It’s fun, it’s educational, and it’s a beautiful addition to any home, school, or bedroom.