Indoor Gardening for Kids – Cactus Garden

A succulent garden is the perfect way to introduce your kids to gardening. These easy-to-care-for plants are fascinating for children and make a great addition to any home. Plus, they’re drought tolerant, so you don’t have to worry about them wilting in the sun. Let your child help you choose their favorite succulents and get planting!

Gardening can be fun for kids. However, sometimes they may not hold much interest. Or, as children do, they might forget about their garden. Cactus gardens are perfect for small or just forgetful children. They require little maintenance, and some are beautiful flowering plants. Here’s how you can help your child create their first cactus garden.

Gather All Your Materials

This project can be very small or a tad bit larger depending on what you are looking for. In addition to gloves to protect your hands, you’ll also need the following materials to help structure your garden:

• Planting Bowl: This may be large or small, depending on the space you have for it in your home.
• Pebbles: These will be used inside the bowl to prevent soil from clogging your drainage holes.
• Cacti Soil or Compost: This will be used to actually plant your cacti.
• Sand: This is used to decorate. It will simulate a desert.
• Miniature cacti: The actual cacti you choose is up to you. Choose colorful and interesting looking ones for your kids.

Most Common Types of Cacti

There are over 2000 species of cacti. However, you can’t grow all of them well indoors. For fun, ask your child if they know of cacti that grow anywhere else besides the desert. Surprise them with the fact that cacti grow in the forest as well! Of the many odd shaped and beautiful colors you find, here are the most frequent and easy to care for cacti for indoors.

• Bunny Ears Cactus
• Christmas / Thanksgiving Cactus
• Easter Cactus
• Golden Barrel Cactus
• Orchid
• Peruvian Apple Cactus
• Rat’s Tail Cactus

Plant Your Cacti

Planting cacti must be done carefully, so you may want to help your child do so.

1. Place a few pebbles in the bottom of your container.
2. Place the cacti soil or compost on top. You should have enough in there so that the cactus roots are covered well.
3. Next, one by one, remove the cacti from their pot using the gloves for the prickly ones. Place each into the soil. Make sure to pack the soil so that there are no air holes left around the roots.
4. Once this is finished, take a brush with soft bristles and brush off any soil that got on your cacti.
5. Now you can grab your sand and add it to your garden.
6. They can decorate around the plants any rocks they’ve found outside in the yard or from a walk on the beach. Marbles are also a cool idea.

Caring for the Cactus Garden

Cacti grows with very little water, making them ideal for a child or beginner to take care of them. Tell your child they should water their cactus garden once the soil is dry to the touch. Although they need little water, they do prefer a lot of sun. Placing them on a sunny windowsill is ideal.

A cactus garden is a great pastime to share with your child and will introduce them to the world of gardening. Make sure to be careful when planting, and it should be a rewarding experience for you and your child.

Katie Reed

Katie Reed is a passionate writer and mother of four vivacious boys from Salt Lake City, Utah. Drawing from her own journey through TTC, pregnancy, and the joys of raising children, she offers a wealth of insight into the world of motherhood. Beyond her heartfelt tales, Katie delights her readers with family-friendly recipes, engaging crafts, and a curated library of printables for both kids and adults. When she’s not penning her experiences, you’ll find her crafting memories with her husband and sons—Dexter, Daniel, Chester, and Wilder.