| The children (aged 4 & 6) who live across | | | | with potting soil. |
| the road are eager to return to school, or should | | | | Proceed to plant your small plants within the soil. |
| I say their Mom is eager! Today, she had kept | | | | The girls had planted violets within their terrariums. |
| them busy making terrariums out of soda bottles | | | | Water your new plants until the soil is pretty wet. |
| that had been going into their recycling bins. | | | | If you are using bog plants then the water can |
| This evening they paid me a visit to show me | | | | soggy! |
| their terrarium creations. I have posted | | | | To complete, flip over the other bottom and |
| instructions below so that if you needed a last | | | | carefully slide over the half in which you have |
| minute activity before school starts you have one | | | | planted your plants. |
| to use. | | | | Place your terrarium in a sunny area, away from |
| The girls obviously thoroughly enjoyed the activity | | | | direct sunlight and observe the changes. The |
| and are eager to see changes in the days ahead | | | | direct sunlight could cause the temperature in the |
| as the violets continue to grow. | | | | terrarium to be too high for your plants, so |
| The dictionary definition of a terrarium is:- a glass | | | | ensure your children are watchful. |
| container enclosing a garden of small plants. | | | | Only add water when necessary. Moisture from |
| TO MAKE A TERRARIUM | | | | the terrarium should condense on the inside of |
| Obtain TWO 2 liter bottles, the clear bottles will | | | | the terrarium top and provide the necessary |
| work best as the children will be able to clearly | | | | water. |
| see the water cycle and progress of growth of | | | | A terrarium may be simple to make. The result |
| the plants within. | | | | however, of doing this simple activity can be |
| Soak off the labels and wash out the bottles | | | | profound, as it provides enrichment to a child's life |
| carefully, then cut them both in half. Keep the | | | | in ways that are very important. By teaching a |
| bottoms and recycle the remains to the recycle | | | | child to care for living things, they become more |
| bin. | | | | aware of the complexities of nature and the |
| Place a layer of gravel in the bottom of one of | | | | world surrounding them. |
| the soda bottle bottoms and then fill half way up | | | | |