Home » Uncategorized

Jar Terrarium – Make a Mini-Mushroom Secret Garden

Got baby food jars? You could make a miniature mushroom secret garden

Perfect for a rainy day craft activity, or to make at a party for a a take-home party favour, these gorgeous mini-mushroom jar terrariums are a super-fun and super-cute addition to your crafting repertoire.

Recipe and images by Elise Clarkson from Pixels and Sunshine for Families Magazine – Gold Coast

A step-by-step guide to making a jar terrarium

Supply List1

You will need;

  • Red and white paint
  • Foam craft ball
  • Paint brushes
  • Baby food jar
  • Moss and soil
  • Sticks
  • Tweezers
  • Double sided tape
  • Glue
  • Small toy animals
  • Cutting board
  • Spoon
  • Bread knife

This is a supervised craft activity. Please get a grown-up to help.

How to make your mini-mushroom jar terrarium;

  1. Ask a grown up to cut the foam ball in half with a bread knife. There is a seam in the middle of the ball. Just follow the seam around for a clean cutStep 01
  2. Use the lid of the baby food jar to mark out a circle on the underside of the half foam ball with a markerStep 02
  3. Take a spoon and scoop out the foam so the lid fits into the hole. Keep on scooping till the lid fits in snuglyStep 04
  4. Paint the foam semi circle red and set aside to dry. Give it two red coats for a deeper colourStep 05
    Step 06
  5. While it’s drying assemble your garden in the jarStep 07
  6. First put in the soil then moss and sticks fill about ⅓ of the jarStep 08
  7. Add in a toy animalStep 09
    Step 010
  8. Once the red paint has dried. Paint white dots randomly over the mushroom topStep 011
    Step 012
  9. Use some double sided tape on the lid and some craft glue to attach it to the mushroom topStep 013
    Step 014
  10. Let it dry overnightStep 15

The Nitty Gritty;

  • Makes a great party favour or even group party activity
  • Send the the kids on a hunt to collect the moss and sticks from your garden
  • Takes about 1-2 hours to complete, plus drying time

Step 16

Photo of author

Janine Mergler

Janine Mergler is a veteran Queensland teacher, graduating from QUT with a BEd majoring in Social Sciences. After many years in the classroom, Janine moved on to academia. She has proudly trained new generations of teachers in her role as a lecturer at Queensland University of Technology Faculty of Education. She has also worked in the Queensland Government as an education specialist, developing education resources and delivering community awareness programs to help families conserve water. Currently she is the owner and editor of Families Magazine, a publication specifically targeted at parents who value a quality education for children.  Janine leads a team of professionals who write about family lifestyle, early childhood, schools and education information and family-friendly events.

Leave a comment