So for her party, I wanted to create a magical party favor for the 12 girls coming over.
For most birthday parties, my kids come home with kid tattoos, bubbles, stickers, pencils, glow sticks, erasers and bags of candy. Cute…but most of it gets dumped.
A waste of money overall. And I actually caught Esther eating the grape scented eraser! Yikes.
So beachy terrariums it is. And what a blast we all had creating these!
Like sand dunes nestled to the water, these beachy terrariums even have lapping waves to mimic the ocean in all its blueish, greenish and turquoise splendor.
Shells, beach glass and pebbles top our cute coastal creation!
And of course ~ a native beach “dune” in the form of an exotic air plant!
I feel like I’m taking a mini vacay every time I glance at the trio of beach themed terrariums on my kitchen countertop.
Let’s do this!
Before we get started why use air plants and not succulents?
Certainly too humid for succulents! I have no clue why so many terrariums I’m seeing on Pinterest are featuring succulents. Succulents planted too close together to boot!
Even with an open terrarium such as the one we are creating today, a succulent isn’t going to like the confined space and lack of air flow.
That succulent is likely to die. Sooner rather than later.
Air plants (tillandsia) fuss much less. It takes far more effort to kill an air plant than not.
Besides, air plants don’t require soil making them a spot-on choice for an open or a closed terrarium rooted in sand.
If you were to use succulents, drainage holes would be a must. You also wouldn’t be able to plant exclusively in sand as soil is needed.
Sure, the succulents like some gritty sand mixed in the soil but the effect would be ruined. Colored sand mixed with black dirt? Ugly.
Your other option would be to plant the succulent in another container and plant that pot into the terrarium. Then you’d layer colored sand around the potted succulent.
What a pain! Just use an air plant and make life easy!
Materials needed:
Spoons/small funnels to scoop the sand
Why mini mason jars?
After mulling over my options at Walmart, Amazon and Target, my mom found these 3-pack mini mason jars for $3 at Target.
At first, I hesitated. I even put them back because they only had one set of 3 and I needed 12. This would mean traveling to several Target stores to get 12.
But my mom convinced me these were the way to go because they had lids. So I ceased looking at 0-3 month baby clothes that I don’t need and when back to grab them.
Besides, the mini mason jar option with lids allows kids to transport these terrariums home for a spill-proof ride.
Air plants are flexible. The air plant can be pulled out and held separately when transporting terrariums home.
The size of these mini mason jars was also spot-on standing at 3.5 inches tall.
Colored sand is expensive. The bigger the container, the more sand you’ll need. You’ll also need more toppings adding to the price.
Tips on purchasing colored sand
It would have been cheaper to buy a bulk pack of sand in every hue under the sun (or rainbow) if you will!
But I was avoiding colors like hot pink and purple, not too beachy. It depends on the look you are going for. For a unicorn terrarium those colors would be perfect.
So I don’t think multi-colored sand would look dreadful~ they would certainly be pretty terrariums and give girl crafters more options. It’s up to you and your personal tastes!
These 1.5 colored sand containers came in the exact colors I was seeking and were purchased at Hobby Lobby for $3 each. Just to be safe, I bought 2 of each color to make sure every color was available to the girls.
There is some left over, but we’ll use it for other projects so I don’t mind.
Topping your piece of paradise
I stuck with my beach theme and went with shells, small pebbles and beach glass.
The beach glass and shells were particularly nice and helped make each terrarium unique.
I was worried the girls would cut themselves on the sharp glass so had them point to the pieces they wanted and helped place them in the terrarium.
Smooth glass pieces work equally well! I liked the jagged edges this time round!
Items fitted for fairy gardens could be incorporated like mini beach chairs and white fences.
Let your creativity run wild!
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Creating waves with colored sand
Sometimes it’s easier to tell you what not to do than what to do.
Don’t place your first layer of sand in your glass terrarium and bang it on the countertop. This will only flatten the sand.
That’s okay if your aim is flat layers but my goal was big, beachy ocean waves crashing to shore!
So I created layers by lumping the sand as high as possible (with a spoon) just in the corners to start. The first two corners with blue and then light brown in the remaining two corners to achieve this effect.
Try to keep the middle more open. With every layer you add the piece will naturally allow sand to flow to the middle. It will get filled.
Never pick up the jar~ this will mess up your layers and may get the sand mixed up.
Younger kids in particular will struggle a bit with the concept of not mixing the sand or picking up the jar for one “blah” piece.
The layers need to be distinct, so keep the jar flat on your working space.
Keep adding layers at the corners. Never mix the sand with the spoon.
It’s nice to alternate blue/green/turquiose colors with the white and light brown for contrast.
Waves and beach together are the best of both worlds!
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The contrast of the white and some light brown against all the beachy hues is quite lovely!
These beachy terrariums are all about personal preference. I had about 13 layers in mine.
And I used about 10 shells in various sizes and 5 colored glass pieces on top for effect. You do what works for you!
Of course she is a free spirit. Always of a creative mindset. She’s left-handed!
My other daughter and her friends are in the 8-9 range and this project was ideal for them. Not too easy or too hard.
The girls’ took between 30-45 minutes to complete this project. I was done in 15 minutes but had far fewer layers. My 6-year-old took her time and took 45 minutes to complete her masterpiece.
Beachy terrariums gave them enough freedom to individualize each piece.
My younger daughter’s waves were certainly more pronounced than mine! It looks like a storm is coming on.
Reminiscent of the Caribbean, her waves just whirl and swirl.
But I stopped filling my terrarium with layers at the 2.5 mark. This left plenty of room for my toppings. Not to mention nestling in that air plant.
And the sky is the limit when it comes to air plant variety. You choose what suits you. Taller air plants will give off dramatic vertical height. Shorter varieties make for a cuter terrarium.
Twists, turns, spikes and twirls all make for an interesting showpiece.
Set your creativity loose on this DIY beach terrarium!
Unique?!
They would make real pretty gifts! Great idea!
Very cool idea to include the kids. perfect for my kitchen window and pretty to look at.
cool idea, will try this
People make fun of me for liking air plants. Their loss.
Love these! The sand colors are awesome & there’s so many possibilities!💖
Fabulous ideas! So glad to have found this blog.
These are really neat ideas love to try
I am a righty, I love anything that grows
I like everything about this. Love that it is easy enough for kids but interesting enough even for adults to do it. I remember when doing sand art was a huge craze!
Love this sand art idea and have been saving cute fruit jars now I have something to do with them
How beautiful! I love doing little crafty things like this!
Cute looks so pretty
Love those rain (garden) boots. Enter me in their giveaway.
My daughter is getting married this summer, and these would fantastic for the bridal shower. I am a lefty!
Very cute craf!t! Fun for kids!
I have a bunch of baby food jars. Perfect for this project!
I love these terrarium party favors! What an easy but very unique idea, surely to be the talk of the party!
What a great idea.
I’m right handed & I like to crochet. I also bought a precious fairy to make a fairy garden, with a cute rabbit figure reading a book and a piece of petrified wood I found in our yard while planting; however, I adore each & placed them on our fireplace mantle instead, as they make me smile. My fairy garden will have to wait even though I located five miniature ferns in our yard, which I decided to move to two convenient locations so they’ll be available when & if I’m ready to do the fairy garden. I’m delighted with the birthday party project you described! Such pretty wave effects & the air plants have a unique flair to their shape which provides a perfect accent to complete the beachy artistry. Thank you for sharing your creative ideas with us, as well as explaining “what not to do” so we can avoid one or more pitfalls. 🙂 (P.S I’m a size 11 in boots, which they actually have!)
Those turned out so pretty! I need to get some plants that are able to take care of themselves.
I do like this
Great idea! Something that I can do with my grandkids. I’m a righty!
What a fun project to do with the kids. I’m a lefty and I like to make artificial and fresh cut flower arrangements.
There was a little French terrarium for sale but I didn’t buy it. I should have, my brother likes things like that. 😞
What a wonderful project this will be to do with my grandchildren! Thanks so much for showing it to us.
I am right handed and I like to crochet and knit! 😀 And i looove these!!!! I need to make some for my place for pops of color around.
I love air plants. I used to buy them when I went to FL as a child.
I love making crafts .it is my therapy
It would be great to do with the grandchildren.
I love sand art. I like to save unique jars to use with mine.
I’m right handed. (Great boots by the way!)
great craft….and love the rain boots in your give-a-way. the olive green with pink print camo is just my style
I used to make those when I was a kid… they were lots of fun!
Boot giveaway- so cute! Size 9 please!
Adorable boots. I love the basic black. Thanks for the chance.
These are so pretty. Such a fun idea for any age! We could all use some fun in our lives right now. Thanks for a great idea!
I love the Sand Art terrariums! My grandkids would love making one of them. Great idea and thanks for sharing.
I love this idea! Wouldn’t have thought of colored sand for a live plant, a very cool idea.
Party on >
Hours of rewarding fun esp. with 4 grandkids
What an awesome party favor. I love the beach theme. I am left handed but do some things lefty and others righty, I think just because I had to adjust to thigs like using scissors with my right hand. Right now I am enjoying hand embroidery. My husband asked me to make him a book cover for his bible and chose a design for me to embroider on the cover. I have a bunch of partially finished embroidery projects that I have picked up at thrift stores through the years. I love to finish them and make pillow covers and other things out of them.
I have 4 air plants that I grow in a terrarium on a piece of diftwood. I dunk them in water for a while about once a week. I have had them bloom too.
My daughter just turned 14 and younger will be 6 in a couple months… both would LOVE this!! What a fun project! We are all right handed except my husband is lefty! Thanks for this!
Fun project to do with the grandkids.
Great idea!
I love my air plants. This is one project I will be doing very soon.
Nice post. Not for me.
This is a really neat idea! An easy to care for plant too!
I always wanted to try the sand layering. This is so awesome!
This is an interesting plant!
Wonderful activity for family, bring out creativity in those of us that enjoy this and those of us that didn’t realize that we enjoy it. I luv the colors !!!
Such a cool idea. I’m going to have to share it with a friend of mine. She’s more plant crazy than I am :).
Thank you for the ideas, I plan to do this with my granddaughters!
I love the seashells in the sand. These look so cute and easy to make.
My grandkids would love to make these!
I’m right handed ….lately I like doing things that will keep the grandkids’ attention and all 5 love digging in the dirt
I’m right handed and love to do various crafts.
These jars are such a great idea, I bet the girls loved them
Going to try making a terrarium
love this idea, thanks!!
Size 8
Such a neat idea
Would be a great project to do with the grandkids.
These are really pretty- the colored sand makes it! Very cute for gifts and table favors, as well as table decor!
I’ve always wanted to make one!
Those are pretty.
Definitely making some of these!!!
What a great idea. These would be so much fun making with my grandchildren
I really love these! I am going to have to make one with my 7 year old granddaughter ❤️🌸❤️
O wow these are so appealing so eye catching! Great idea and they last so long
I’m a righty. This is a awesome ideal. Thanks for sharing
I will have to try this. They are so cute. I like to paint seashells. I’m a lefty.
love the whole concept
we LOVE terrariums!My kiddos have lettuce and sage started!Such fun and easy to grow!
This is so cool. For Christmas I got my grand niece & nephew all of the things to make terrariums & fairy gardens complete with plants, rocks, figures, but the combination of sand art & air plants is so cool. Valentine’s Day is coming, maybe I’ll get them the ingredients to make these too. Thanks!
What a lovely idea! My daughter would love it.
Perfect pretty boots for the garden.
Great idea!
These are so pretty and colorful. Would be a perfect fun project to do with my grandson. Thanks for sharing.
These are absolutely gorgeous!! I’ve never worked with wait plants before… but I have worked with sand and rice. I really.want.to try this !!!❤
I love your page. I love spending time in my flower garden, i get lost in my own world.. I love watching every thing grow, it just makes me happy.
Love this.
Love the finished look! Would love to have these -what a reminder of the ocean! No dirt needed so no way to mess up! thanks for the great instructions on how to make these.
size 9
These are such an absolutely cute idea! Oh my! I’d love to make these with my 6 year old as well!
These are so awesome, just may have to get some supplies and make myself a few.
Air plant terrarium party favors would be so much fun to do with my daughter. Such a terrific and unique idea!
I love the insulated-waterproof gardening boots.
I’m right -handed. The instructions for the terranium were easy to follow and I like how you showed placing the sand in the small jar. The pebbles and shells were a nice effect on top. I’ve always wanted to know how to contain air plants besides putting them on sticks or driftwood.
I love these. I definitely need to carve out the time to collect everything and give this a try.
Too cute
This looks like fun to make!
This will be a fun project to do with my kids!
After reading this article, I now want an air plant garden. Thanks for posting this!