Make a DIY Father’s Day Terrarium

A DIY Father’s Day terrarium is a really excellent opportunity to rally the kids around a project for Dad. And we could not be more excited about this idea: Use those fairy-garden-making skills and personalize a planter for his man cave, desk, or bookshelf. (Would you call this a terr-him-ium?) (We’re totally going to call this a #terrhimium.)

DIY Father's Day Terrarium with succulents and tiny campsite.

Replace the fairies with something he’ll love: Add some action figures, make a mini-golf course or camp site, or fill it with dinosaurs. The Think.Make.Share team got together to create some fun, father-friendly planters to give you some ideas. 

Supplies for DIY Planter/Terrarium: plants, rocks, sticks, sand, moss, soil, container, accessories.

 

DIY FATHER’S DAY TERRARIUM OR PLANTER SUPPLIES

  • Terrarium, planter, or other water-resistant container
  • Sand (optional—enough to cover the bottom of your container about a 1/2″)
  • Rocks (large and small—enough for a 1-2″ layer in the bottom of your terrarium or planter)
  • Optional extras (different methods recommend adding activated charcoal and moss—all these layers are getting the water just right)
  • Plant-appropriate soil (not optional—use plenty to cover the roots of your plants)
  • Plants (Think about your theme—what should your foliage look like? What scale do you want?)
  • Natural accessories (moss, stones, sticks, pine cones, and other bits and pieces from outdoors)
  • Themed accessories: action figures, little green Army people, toy animals, model train figures (let your imagination run wild—but they should be waterproof)
  • Craft supplies (in case you want to paint, glue, or decorate something)

Pro-tip: Make the project easier by getting a terrarium kit (they’re available with and without plants).

Another pro-tip: Or skip the assembly altogether and start with a pre-planted succulent garden.

Bonus pro-tip: Or avoid the heartbreak of under- or over-watered plants and just use the Handmade Hallmark Fairy Garden Kit and maybe some air plants.

Adding sand and rocks to the bottom of a planter.

 

MAKING YOUR FATHER’S DAY TERRARIUM

If you’re going the live-plant route, start with sand, followed by a 1-2″ layer of rocks in the bottom of your container.

Layering soil in a container for a terrarium.

Then add activated charcoal, then sphagnum, if you’re using those.

Finally, top it all off with a good layer of soil—it should be deep enough to give your plant roots some wiggle room.

Adding succulents to a planter.

Add your plants, leaving room for the accessories. For each one:

  • Take it out of the pot.
  • Gently break up the clod of dirt.
  • Dig a little hole in your soil and put the plant in it.
  • Pat the soil down around it.

Once all the plants are in, water them.

Adding tiny animals to a jungle-themed planter.

Creating a tiny campsite in a planter.

Arranging moss around a cabin scene in a DIY Father's Day terrarium.

Now, the fun part: Create your tiny, manly world.

Cabin in the woods DIY Father's Day Terrarium

Cabin in the woods terrarium

Coral lantern (whatever) from Hallmark Home & Gifts. Cabin is made of sticks, aluminum foil, and Crayola Model Magic.

Family vacation DIY Father's Day Terrarium

Family vacation terrarium (with photobombing bear)

You can find a startlingly wide variety of figurines at hobby stores and sites.

Miniature campsite DIY Father's Day planter

Miniature campsite planter

A battery-operated votive makes an excellent tiny campfire.

Golden jungle DIY Father's Day Terrarium

Golden jungle planter

Nothing says your #terrhimium can’t be tasteful and on-trend.

DIY FATHER’S DAY TERRARIUM THEMES TO TRY

  • Movies (action, horror, superhero, disaster)
  • Age of the dinosaurs
  • Sports (golf, hunting, rock-climbing, fishing—use a mirror for water)
  • Outdoor fun (camping, landscaping, grilling out)

Share those bad boys with us on our Facebook page or tag @think.make.share on Instagram. #terrhimium

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