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How to Get Kids Involved in the Care of Orchids

June 16, 2015


Growing orchids can be a family affair. If you have children in your family, why not get them involved with the care of your blooms? Giving kids a plant to take care of can be a good first step in responsibility without having to invest in a pet, and you might even create a love of gardening.

Phalaenopsis orchids make an excellent plant for kids to care for because they don’t require much maintenance, are brightly colored and can easily be personalized.

Tips for Getting Kids Excited About the Care of Phalaenopsis Orchids

Though there are some parts of orchid care that should be supervised by or done by an adult — like trimming, fertilizing and repotting — kids can still be involved in the majority of orchid care.

To get started, consider giving kids the chance to pick the color of the orchid they’ll be caring for. Or allow them to choose the size —  a mini or a standard. This can make them feel more involved in its care. Once you bring your orchid home, give the child a special place to keep it that still provides adequate light and temperature. Putting the orchid in the child’s bedroom or in a special place in the kitchen or bathroom are good choices. 

Because orchids can be watered using just three ice cubes per week, it makes it unlikely a budding gardener will overwater them. Plus, using ice cubes prevents spills that would occur from using a watering can. 

Bringing Out Their Creative Side

Let kids get creative by putting their artistic skills to use personalizing the pot for their orchid. They can either use the pot the orchid comes in or select a special pot for their plant. Here are some pot personalizing ideas:

  • Get some chalkboard paint and let them paint the ceramic pot. Then, they can draw on the pot or write a helpful watering reminder 
  • If you’d prefer to use colorful paint, get a few of their favorite colors and let them decorate
  • If they’re a fan of stickers, let them decorate the pot with their favorites

When it comes to introducing kids to the hobby of plant growing, there’s much more to discover than your standard garden seedlings. Getting kids involved in the care of Phalaenopsis orchids gives them a chance to learn about a beautiful exotic plant, and who knows, you might just encourage them to begin their own orchid growing hobby.

Ready to pick out an orchid with your budding gardener? Take a look at this video for helpful tips on selecting a healthy orchid.

Or, if you’re a teacher or daycare owner and want to get your students involved with orchid care, you can buy mini orchids in bulk here.

5 Ways to Personalize Your Orchid Plant