Houseplants for Children, Family Friendly Plants

Family Friendly Plants include Houseplants for Children

Every parent wants to inculcate good habits in their children and what can be a better way to do that than instilling a love of plants in the younger generation. To that end, consider maintaining family friendly plants from those houseplants for children.

An eco-loving child will ultimately grow up to be a nature-friendly person and given the growing world population, we need our future generation to be environment friendly.

Keeping a variety of house plants provides an impressive way to introduce children to gardening. You should also consider adding newer varieties every now and then. Maintaining houseplants in your home offers several benefits  Not only does it familiarize young children with these ecological friends of ours;  these plants will be of immense health and psychological benefits. (see: 6 ways). These plants will purify air and absorb carbon dioxide. Your child receives some benefits of outdoor life, even if you are living in an urban center. The aesthetic pleasure these plants bring with them is over and above the many benefits of keeping house plants.

However, if you are keeping house plants at your home and want them to be children friendly then there are certain things you might want to consider before choosing specific plants you want to get for your place.

Factors to Consider

Houseplants for Children are Family Friendly Plants

When you have children at home then there are certain plants you might want to avoid because they might not be great for your kid.

Poisonous plants

Young children usually go about putting things in their mouths so parents should keep an eye on what kind of plants their kids are around. The toxicity threshold is pretty low for young kids so if they accidentally ingest some part of the plant it might be more harmful to them than for an adult. Therefore, you would want to avoid any plant with any potential toxicity. You might want to steer clear of plants like English Ivy, Peace lilies, Devil’s Ivy etc

Alternatively, you might still choose toxic plants but keep them in hanging planters far away from the child’s reach. In such cases, you may need to keep them trimmed a bit as they grow over the side of the planter.

Thorny plants

Any plant with prickly leaves or thorns such as desert cactus can be really bad for the kid since the children might injure themselves if they come in contact with it. Of course, most children learn to avoid touching such objects as they grow a bit older. At first, either avoid those plants or opt to keep them on higher shelves.

Family Friendly Plants To Consider

When looking for children-friendly plants there are a number of things you should keep in mind

Bright and vibrant plants

Your family might prefer plants with bright and vibrant colored flowers. Children are usually attracted to such plants and it will definitely keep them engaged. A dull plant that does not arouse any curiosity within the child might defeat the entire purpose of keeping a house plant for children.

Low-maintenance plants

Let’s admit that having a child is a full-time job and you would definitely not want to add the responsibility of a high-maintenance plant. Therefore, try to opt for low maintenance plants that can withstand long spells indoors and don’t need to be watered or fertilized very often. Although children usually love their plant friends but still they can forget to give them the due maintenance once in a while and the children might be heartbroken if they come back to see a dead plant.

Plants with lightweight pots

The plants which you choose should be able to stay in light pots. Very heavy hard clay pots are not very children-friendly and therefore should be avoided. Alternatively, you might opt for a heavy pot for a large plant that will be kept on the floor or nearby area and you want to avoid it tipping over. It’s important to consider the plant and where it will be kept when choosing the pot or container.

 

 

Favorite Houseplants For Children

Listed below are a few indoor plants which are very popular among kids of all ages

 

1)  Burro’s Tail

This is a succulent so it means that it is low maintenance and can withstand neglect. It looks great hanging in a basket and the bright pink colors make it an absolute favorite for children. One thing you need to consider: these plants should not be watered very often because water-logging can be harmful for them. Thus caution the children  to take care of plants according to their own individual requirements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)   African Violets

African violets need to be watered more often but are aesthetically very pleasing. They do not take up a lot of space and can be grown in small plastic pots. African Violets are also heart-favorite for their quick growth and short generation times. For those wanting to try plant propagation, the African Violet makes a splendid choice. They root easily from cuttings and grow relatively quickly.

 

 

3)  Snake Plant

 

Snake plants are ubiquitous throughout the world so you should not face a lot of difficulties finding this indoor plant at the nearby nursery. It is usually devoid of any pests so it means that you would not need to spray any pesticide or insecticide which are usually not a safe option, especially when there are kids around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Aloe Vera

 

As an indoor plant, Aloe Vera is famous the world over among thrifty housewives who use it in their daily skin care regimen. But it can be the favorite plant of your children too. It is another one of the low-maintenance plants on the list which belongs to the succulent category.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Bamboo Palm

 

 

Bamboo palms can be great especially if you are looking for a plant that you can use to educate your children about different parts of a plant. It has all the parts of a typical plant like stem, leaves, flowers, roots etc. so it can be a great learning experience for your child. The only downside is that it needs a bit more space than other plants and a well-lit space with constant exposure to sunlight.

 

 

 

 

6)  Echeveria

 

Of all the plants on this list, the most beautiful flowers are probably of Echeveria. It’s violet-colored flowers bloom in the shape of a small bowl, making it an absolute eye-catcher. These succulents need minimal care and provide interesting textures and colors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Jade Plant

Jades are symbolic of wealth and in some parts of the world symbolize good luck! They are great for kids because they are very compact and can be kept in small ceramic pots. While every plant needs some basic care, the jade requires minimal. Thus they do not need you to look after them 7 days a week. They continue to grow on their own for a long time. For these reasons, we consider the Jade Plant one of the best family friendly plants.

The plants listed above are all children friendly and can be actually very beneficial in inculcating a love of nature in your children from a young age. A small investment at this opportune time usually goes a long way in the personal growth and grooming of a child.

Read: Gardening with Kids: 12 Ways Plants Benefit Children