with childern

This exercise will give you the opportunity to talk about how cacti have adapted to the hot, dry environment of the deserts where they come from. You can also discuss the variety of different types that exist.
How long will it take?
An hour to plant up, plus a nice trip to the garden centre.

What you will need
plastic washing-up bowl or large plant pot, not too deep
crocks (broken plant pot)
shingle and coarse sand or grit
compost
cacti and succulents
a few pebbles from a beach trip or a walk

Ask your children to place some crocks in the base of the pot or bowl. They need to cover them with a layer of shingle or coarse sand. This is to give the plants the good drainage that they need.
Next they should mix some coarse sand into their compost, then nearly fill the pot with it.
Tell them to sort the plants into those with prickles and thorns, and those without. They should carefully take the non-prickly plants out of their pots and plant them into their bowl. They need to ensure there is enough soil around the roots - plants like to feel safe and well firmed into their new home, not loose and floppy!