Have your kids ever received a gift from someone that made your jaw drop because of the WOW factor?

Well, one of the sweetest and most thoughtful gifts that our kids have ever received was from their Grandma (my mother-in-law).

I remember the day that they came to visit us.

Grandma said she had a surprise for the girls.

As she pulled out the gift, the girls moved in closer and soon smiles emerged from their faces.

I looked closer as she revealed a whimsical fairy garden that she had made herself. I was in awe of her creativity as she began to share her ‘fairy garden creating wisdom’.

She then showed us pictures of the Troll Land and Dinosaur World that she had created for her grandsons, my nephews.

Of course, the blogger in me could not help it and I asked if I could share her pictures and instructions with all of you! She did not hesitate and sent me everything I needed to write this post.

One year later, I finally had the time to write the post.

Fairy Garden, Dinosaur Garden, Troll Garden

The Fairy Garden

The Fairy Garden is a classic and you can create it with real or fake flowers.

The fun part about including real flowers is that your kids can then take care of the garden once it is all finished.

Extend the craft over a few days and paint the flower pot first, then go rock collecting, make the fairy houses before finally putting it all together!

Collect all the ingredients online, from a craft store, or a dollar store.

I have linked some of the items so that you can shop online.

If you decide to purchase through the website then I do make a couple of cents off each one which contributes to our family’s pizza fund!

fairy garden

Materials:

  • Glue Gun
  • Pea Gravel (small rocks)
  • Mixed planting soil
  • Fine Screen
  • Paint
  • Flower Pot – Big enough for all the little pieces
  • Soil
  • Dry Moss
  • Rocks
  • Fairies
  • Fairy House (Alternatively, make one with a rock and add a homemade wooden door).
  • Water pond – Made out of small rocks and blue pebbles
  • Mini accessories – mushrooms, ladybugs, bluebirds, animals etc.
  • Plant Ideas – Pansies, Wispy Ferns, Baby Angels Tears.

Grandma’s Instructions:

  1. Paint a design on the flower pot. Choose to paint little flowers, fairies, clouds, etc.
  2. Place a layer of pea gravel (small rocks) on the bottom of the flower pot.
  3. Overtop of the pea gravel, lay down a small screen for plant roots to latch onto. If you are not planting real plants then you can skip this step.
  4. Pour on a layer of mixed planting soil.
  5. Start adding the plants (real or fake) to the pot. Add more soil if needed to stabilize the plants.
  6. After adding more soil to stabilize the plants, add the little garden items: Fairies, mushrooms, fairy houses, birds, butterflies, etc.
  7. Create a fairy path with rocks to the house and anywhere else you desire.
  8. Water the fairy garden and enjoy your magical creation!

Troll Land

The Troll Land is a fun twist on the Fairy Garden classic. Again, you can create it with real or fake flowers.

Collect all the ingredients online, from a craft store, or from a dollar store. I have linked some of the items so that you can shop online. If you decide to purchase through the website then I do make a couple of cents off each one which contributes to our family’s pizza fund!

troll garden
  • Glue Gun
  • Pea Gravel (small rocks)
  • Mixed planting soil
  • Fine Screen
  • Paint
  • Flower Pot – Big enough for all the little pieces
  • Soil
  • Dry Moss
  • Rocks
  • Trolls
  • Troll Tree House (Alternatively, make one with a rock and add a homemade wooden door).
  • Water pond – Made out of small rocks and blue pebbles
  • Mini accessories – mini tropical tree, blooming cactus, ants, bees, snake, frogs, little animals etc.
  • Plant Ideas – Blooming Cactus, Mini Tropical Tree, Baby Angels Tears.

Grandma’s Instructions:

  1. Paint a forest design on the flower pot.
  2. Place a layer of pea gravel (small rocks) on the bottom of the flower pot.
  3. Overtop of the pea gravel, lay down a small screen for plant roots to latch on. If you are not planting real plants then you can skip this step.
  4. Pour on a layer of mixed planting soil. Start adding the plants (real or fake) to the pot.
  5. Add more soil if needed to stabilize the plants.
  6. After adding more soil to stabilize the plants, add the little garden items: trolls, mini tropical trees, ants, bees, snake, frogs, etc.
  7. Create a Troll path with rocks to any houses that you may have created. Add the moss to fill in the empty areas.
  8. Water Troll Land and enjoy your magical creation!

Dinosaur Land

Dinosaur Land is the perfect alternative for the dinosaur fanatic! Again, you can create it with real or fake flowers.

Collect all the ingredients online, from a craft store, or from a dollar store. I have linked some of the items so that you can shop online. If you decide to purchase through the website then I do make a couple of cents off each one which contributes to our family’s pizza fund!

dinosaur gargen
  • Glue Gun
  • Pea Gravel (small rocks)
  • Mixed planting soil
  • Fine Screen
  • Paint
  • Flower Pot – Big enough for all the little pieces
  • Soil
  • Sand
  • Dry Moss
  • Rocks
  • Branches
  • Dinosaurs
  • Dinosaur Cave or glue moss and sand to a tin can.
  • Water – Made out of small rocks, a large rock and blue pebbles
  • Mini accessories – Trees, rocks.
  • Plant Ideas – Fennel, Dinosaur Kale, Lettuce

Grandma’s Instructions:

  1. Go on a stick and rock hunt outside.
  2. Paint a tropical design on the flower pot.
  3. Place a layer of pea gravel (small rocks) on the bottom of the flower pot.
  4. Overtop of the pea gravel, lay down a small screen for plant roots to latch on. If you are not planting real plants then you can skip this step.
  5. Pour on a layer of mixed planting soil. Start adding the plants (real or fake) to the pot. Add more soil if needed to stabilize the plants.
  6. After adding more soil to stabilize the plants, add the little garden items: Rocks, dinosaurs, sticks, rocks.
  7. Add the moss to fill in the empty area.
  8. Water Dinosaur World and enjoy your magical creation!

Need some more activities? Check out the 28 Days of Activities (+Free Printable)!

Stuck indoors? Try these Indoor and Outdoor Scavenger Hunts!


Curious to learn a little bit more about our family? Read more on our About Us page!

Meet the Mangs
Fairy Garden

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