Bring a bit of greenery into each of your residents’ rooms with this activity. A desert terrarium can be created with cuttings from succulent plants people already have at home. Involve staff and family members to bring some in! 

Give each resident a terracotta, stone, or ceramic container. Have garden spades and a box of potting mixture within easy access. Show them how to cover the container’s drainage holes with recycled vegetable netting or a piece of fabric so the soil won’t fall from the container. Fill the containers ¾ of the way with soil mixture and top with one inch of sand. 

Arrange 3 or 4 different kinds of succulents in the terrariums. Place pebbles or small river stones around the plants. Decorate with ornaments such as ceramic frogs, lizards, and turtles. To care for your desert terrarium, place it in a sunny place and water once a week in summer and every two weeks in winter.