Have you tried to make a terrarium? It is fun, simple, and can be done with the whole family!
You now can find dozens of miniature characters, ships and décors in the toy section. You just have to recreate the ambiance of a jungle and you have yourself a mini Endor or Dagobah in a jar!
I prefer glass containers, first of all because you can see everything (even the roots growing), but also because glass will not absorb any water and you can virtually keep it forever. Any container will do: from a very open glass dish to a pickle jar.
Wether you are making an open or a close terrarium, the idea is always the same: you need to layer pebbles and soil to get a good drainage (you don’t want your soil to be damp all the time, or your plants will rot).
If you have a few potted plants on your balcony or garden, you know that they contain much more than the plants you care for: moss is growing, some small ferns or other bad weeds… collect them and arrange them. Of course, any root should be in contact with the soil. I tend to prefer ferns because they don’t need pollination to reproduce, and your mini-landscape will evolve in time, without too much care.
You can use stones and pieces of drift wood too, make slopes and hills.
Once your landscape is done, simply put your miniature toys in the landscape, and voila! You got yourself a piece of a distant planet in a jar!!!
Have fun!
My Geek Family 