Raising Earth Keepers: Grow These Indoor Plants (Even in Water!) With Your Kids 👣

Hey wild-hearted homeschoolers + nature-loving mamas,

Let’s talk about something magical, mess-free, and totally do-able even if your “garden” is just a windowsill: indoor water-grown plants. 👏

This isn’t just about pretty leaves—it’s about raising kids who get it. Who understand where life comes from. Who see green things and want to care for them. Who learn patience, responsibility, and reverence for living systems.

You don’t need fancy grow lights or an acre of land. What you need is a curious heart, a few glass jars, and a willingness to let your kids get their hands a little dirty (or at least misty 🌱).

Plants That Actually Thrive Indoors (Even in Water!)

Here are my barefoot-approved, toxin-cleansing, resilient, no-green-thumb-required plant picks that grow well indoors—and many even in just water.

🌿 Spider Plant

Nature’s air purifier! This plant is basically the herbalist’s version of a first pet. It’s forgiving, quick to propagate, and teaches kids how to prune + repot.

• Thrives in: bright indirect light

• Loves: being divided and shared (perfect for kid trades!)

• Fun fact: NASA uses spider plants for air detox missions. Yes, really.

🌿 Pothos

Low light? Forget to water? This vine doesn’t care. Pothos is the ride-or-die houseplant that gives visual payoff fast with lush, trailing vines.

• Thrives in: low to bright light

• Grows in: water jars OR soil

• Kid lesson: How roots form from cuttings—botany in action!

🌿 Lucky Bamboo

Despite the name, this isn’t bamboo—it’s part of the Dracaena fam and grows straight up in just water with pebbles.

• Thrives in: filtered light

• Vibe: totally feng shui for your homeschool corner

• Teachable moment: Observe root systems develop in real time.

5 Simple Steps to Raise Happy Indoor Plants (and Kids Who Love Them)

1. Choose the Right Plant

Let your child lead. Do they love vines? Flowers? A cool name? Giving them ownership = commitment.

2. Place it Where the Light Feels Right

South-facing windows are best, but even east or west windows will do. No harsh noon sun—just a warm glow.

3. Water With Intention

This is a ritual. A chance to slow down. Let your child touch the soil or dip fingers into the water to feel dryness. No timers—just intuition + observation.

4. Prune, Wipe, Tend

Let kids trim dead leaves, dust off big ones with a damp cloth, or repot when roots peek out. Every step is a lesson in care.

5. Talk to Them (Yes, Really)

Plants respond to energy. Encourage your children to speak kind words to their plant, thank it, or sing to it. Connection builds reverence.

Activity: Grow Your Own Herbal Guardian 🌱

Let’s make this hands-on!

What You’ll Need:

• Glass jars or upcycled yogurt cups

• Organic potting soil or clean water + pebbles

• Seeds or cuttings: basil, mint, marigold, or pothos

• Labels, paint pens, a spray bottle for misting

• Optional: a plant journal!

Steps:

1. Choose your green baby: Let each child pick one to grow. Basil is great for beginners—fast, fragrant, and edible!

2. Plant it with love: Either plant in soil OR place in water (cuttings only—no seeds in water).

3. Set it in the light: Near a sunny window or under a grow bulb if needed.

4. Name your plant: Yes, name it. (“Sunny,” “Minty,” or “Queen Chlorophyll”... go wild!)

5. Start the journal: Let your kids draw or write about what they notice: new roots, new leaves, scent changes, etc.

Why This Matters

This isn’t just gardening—it’s child-led ecology.

It’s how we raise the next generation to care for the Earth. To understand that life is slow, sacred, and interconnected. To pause from the screens and remember their hands were made to touch soil.

It’s also:

• Science (photosynthesis, root systems)

• Mindfulness (daily watering rituals)

• Emotional growth (watching a living thing thrive because of them)

Let’s Raise Gardeners, Not Just Consumers

So mama, teacher, healer—you don’t need a green thumb to get started. You just need to say yes to the learning that lives in your own living room.

Whether you’re in an apartment in the city or off-grid in the mountains, you can grow green things with your children. Start small. Start with one.

And let that plant teach your family something deep about care, time, and trust.

💚 From my barefoot home to yours,
Amanda Rae
Founder of Barefoot.Health | @the_barefoot_truther