Terrarium Kit Guide – Best Terrarium Kits
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Daniela Kretchmer
- Updated: Oct 17, 2025
- Craft Supplies, Gardening, Nature
Use this guide to find the right terrarium kit for you. Learn about all the different kits, sizes, and features.
Table of Contents
If you’ve been following my youtube channel, you know I’ve gotten quite into terrarium making. I’ve therefore gotten the chance to try out a bunch of different terrarium kits as well as use different materials to build my own DIY terrariums (years ago I even made a fully edible terrarium!)
In this guide, I’ll walk you through some of the best terrarium kits available. Note that some come with live plants included, while others do not. This could be due to regulations that don’t allow plants to be sent. But if that’s the case, you can have fun sourcing your own plants and I’ve included some good options for where to get some.
Note: Some links in this post may contain affiliate links, which means at no cost to you, I may earn a commission.
How to Choose a Terrarium Kit
With so many cute and creative terrarium kits out there, it can be a little overwhelming to know where to start. Here are a few things to consider when choosing the best terrarium kit for your needs:
1. Do you want live plants included?
Kits are split into two categories: those with plants and those without. If you want to select your own plants, it makes sense to get ones without plants. If you want an all-in-one kit and not have to worry about getting a separate plant, make sure to select one that comes with plants. Typically, when a kit comes with plants that plant will be moss, an air plant, or seeds.
2. What type of plants do you want to use?
Different kits are better suited for different types of plants:
- Moss terrarium kits are usually enclosed and low-maintenance.
- Succulent and cactus kits are generally in open containers with lots of drainage.
- Air plant kits have no soil at all and are great for something unique
- Seed-growing kits (like Venus fly trap or wildflower kits) are fun but take longer to grow.
3. What size and style fits your space?
Terrariums come in all sizes—from mini terrarium kits that you can hold between your fingers to larger desktop ones. Think about where you want to place it:
- Mini kits are great for shelves, desks, or windowsills
- Wall terrarium kits are perfect if you’re short on table space
- Kits with lights allow you to not have to worry about keeping it near natural light
- Geometric glass kits add a modern look to your home
4. Is it for you or a gift?
If you’re buying for someone else, go with a complete DIY terrarium kit that includes everything so the recipient doesn’t need to buy anything extra.
Top Terrarium Kits
To make it easy to find a terrarium kit, here’s a quick summary of my top picks:
- Best Kit if You Don’t Have a Budget: NCYP Moss Terrarium Kit (comes with moss) – Buy on NCYP
- Best Kit if You’re on a Budget: Tear Drop Terrarium Kit (no live plants) – Amazon
- Most Unique Kit: Venus Fly Trap Terrarium (comes with seeds) – Unique Gardener
- Best Mini Kit: Tiny Terrarium (comes with seeds) – Unique Gardener
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Terrarium Kits with Plants Included
These come with live plants, seeds, or moss, so you can start growing your miniature garden right away.
NCYP Rainforest Terrarium Kit
This really is the ultimate kit in my opinion and I’ve used the glass and clay to make my own isopod vivarium (video below). I’ve included it in the section with live plants as it does come with live moss. If you want additional plants, however, you’ll need to provide them yourself. This kit also comes with glue, substrate, lava rocks, and my favorite – red clay. This clay is used to stick the moss to the wall of the glass.
Unique Gardener Tiny Terrarium Kits
These kits are easily the cutest terrarium kits I’ve ever come across. I think it’s something about the shape of the container since it looks just like the full size fancy ones. However, they’re only about an inch tall! Each kit is under $5 (when using code ABCRAFTY for 10% off) and you get 6 different types of cactuses. I personally have 3 of them: the fishhook barrel cactus, golden barrel cactus, and giant saguaro cactus.
Mini Terrarium Kit with 3 Bottles
This kit is actually a 3 in 1! It’s a moss terrarium kit that includes 3 glass bottles with corks, each of a different size. It also comes with the moss, soil, stones, and spray bottle. This is a great value bundle if you want to make multiple tiny terrariums or gift a few.
Verdant Lyfe Air Plant Terrarium Kit
This kit comes with everything you need for a minimalistic terrarium.
This one is unique because the plants included are air plants. Therefore they do not require any soil and the only maintenance is the occasional misting. You get to pick between the earthy theme and an ocean theme!
Mini Tree Terrarium Kit
This kit is perfect if you want something on a budget that still includes plants. At only $10 (less if you order multiple), you get to choose between cushion moss or mood moss and then it also comes with a piece of tree moss that makes it looks like you’re growing a tiny tree!
Cat Aquatic Terrarium
Now technically this kit would be considered an aquarium (since, ya know, water!), but I just thought it was too cute not to include. You still get to build it yourself in this adorable glass cat container and then add in the aquatic moss (java moss), sand, seashells, and rocks.
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Venus Fly Trap Terrarium Kit
I absolutely love the idea of this kit as I’m a huge fan of venus fly traps! Not only is it a unique terrarium, but also it comes with seeds so you can watch your plant grow! And as a bonus, you can get it for 10% off with code ABCRAFTY. Just remember to only use distilled water to water it.
I cannot recommend venus fly traps enough – they really are fantastic at grabbing pesky flies!
Desert Terrarium Kit
The draw to this kit is not only the unique shape of the glass with its two domes, but also you get the added fun of growing your plants from seed. The unique sandy substrate also gives it the full desert vibe! I have this one myself and as an added bonus, you can get it for 10% off with code ABCRAFTY!
Adults & Crafts Wall Terrarium
What’s special about this kit is of course the shape! It’s unique design allows it to be hung on the wall. It also comes with everything you need to complete the terrarium. And while it does come with moss, the plants are plastic. I’ve kept it in the “comes with plants” section, but you could just as easily turn this into a terrarium with live plants if you’d like.
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Terrarium Kits Without Plants
These kits do not include plants, which is perfect if you want to customize or already have your own.
NCYP Jar Terrarium Kit with LED Grow Light
I’ve included this kit in the “doesn’t come with plants” section because as you can see, it’s intended to grow large plants. However, it still does come with live moss, along with the substrate. What’s great about this one is it also includes the stand and light so you don’t have to worry about getting the correct amount of sunlight for it.
Creations by Nathalie Kits
This kit is one of the most beginner-friendly options and makes a great gift. I used one of her kits for this video and added my own plant for my own DIY terrarium.
It comes with a beautiful glass container, dried moss, soil, decorative stones, a crystal, and plastic figurine (mine was an adorable squirrel!). In theory you could even leave it as is without a plant and it would still be beautiful. But the intention is to add your own!
Cute Farms Geometric Terrarium Kit
This kit is great if you want some geometric and more bold flair. The shape of the container along with its black lines makes it a unique container for a terrarium. Then the rest of the kit comes with the soil, dried moss, plant food, a brush, and some cute plastic dinos.
Cute Farms Terrarium Starter Kit
If you already have your glass container and plants, this is the kit for you! It comes with the dirt and substrate, moss, plant food, and some adorable plastic dinos. There’s no sense in getting a kit with a container if you have one you love! I’ve personally used this one to make some terrariums with friends!
Where to Buy Plants for Terrariums
If your kit doesn’t include plants, here are some options. Succulents and cacti are quite common as they are very low maintenance. A simple moss terrarium is also a classic look. Then you can even select other types of plants – tropical ones are great for enclosed terrariums because they like the humidity. Then you can also make more of a bog-like terrarium with carnivorous plants.
- Etsy – Etsy has tons of options for plants and seeds, including mosses and pitcher plants. I personally have bought this grab bag that worked out great.
- Amazon – You can actually find live plants on Amazon! I was sent this set of baby plants that were perfectly sized for terrariums and loved it.
- Local Nurseries – Of course you can check your local nursery for small ferns and tropical plants. Some may even have carnivorous plants and moss
- Verdant Lyfe – They have all types, including succulents, ferns, air plants, and carnivorous plants.
- Succulents Box – They have all sorts of succulents and cacti and is actually where I got the succulent in the image above. They even have a monthly subscription box if you want frequent new plants.
- Predatory Plants – As the name suggests, they focus on carnivorous plants. This set of 3 is a great option to get you started.
- Seed Needs – If you want to grow your own plants, they have cactus seeds
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FAQ About Terrarium Kits
Do terrarium kits come with everything I need?
Many do, but some require you to purchase live plants separately.
Can I use fake plants in a terrarium kit?
Yes! This is a great option if you don’t want to worry about watering it or giving it the correct amount of light.
What kind of plants are best for terrariums?
Moss, ferns, succulents, air plants, carnivorous plants, and mini tropical plants all work well – just make sure they match your container type (closed vs open).
How do I care for a terrarium?
It depends on the plants you’ve chosen to use. Most terrariums need indirect sunlight and occasional misting if you’re using mosses or occasional watering if you’re using succulents. If you’re using carnivorous plants, you want to make sure you’re using distilled water and always keeping it moist.
Are terrarium kits good gifts?
Definitely! They’re great for plant lovers, crafty kids or adults, or anyone who loves home décor.
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Daniela Kretchmer
Daniela is a lifelong crafter who loves to share her passion for crafting. Through classes or learning on her own, she likes to say she'll do pretty much any craft aside from scrapbooking. Her current personal obsessions include garden crafts, felting, and spinning yarn.
