The 6 Best Houseplants to Grow With Kids
Low-Maintenance, Fun, and Genuinely Hard to Kill
Houseplants are one of the easiest entry points into gardening with kids — no backyard required, no waiting for the right season, no special equipment. Just a pot, some soil, and a windowsill with an appropriate amount of light (more on that later). If you’ve been putting off getting started until you have the “right” garden setup, consider this your sign: if you have a horizontal surface, you’re ready to go.
That said, not every houseplant is a great fit for families. Some are fussy. Some take forever to do anything interesting. And a few—including some of the most popular ones out there—need to live safely out of reach of young kids. It’s worth knowing which is which before you commit.
These six houseplants from The Sill are the ones I’d recommend every time: low-maintenance enough to survive real family life, interesting enough to actually hold a kid’s attention, and perfect for building the kind of simple daily routine that turns plant-curious kids into confident little growers.
1. Spider Plant
Spider plants are one of the best starter houseplants for families, and the reason is right there in the name. As the plant matures, it sends out long arching stems with tiny “baby” plants dangling from the ends, like spiders on a web. Kids find this completely fascinating—and those babies can be snipped off and potted up into new plants, giving your child real ownership of a cutting grown from the family plant.
They’re also forgiving in a way that matters when you have small children in the house. Spider plants tolerate low light, irregular watering, and general chaos without complaint, which is frankly the main thing you need from a houseplant. They’re non-toxic to kids and pets, too, which makes this one a worry-free choice for homes with young children. The Sill’s Variegated Spider Plant—the classic green-and-white striped Chlorophytum comosum—is the one to grab.
🌿 Why kids love it: The “baby” plants that dangle from the mother plant = endlessly fascinating.
✅ Non-toxic to kids and pets
📦 Good for: Hanging baskets, shelves, windowsills
💧 Watering: When the top half of the soil feels dry
🛒 Shop it: Variegated Spider Plant
2. Succulents
Succulents are a whole family of plants rather than a single variety, which means there’s something for every kid’s taste—from the classic rosettes of Echeveria to the chunky stacked leaves of Crassula. They come in greens, purples, pinks, and silvers, with textures kids love to (gently) explore.
They’re also a good match for children who tend to over-love their plants. The number one cause of succulent death is overwatering, so kids learn fast that sometimes the best thing you can do is leave something alone (such as you, after a long weekend at their baseball tournament). Many succulents also propagate easily from a single leaf: lay a healthy one on dry soil, wait, and watch a tiny new plant grow from the base. It feels like actual magic, no exaggeration needed. The Sill’s Succulent Squad Party Pack mixes varieties like Jade, Haworthia, and Echeveria, so kids get a little collection to compare instead of just one plant.
🌵 Why kids love it: The weird shapes, the colors, the leaf-propagation trick.
✅ Non-toxic (most varieties—always check your specific plant)
📦 Good for: Windowsills, small pots, sunny spots
💧 Watering: Only when soil is completely dry—less is always more
🛒 Shop it: Succulents from The Sill
3. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is the plant that earns its keep twice: easy to grow, genuinely useful around the house. The thick, fleshy leaves hold a cooling gel that soothes minor burns and sunburned skin, which gives kids an immediate, practical reason to care about what they’re growing. “We grew our own first aid kit” is a line that lands with children every time—and it makes a good story when someone actually needs it.
Aloe loves bright light and hates being overwatered, so a sunny windowsill and a somewhat forgetful watering schedule suit it fine. It also produces “pups,” small offsets around the base of the mother plant that can be separated and potted up, much like spider plant babies. One note: the gel is wonderful for skin but shouldn’t be eaten, so keep this one out of reach of very young kids. The Sill’s Aloe Vera is the one I’d get.
🌱 Why kids love it: The “first aid plant”—the gel soothes minor burns and scrapes.
📦 Good for: Sunny windowsills, south-facing windows
💧 Watering: Let the soil dry out completely between waterings
⚠️ Note: Safe for skin, not for eating—keep away from very young children.
🛒 Shop it: Aloe Vera, The Sill
4. Snake Plant
The snake plant—also known as mother-in-law’s tongue—is about as low-maintenance as houseplants get. It tolerates low light, irregular watering, neglect, and pretty much every other beginner mistake you can throw at it. The one thing it truly dislikes is overwatering, which makes it a great plant for teaching kids the discipline of watering less, not more—a counterintuitive but genuinely important gardening lesson.
The tall, architectural leaves with their green-and-yellow banding are striking, and the plant grows slowly but steadily in a way that’s satisfying to track over months. The Sill’s Snake Plant Laurentii is the classic tall, yellow-edged variety; if you’d rather try a different look, Snake Plant Moonshine has broad, silvery-green leaves and works just as well for a kid’s first “indestructible” plant.
🐍 Why kids love it: Architectural and dramatic
✅ Non-toxic-ish—mildly irritating if chewed, but not a serious hazard; still best kept out of reach of very young kids.
📦 Good for: Any room, any light level—genuinely adaptable
💧Watering: Every 2–6 weeks, depending on light and season
🛒 Shop it: Snake Plants from The Sill
5. Peperomia
Peperomia might be the least famous plant on this list, but it earns its place. There are more than 1,000 species, which means an almost endless variety of leaf shapes, colors, and textures to discover—from the watermelon-striped Peperomia argyreia to the deeply ridged Peperomia caperata. For a kid who loves collecting things, peperomia is basically the plant version of a sticker album.
Also known as rubber plant, they’re compact, slow-growing, easy to care for, and non-toxic, which makes them a genuinely worry-free pick for homes with young kids. The Sill has several types to choose from.
🍉 Why kids love it: The endless variety of wild leaf shapes and patterns—no two look quite the same.
✅ Non-toxic to kids
📦 Good for: Shelves, desks, windowsills—compact and easy to place
💧 Watering: Let it dry out between waterings
🛒 Shop it: Peperomia from The Sill
6. Pothos
Pothos is one of the most popular houseplants, and for good reason: it grows fast, trails beautifully from shelves and hanging baskets, tolerates almost any light condition, and forgives an irregular watering schedule. When it’s thirsty, the leaves droop slightly—a clear signal that’s easy for a kid to read and act on. When it’s happy, the vines grow noticeably fast, which keeps kids engaged in a way slower plants just don’t.
Pothos can also be propagated in a glass of water. Snip a cutting just below a node, drop it in a jar, and watch the roots develop over a few weeks — a great slow-burn science project. One important note: pothos is mildly toxic if eaten. Keep it on a high shelf or in a hanging basket, well out of reach of young kids and pets.
🌿 Why kids love it: Fast-growing trailing vines and the water-propagation trick.
📦 Good for: High shelves, hanging baskets — anywhere out of reach
💧 Watering: When leaves start to droop slightly
⚠️ Important: Mildly toxic if eaten—can cause mouth irritation and discomfort in kids. Keep it up high, out of reach of young children and pets. If you have very young kids, choose a non-toxic alternative from this list instead.
🛒 Shop it: Pothos from The Sill
A Note on Toxicity
Most houseplants are relatively safe for children—and even if they do ingest them, the taste is likely to stop them from doing serious harm. Still, it’s worth knowing which plants you have, where they’re placed, and what to do if a child does get into one.
If you ever suspect your child has eaten part of a plant and aren’t sure whether it’s safe, the Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222 in the US) is your best first call.
Shop all six at The Sill. Quick disclosure: this post includes affiliate links to The Sill. If you shop through them, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. I only link to plants I’d actually put in my own kid’s room.
