Ants are amazing creatures. They scurry around all day long, searching for food, building the nest, caring for their young and protecting the queen. In many ways, an ant colony is like an industrious human city: everyone has a job to do and they get on with it.
Older ant farms were very simple. They consisted of sand between two pieces of glass. Newer ant farms use brightly colored gel to create a stable ecosystem for the ants, so they look super cool. Taking care of an ant farm helps to instill a sense of responsibility in a child. They have to feed and water their ant pets every day. In return, kids can watch the fascinating way ants interact with their environment.
Kids can learn a lot from how ants live and work and watching a farm in action offers some wonderful insights into a hidden world most people never get to see. Ant farms for kids are a wonderful educational item. Children can watch their own ant colony grow and thrive. One thing to be aware of when buying an ant farm, however, is not all of them come with live ants. Your child will be very disappointed if he or she opens up their ant colony to discover it has no ants!
We think ant farms are awesome and we are confident your kids will agree, so here are seven of the most amazing ant farms for kids.
Best Ant Farm Sets for Kids
| PRODUCT | DETAILS | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 | Live Blue Gel Ant Habitat with Live AntsPacked with nutrients to promote a healthy ant colony | CHECK ON AMAZON | |
 | Ant Habitat with LED Light from Evviva SciencesCool LED lights make the ant farm look super amazing Most Popular | CHECK ON AMAZON | |
 | Educational Insights GeoSafari Ant FactoryEscape-proof ant habitat that allows children to observe the life cycle of ants | CHECK ON AMAZON | |
 | Fascinations AntWorks Illuminated BlueFun way to introduce your children to the delights of ant colonies | CHECK ON AMAZON | |
 | Uncle Milton Ant ColonyBreak resistant and escape-proof Lowest Price | CHECK ON AMAZON | |
 | Toysmith Ant Universe Educational KitFascinating starter colony for kids | CHECK ON AMAZON | |
 | New Advanced Ant Nursery Farm MazeEscape proof ant farm containing a high quality nutrient gel | CHECK ON AMAZON |
1. Live Blue Gel Ant Habitat with Live Ants
The Live Blue Gel Ant Habitat from the Nature Gift Store comes with a tube of 25 live ants, so your child can have their ant colony up and running immediately. The blue gel inside the ant farm is packed with nutrients to promote a healthy ant colony, so no extra food or water is required. The ant habitat is curved and a magnifying glass is provided, so kids can observe in great detail how the ants live and work. Gel ant farms are really neat. Within 24 hours, your ants will be well on the way to building a thriving colony!
2. Ant Habitat with LED Light from Evviva Sciences
The Ant Habitat with LED light from Evviva Sciences is a truly awesome ant habitat. The cool LED lights make the ant farm look super amazing, especially at night. The LED light also encourages the ants to be extra productive, so your colony’s tunnels will be deeper and more intricate than in other ant farms. The set includes a magnifying glass and a stick to help the ants start digging. Live ants are not included, but you can order some healthy and active harvester ants from the same place. A free educational e-book on ants is also included with this any colony.
3. Educational Insights GeoSafari Ant Factory
If your child is an aspiring entomologist, he or she will love the Educational Insights GeoSafari Ant Factory. This is an escape-proof ant habitat that allows children to observe the life cycle of ants in the comfort of their home. The set includes a water dropper and canal starting tool to get your any colony off to a flying start. Each ant colony also comes with a helpful 24-page book full of ant colony hints and tips. Live ants are not included, but you will receive a certificate to send off for a tube of live ants via mail.
4. Fascinations AntWorks Illuminated Blue
The Illuminated Blue AntWorks from Fascinations is a fun way to introduce your children to the delights of ant colonies. The design is based on a NASA Space Shuttle experiment. The blue gel ant farm comes with a removable LED illuminator and power adapter, nutrient gel to sustain the colony, an extreme zoom lens magnifying glass, ant catching and tunnel starting tool, and an educational instruction book to get kids started. Live ants are not included, but they can be ordered from the supplier. This ant colony makes a great educational accessory for a child’s bedroom or study.
5. Uncle Milton Ant Colony
The Uncle Milton Ant Farm is a simple yet effective design to help kids learn more about these fascinating creatures. The ant habitat contains clean sand so the ants can build a network of tunnels for the colony. It also includes a water dropper and a year’s supply of ant food containing all the minerals, vitamins and protein industrious little ants need for good health. Live ants are not included, but you can order them from the supplier. The colony is break resistant and escape-proof, so there is no chance of any ants escaping into your child’s bedroom.
6. Toysmith Ant Universe Educational Kit
The Ant Universe Educational Kit from Toysmith is a fascinating starter colony for kids who want to learn more about the world of ants. The kit has everything a child needs, including a clear Plexiglas container containing nutrient gel, which provides food and moisture for the ant ecosystem. The Toysmith ant farm also comes with a magnifying glass, a tunnel starter tool, and a 16-page educational instruction book full of fun ant facts. Live ants are not included, but they can be ordered once the Ant Universe kit arrives. This ant colony is suitable for children aged 6 years and above.
7. New Advanced Ant Nursery Farm Maze
The Ant Nursery Farm with feeding system from NAVAdeal is an escape proof ant farm containing a high quality nutrient gel enriched with seaweed. No additional food or water is required and your ants will have everything they need to build a successful ant colony. The ant nursery is located beneath the feeding system, so kids can watch ants nurture their young. Live ants are not included, but they can be ordered separately.
Ants are not your average pet, but they can offer hours of fun and fascination. Your kids will love watching their new ant pets build tunnels and nurture their babies. An ant farm is great for adults, too!
What Do You Need To Build Your Own Ant Farm?
You’ll notice there are a few characteristics that all the ant farms we recommend share. Those include:
- Clear, flat sides for easy viewing. It also makes it easier for the ants to dig in this environment.
- Empty space near the top of the container so the ants can easily search for food
- A good, solid seal on the top of the farm so no ants escape.
What Do Ants Like To Eat?
Ants aren’t super picky – if they come across food they will most likely eat it. This includes other dead insects, tree sap and plant seeds. However, they do have favorites. Ants seem to have a big sweet tooth. They especially enjoy sugar or candy.
Your ant farm should come with instructions on what to feed your ants. The company that ships you live ants will also give you some advice. Follow their directions and you should be fine.
Do I Need To Provide My Own Ants?
Most sets do not provide live ants. One exception to this is the Live Blue Gel Ant Habitat with Live Ants (it’s in the name). It’s sometimes simpler to buy ants then hunt for them on your own. If you want to take a hands-on approach, the biologists at ASU have put together a guide on collecting ants to help your in your adventure.
They also provide some awesome ant experiments to perform on your newfound pets.
Feature image courtesy of Flickr, derekGavey.