Kids can create their own make-believe fish aquarium using a plastic mason jar. These darling mason jar aquariums are great bedroom decorations, and with the addition of submersible lights, make fun night lights too!
Why this project is a hit
Less mess and maintenance than a real fish tank, these mini mason jar aquariums are fun to make and look awesome.
Kids can pick aquarium plants in their favorite colors and decide on fun fish or even a mermaid. The sky is the limit! If you’d like to skip the water aspect of this project, check out our dinosaur nightlights made in a mason jar.
Craft supplies you will need
You can make your aquariums with clear water, or add a few drops of blue food coloring for that deep blue ocean feel!
Also, I do suggest using clear plastic mason jars instead of glass, for safety reasons!
Helpful Project Information:
- Age Level: 5 and up – smaller children may need help.
- Mess Factor: Medium – water spillage
- Level of Difficulty: Easy
- Time to Complete: 30 minutes
- Cost Estimate: Less than $6.50
How to Make a Mason Jar Aquarium
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this project. Please scroll down to simply print out the instructions!
- First, if you want your aquariums to be night lights, attach a submersible light to the inside of the jar lid using E6000 glue. Set aside to dry while you build your aquarium.
- Place plastic aquarium plant into the jar.
- Use a spoon to add gravel around the bottom of the jar, covering the base of the plant.
- Place figurines, fish, seashells and any other items in the jar.
- If you would like your water to be blue, add a couple of drops of food coloring to the water first and stir. Slowly pour water into the jar.
- Screw the lid in place.
To turn on the light, carefully remove the lid, turn on the light, and replace the lid.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- You can trim the top off the plant with scissors if it’s too tall.
- If you are just making aquariums and do not plan to use these as night lights, you can glue the lid on to deter young children from opening them up.
Kids will love making these adorable mason jar aquariums! Shopping for the creatures, plants and other additions is one of the best parts of this project!
Be sure to check out our dinosaur nightlight and our fairy and unicorn nightlights too!
More Ocean Crafts
- Mermaid Slime
- Seashell Creatures
- Seashell Fish
- Sand Cast Starfish
- Paper Plate Aquarium
- Rainbow Jellyfish
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Mason Jar Aquarium
Supplies
- 16- ounce plastic mason jar with lid
- Filtered water tap water works, but may be cloudy
- Plastic aquarium plants
- Aquarium gravel
- Plastic fish and/or figurines like mermaids
- Seashells starfish, etc
- Submersible candle lights optional, if you want these to be night lights
- Blue food coloring optional
Craft tools
- E6000 glue
Instructions
- First, if you want your aquariums to be night lights, attach light to the inside of the jar lid using E6000 glue. Set aside to dry while you build your aquarium.
- Place plastic aquarium plant into the jar.
- Use a spoon to add gravel around the bottom of the jar, covering the base of the plant.
- Place figurines, fish, seashells and any other items to the jar.
- If you would like your water to be blue, add a couple drops of food coloring to the water first and stir. Slowly pour water into the jar.
- Screw the lid in place.
- To turn on the light, carefully remove the lid, turn on the light, and replace the lid.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- You can trim the top off the plant with scissors if it’s too tall.
- If you are just making aquariums and do not plan to use these as night lights, you can glue the lid on to deter young children from opening them up.
This post originally appeared here on June 10, 2020.
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Celena says
Hi! I want to do this project with my grandkids and would like to know:
SITUATION: The jar is inverted & everything settle with the rocks on the bottom, the other items everything buried beneath the rocks.
QUESTIONS:
1. Will the floatable items make their way back to the top on their own?
2. Will it require a little jiggle to get the floatable items to return to the top?
3. Should the rocks be glued down* so that they remain on the bottom and everything else can float?
*Glued down by:
A. Pouring an acrylic mix over the rocks.
B. Mix the rocks with a waterproof glue** & place in jar to dry. (**Maybe clear silicone caulking?)
C. Maybe instead of water, a clear gel is used, like those clear candles or soaps?
HAS ANYONE TRIED:
1. Gluing down the rocks?
A. What did you use?
B. How did it turn out?
2. Using a clear product other than water?
A. What did you use?
B. How did it turn out?
3. Adding glitter to the water? (I was thinking that glitter would reflect light & make it seem brighter in there.)
A. What kind of water-resistant, non-tarnish glitter did you use?
B. How did it turn out?
4. An alternate way to light up the jar? Like:
I. Glueing LED lights or strips somewhere on the outside of the jar?
II. Affixing them in another way, like with zip ties, wire (twisty ties, floral/jewelry wire, etc.), glued/adhesive magnets, etc?
A. What did you use?
B. How did it turn out?
Thanks for your input, suggestions, ideas.. and help!
Mary Ann says
Hi I have little fish bowl and I work in a nursing home the thing is I am looking for a way to make fish tank with out real water .my resident have dementia and will drink it but they like the fish on the TV.so I was thinking about having them make little fish tank can u help.ty
Amanda Formaro says
I would suggest making this craft and gluing the lids on so that the patients cannot open them.
Marsha says
How can I keep the fish from floating to the top of the jar, or keep the fish from floating upside down like they are dead? How can I also make it look like fish are swimming around without tying them down just like a real aquarium? I tried this craft with my son and the fish floated upside down. I even tried clear water beads but they weren’t Invisible so my water looked funny. Can you help me please..
Amanda Formaro says
You would need to use fish that are made from solid plastic. If the plastic is hollow, it will float.
Celena says
Did you ever find something that worked so that the fish weren’t “belly up” in the water? I was thinking maybe I could affix something to the belly to make that side heavier, but not so heavy that it wouldn’t float. Idk, maybe even just adding something that floats to the top (like a thin layer of wax), leaving the belly as it is?
Rosemary Millar says
This is such a fun project – good for children of all ages 4-94 :D
Maureen Cook says
could you use a solar light??
Amanda Formaro says
I’m not sure how the sun would get to it to charge it, unless you took it out to charge in the sun.
Suzi says
What type of submersible light would you recommend? If a battery operated tea light (waterproof) and it is glued to the lid, how do you access the switch to turn it on/off as I would think you glue the base of the light to the lid.. which would in turn block the switch?
Amanda Formaro says
We used these https://amzn.to/37j3m9F and you would need to unscrew the lid to turn off the light
NotGivingItToYou says
How completely awful. Do you really NOT KNOW that fish die if kept in such a tiny container? Really?
Are you the type of person who also buys pedigree pets and lets dogs and cats die at the pound, while you support breeders?
Just look at what you taught your kids. Selfishness.
Amanda Formaro says
They are plastic fish ma’am… it’s stated clearly in the blog post as well.
alicia stephenson says
I love this idea how thanks Amanda! I work with a group of ladies with disabilities they will just love this!
Terri says
what kind of glue would be used to seal the jar if it is not to be used as a nightlight?
Julia J Valdary says
Thanks for the project idea. I am going to do this project with my kids. Quick question, how do you turn on and off the light once you have glued them to the lid.
Amanda Formaro says
You can just unscrew the lid and turn it off :)
jane says
It says if you’re NOT using it as a night light to glue it down, to stop little kids from spilling it.
Carol says
I have had real fish tanks and after a while they start to grow algae, does this do the same?
Amanda Formaro says
Algae will not grow as it comes from organic waste like fish excrement and uneaten fish food. :)
DIANNE LANGER says
These are SOoo Cute!