3 Plants That Survive Actual Toddlers

Let’s be honest: having plants and having toddlers feels mutually exclusive. One is peaceful, meditative, and thrives on routine. The other is chaos incarnate.

Toddlers pull leaves. They “water” plants with juice boxes. They eat dirt. They yank entire stems off just to see what happens. And if you turn your back for 30 seconds, they’ll dump the entire pot onto the carpet.

But some plants are built different. These three have survived my kids, and if they can survive my kids, they can survive anything.

1. Snake Plant (Sansevieria)

Why it works:

Thick, sturdy leaves. Hard to rip off, even with determined yanking.
Infrequent watering. You can forget about it for weeks. Perfect for sleep-deprived parents.
Tolerates neglect and low light. Doesn’t care if you ignore it or stick it in a corner.
Heavy pot = harder to knock over. Use a ceramic or terracotta pot and it’s pretty stable.

The toddler test: My 2-year-old once tried to use ours as a sword. The plant didn’t even flinch. The leaf he grabbed stayed intact. He gave up and wandered off.

Safety note: Snake plants are mildly toxic if eaten. They taste bad, so kids rarely eat much, but they’ll get an upset stomach if they do. Keep it out of reach if your toddler is a serial plant-eater.

Care basics:

Water every 2-3 weeks (or when the soil is completely dry)
Low to bright indirect light
Doesn’t need fertilizer often

Best placement: On a high shelf, side table, or dresser where it gets some light but is hard for little hands to reach.

2. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

Why it works:

Fast-growing and forgiving. Even if a toddler rips off half the leaves, it’ll grow back quickly.
Non-toxic. Safe if your kid decides to taste-test it. (Still not a snack, but at least it won’t hurt them.)
Produces baby plants. The little “spiderettes” dangling off the mother plant are fascinating to kids—a built-in distraction.
Hard to kill. Overwater it, underwater it, stick it in a dark corner—it’ll probably survive.

The toddler test: My kids have pulled off at least a dozen baby spiderettes. The plant just keeps making more. It’s the plant equivalent of a hydra.

Care basics:

Water when the top inch of soil is dry (about once a week)
Bright, indirect light is best, but it tolerates low light
Fertilize monthly in spring/summer if you remember

Best placement: Hanging basket out of reach, or on a high shelf where the babies can dangle. Bonus: kids love watching the “baby plants” grow.

3. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

Why it works:

Grows like a weed. If a toddler rips off a vine, just propagate it in water and you’ve got a new plant.
Tolerates pretty much anything. Low light, inconsistent watering, neglect—pothos roll with it.
Vining habit keeps it out of reach. Grow it on a high shelf or in a hanging basket and let the vines trail down.
Visually interesting. The trailing vines and heart-shaped leaves are pretty without being delicate.

The toddler test: My kid once pulled a 2-foot vine clean off the plant. I stuck it in water, it rooted in a week, and now I have two pothos. Chaos turned productive.

Safety note: Pothos is toxic if ingested. It causes mouth irritation and stomach upset. Keep it out of reach of kids and pets.

Care basics:

Water when the top 2 inches of soil are dry (every 7-10 days)
Bright, indirect light is best, but it tolerates lower light
Fertilize every month or two during growing season

Best placement: High shelf, bookcase top, or hanging planter. Let the vines grow long and dramatic—they’re harder to reach that way.

Honorable Mention: Succulents (With Caveats)

Succulents seem toddler-proof—they’re low maintenance and drought-tolerant—but here’s the problem: toddlers love pulling them apart.

Succulent leaves pop off easily, which is great for propagation but terrible when your kid treats your Echeveria like a puzzle. If you go this route:

Use a heavy ceramic pot so it doesn’t tip easily.
Choose thick, sturdy succulents like Jade plants or Aloe (but note: Aloe is toxic if eaten).
Place it well out of reach and accept that you’ll probably find leaves scattered around the house.

What Doesn’t Work (Lessons Learned)

Fiddle Leaf Figs: Dramatic, beautiful, and absolutely not toddler-proof. One leaf-pulling session and the plant will sulk for weeks.

Ferns: They need consistent moisture and humidity. Toddlers don’t do “consistent” anything.

Delicate trailing plants like String of Pearls: Those little pearls are like plant candy to kids. They’ll pluck them off one by one.

Anything in a lightweight pot: If it can tip over, it will tip over. Use heavy pots or skip it.

Tips for Plant Parenting + Actual Parenting

Use heavy pots. Ceramic or terracotta is your friend. Lightweight plastic pots are asking for chaos.

Place plants out of reach. High shelves, wall-mounted planters, or hanging baskets. If a toddler can touch it, they will.

Accept that some leaves will die. Kids are going to mess with your plants. That’s fine. Choose resilient plants that bounce back.

Involve them (carefully). Give your toddler a spray bottle and let them “help” water. They’ll feel included, and you might prevent some unauthorized plant interaction.

Keep a backup plant. If one gets destroyed, you’ve got a replacement ready. Propagate extras just in case.

Why I Keep Trying

Honestly, plants and toddlers don’t mix well. But I keep them anyway because:

They make the house feel less like a toy warehouse.
It’s nice to have something alive that doesn’t scream at 3 AM.
Someday my kids will be old enough to appreciate plants, and I want them to grow up around green things.

For now, I settle for hardy plants in high places. And when a toddler inevitably destroys one, I propagate the survivors and start over.

Snake plants, spider plants, and pothos have earned their spot in our chaos. Everything else? We’ll revisit when the kids turn 10.