Kids Aquascaping Workshop
August 22, 2025 | 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM | 1441 Timber Drive Elgin, Illinois (Zooxae Coral Farm)
Watch Your Child Design and Build Their Own Underwater World
Some activities keep kids busy for an afternoon. This one sends them home with a finished aquatic landscape they built with their own hands and a new passion they'll carry for years.
At the Kids Aquascaping Workshop, your child steps into the role of designer, arranging natural wood, rocks, and substrate into a living miniature landscape. No experience required. Just bring curiosity and a little imagination, and we'll handle the rest.
More Than a Craft. A Real Creation They Keep.
This isn't a paper-and-glue project. Every child leaves with a complete, ready-to-grow 2.5-gallon aquarium setup lighting, hardscape, and substrate included.
Admission is just $30 per child, and each young builder takes home equipment with a retail value of $120. That's a genuine head start in a rewarding hobby, packed into one hands-on session.
What Your Child Will Do
- Arrange natural wood, rocks, and substrate into a mini aquascape all their own
- Learn simple design techniques that make small tanks look truly stunning
- Discover how tiny aquatic landscapes come together, layer by layer
- Take their finished creation home to enjoy and grow
Skills That Grow Long After the Water Settles
As your child shapes their scene, something wonderful happens. They practice patience while placing each stone just right. They stretch their creativity as they picture the final design. And they build real confidence the moment they step back and see what they made.
These aren't just craft-table skills. They're genuine aquascaping techniques, taught the right way from the very first tank.
Expert Guidance at Every Step
The workshop is hosted by Jamie of Aquarium Info and co-hosted by MJ Aquascaping, a respected name in the hobby. Together, they guide each young builder through the process, offering tips and encouragement so every child feels supported and proud of the result.
Have a Container in Mind? Bring It Along.
Almost any container can become a beautiful aquascape. Feel free to bring your own container or small aquarium to scape as well. Please note that some smaller aquascapes shouldn't house fish if you're unsure about your setup, our store staff are always happy to help.
Who It's For
Young nature lovers and budding hobbyists of all skill levels. Whether your child has never touched an aquarium or already dreams about underwater worlds, this workshop meets them right where they are.
Reserve Your Child's Spot Today
Spots fill quickly, and each child gets hands-on attention from our expert hosts. Give your young builder the chance to design, create, and take home something they'll be proud of.
Reserve your child's spot now and let their imagination take shape.
5:00 PM – 5:20 PM
Arrival & Welcome
Arrive and settle in. This is a great opportunity to browse the Zooxae head office and connect with fellow aquascaping enthusiasts before the main event gets underway.
5:20 PM – 5:35 PM
Opening Remarks
Zooxae and Seachem kick off the evening with a warm welcome, an overview of the night's program, and a brief introduction to the products and tools that will be featured in the demonstration. Learn how Seachem's planted tank lineup supports thriving aquariums.
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Live Aquascaping Demonstration
Speaker: MJ Aquascaping (Mark-Jan Fioole), Aquascaper and Content Creator
The centerpiece of the evening. Watch MJ Aquascaping build a stunning aquascape from the ground up, walking you through every decision from hardscape placement and substrate selection to plant positioning and compositional technique. This is a rare, up-close look at the creative process behind world-class aquascaping, with expert commentary throughout. Plus, don't miss your chance to win free giveaways distributed during the demonstration.
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Kids Aquascaping Workshop with MJ Aquascaping
Admission is $20 per person, and every attendee will receive a $20 Zooxae Gift Card upon arrival so your entry pays for itself.
Give your child a chance to build their very own Aquascape and take it home the same day.
What it is: A fun, guided workshop where children design and build a small aquascape from start to finish.
Who it's for: Young nature lovers and budding hobbyists. No experience needed just curiosity and a little imagination.
What your child will do:
- Arrange natural wood, rocks, and substrate into a mini aquascape
- Learn simple design ideas from MJ Aquascaping, a respected name in the hobby
- Discover how tiny aquatic landscapes come together
- Take their finished creation home to enjoy
This is more than a craft session. Kids build patience, creativity, and confidence as they shape their own scene using real, quality materials. With MJ Aquascaping guiding each step, they'll pick up genuine techniques while having plenty of fun.
Remember just about any container can be an aquascape. Feel free to bring your own container or small aquarium to scape. Small aquariums, lighting, and filtration will also be available for purchase.
Some smaller aquascapes should not contain fish, please consult with store staff if you are not sure about your setup.
Q&A & Zooxae Livestock/Coral Facility Tour
Bring your questions. Sal Mendaz will open the floor for a live Q&A about the Coral Farm, coral importation, dipping and acclimatizing methods and water testing.
Following the Q&A, enjoy a guided 20-minute tour of Zooxae's stunning livestock and coral facility a rare behind-the-scenes look at one of the area's premier aquatic coral collections.
7:45 PM
Socialize with fellow hobbyists and staff
To close out the evening, food trucks will be on-site from 7:30 PM until 8:00 PM, giving you the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow hobbyists and the Zooxae team over some great food!