Making an "ant farm" for your children is an excellent way to hold their attention for hours and is a good educational tool as well. They can teach children the importance of an eco system as well as responsibility in caring for a creature that relies on them for food and water. Ant farms are both easy to make and inexpensive. They are good pets for children that live in apartments or a home with limited space. They are perfect for kids that are allergic to dogs and cats. Best of all these pets don't have to be house trained! Find an ant pile and using a shovel carefully dig enough ants and dirt to fill your jar within 2-3 inches from the top. Pack the dirt firmly. You can use other dirt to fill your jar but it is just as easy to transplant the anthill into its new home. If you are using red ants or other varieties that can bite keep your child a safe distance away from this part of the project. Capture as many ants as you can, including an ant that looks larger than the others and a queen ant, which may have wings. You might also scoop up little white eggs and larvae. If ants are not readily available in your area craft and hobby stores can generally give you information on where to mail order them. They are generally very inexpensive and travel well. Ants like to eat small breadcrumbs, or bread dipped in sugar water or with a drop of honey. They can also eat tiny bits of fruit and vegetables but don't feed them too much or their tank can get cluttered before they can remove it to their underground storage space. To water your new pets, let your child drop a water soaked cotton ball into the jar. Most of the liquid ants need they can get from their food but it is a good idea to add a new wet cotton ball every few days as needed.