With the weather we have here in the UK, it’s important to get your kids out into the garden to play whenever possible. However, the garden also needs to be a pleasant, simple, and safe space for them to play in. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of our favourite garden ideas for children, sure to make creating a child-friendly garden easy!
Set up different zones
You probably have toy boxes and seating in the home where you can sit in comfort and watch the children play. If this works inside the house, why not apply the same principle to your garden?
You could, for example, leave some durable cushions by the back door and bring them out to place on your garden seating, facing the kids’ designated play area. If your children are younger than mine, be sure to restrict access to dangerous areas of your garden, such as any bodies of water, thorny plants, or trees. Temporary fencing, perfect for blocking access to hazards, will allow you to rearrange your garden as your children grow.
Be sure to keep your garden tools firmly out of the children’s access, too. This may mean locking up shears and secateurs in a toolbox or shed and hiding the lawnmower within a lawn mower storage area.
Keep things simple
Up and down the country, gardens are awash with trampolines, climbing frames, and plastic goalposts. However, you probably know that these are not always what children need to have fun! Instead, keeping your garden as more of a blank canvas means that the play opportunities are endless for kids of all ages.
That rope swing tied to a low-hanging tree branch, for example, is a quintessential image reminiscent of British gardens up and down the country. Sure, it may be simple, but your children get a fun day building a swing together and a multifunctional toy that grows with them! Let’s face it – most trees are far more weatherproof than those skimpy metal frames. Even when your children lose interest in the swing, you still have the beautiful tree rather than a rusty metal eyesore.
A sandpit is a sound investment if it will keep your children out of your freshly dug flowerbeds, while some proper goalposts are a dream come true for kids who love football. But you don’t need to go overboard with toys to make a garden child-friendly.
Make a paddle-friendly water feature
A water feature makes a stunning addition to any garden. But these delicate ornaments aren’t exactly kid-proof. Plus, water features are a hazard to toddlers. Wrong! These days, there’s a range of sturdy water features on the market that can even double up as a paddling pool during the hotter months of the year!
Of course, you should always supervise children around water – some fencing or a cover will keep them away from the pool when you’re not using it.
Get growing
There’s a growing interest in kids helping the environment and in growing plants in general. Who hasn’t seen those send-away bee hotel vouchers or cress head kits on the back of breakfast cereal boxes and children’s snacks? So, give your children a space to get involved in the magic of growing!
Whether it’s a simple sunflower pot by the wall, or a herb and vegetable patch, your kids will love to grow their own. A dedicated area for growing favourite plants will help to nurture an interest in nature right into adulthood.
Follow their lead
What you do with your garden should be specific to your children as little individuals. For example, suppose your child enjoys platformer video games. In that case, an obstacle course in the garden (carefully avoiding favourite plants) should go down a treat, while an outdoor mud kitchen, complete with old pots and pans, is great for younger children who want to practise cooking.
Bonus points if you get your children involved in the manufacturing of their dream garden, too!
Disclosure – this is a collaborative post
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