Being outdoors playing and exploring is a huge part of a child’s development. There’s so much to learn and enjoy in a garden, no matter what age the child is. If you tailor your garden to your children, you’ll find that they’ll happily and safely spend hours there.
Creating the perfect garden environment for kids will depend on the size of your garden. Here are some great tips for creating an engaging garden for kids.
Hardy Plants
No matter how hard you try to keep your kid’s hands off the plants, they’ll always want to touch and explore. You may find that these little fingers accidentally destroy plants and flowers. This is why it’s so important to opt for plants that can survive rough play.
Firstly, make sure that none of the plants you choose are toxic or have the potential to harm skin. Secondly, look for plants that can get run over by a football and live to see another day. Shrubbery and hedges are ideal for adding greenery that can take a hit.
Water
Children love to play with water. They’ll enjoy watching birds bathing in a garden bird bath or helping create a mini container pond with wildlife they can watch. They’ll appreciate it if you have some water that they can splash in too, particularly in the hot summer months.
It’s better to put purposely built water features for your children to play with in your garden. If you have a pool, make sure to invest in a pool cleaning service so you don’t have to worry about your children entering an unclean pool. Always supervise your children while playing with water in your garden.
Play Areas
Arguably, the garden is a huge play area in itself. However, if you want to section off a part of your garden and dedicate it to play, there are many ways you can do this. Why not consider a decked area full of outdoor toys for your children?
A mud kitchen is a fantastic option for outdoor play. It allows children to role play and work with natural elements, like wood, water, and mud. If you have a larger area for play, you can also consider bigger equipment, like swings and slides.
Veggie Garden Box
Being in the garden is a great opportunity for learning. Children relish in seeing things grow and learning about the cycle of plant life. A vegetable box is ideal for children.
It allows them to plant seeds and look after their vegetables, whilst also keeping any mess restricted to the box.
Gardening Tools
Need an extra hand around the garden? Your children can be great little helpers when you teach them how. Give them some garden tools and show them how to dig up weeds and plant flowers.
Older children may be able to help you prune hedges and shrubbery. In addition to helping them with their physical health, it can also help with mental health and self-regulation.