How to Plan a Kids Garden

There are many ways to design a garden that will be suitable for children, it depends on their age and what space you have available.

The first thing to think of is safety especially if the children are very young. The space should be fully enclosed with gates that they cannot open so they will not be able to get out onto the street and put themselves in danger. The same applies to any pool in the backyard which should be protected with self locking gates. Water has such a great attraction for children and even a shallow pond has its dangers. It is a good idea to cover the top with wire mesh which will still allow you to enjoy the water feature while making sure your children are safe.

If at all possible have a flat paved area so that tots can ride their small toys and bikes. This will provide hours of fun for them. Although there is no substitute for supervising children constantly there may be times when you need to go inside so you should be able to see their play area from indoors.

If you have a large grass area, this will be ideal for children to romp around and enjoy themselves. Make sure that you plant hard wearing grass and be prepared for the wear and tear that it will experience. Let the children have fun, there will be plenty of time to nurture your lawn when they have grown up. Older children love to climb so a cubby house or tree house, if you have a suitable tree in your yard, would be a welcome addition. If the tree has strong limbs the children will love a rope to swing on.

One of the most popular aspects of my garden was the sand pit. Children love to dig, build, knock down and start again and will spend hours in the sand. You don’t need to buy expensive toys for them to use, any empty container, old pot or kitchen utensils will provide as much enjoyment.

Set aside a small area where children can grow their own plants and flowers, what a wonderful learning experience for them. They will love getting dirty and then watching something they have planted grow day by day. Choose something like beans which have big seeds and will be easy for them to handle and are easy to germinate.

Hide and seek is always a favorite game and having some secluded places in the garden will provide great fun. There are many toys such as swing sets and trampolines that you can purchase to go in your garden but really children are very creative and can make their own fun. If you have ever given a child a large cardboard box to play with you will know what I mean. It can become a cubby house, a car, a pirate ship, an airplane bound for exotic places. Their imagination is endless and it is good for them to have the freedom to express it.

Give your child a safe environment and some quality time and they will find no end of ways to play and learn as well as having fun.