Kids love spending time outside, and there’s no better place than your own backyard. With a bit of planning, you can create a fun and engaging outdoor space for your kids without compromising on design or losing your adult entertaining space in the process. After all, big kids deserve outdoor play too!
Here are our top tips for injecting some fun into your garden for kids of all ages.
Simple sandpits
The humble sand pit is hugely popular with almost all kids. These super simple constructions can keep kids busy for hours. There are endless options for fun, imaginative play in this creative space, and sandpits invite children to explore, experiment and investigate.
When it comes to building a sandpit, be sure to position it under a tree or other structure for shade. Add rocks, shrubs and different textures to the surrounding areas for interest. Consider adding seats in the corners of the box for the kids to perch themselves on while playing.
Pathways to explore
Meandering paths encourage kids to explore and use their imagination in open-ended play. Create little nooks near pathways where fairy gardens and other creations can live. Include interesting plants alongside the path for kids to smell, touch or even eat.
Consider a barefoot sensory path if your garden isn’t big enough for weaving pathways. A sensory path is divided into sections using different textures like stone slabs, gravel, sawdust, grass (real or artificial) and logs.
Cubby house
Cubbies are an excellent way to transform your backyard into an exciting world of fun. Creating a space dedicated to kids is great for imaginative play, creative thinking and problem-solving.
Cubby houses can take all kinds of forms. These days flat-pack cubbies are easy to come by, or you can make something more unique out of old pallets. So long as it’s sturdy and safe, a cubby can transform your backyard into a child’s wonderland.
If you’re short on space, think vertically. An elevated cubby house can instantly add square metres to your space.
A lawn is the ultimate play space
A flat lawn area is a blank canvas for kids to make their own fun. Plus, it’ll see you through from when they first start moving until they leave home.
The lawn is perfect for younger kids to have a swing set or climbing frame. It’s also great for bigger kids, teenagers and adults with fitness equipment, lawn games, picnics, sunbathing, or reading a book on a blanket.
The perfect shade tree
If you have the space, a shade tree is a beautiful addition to the garden. They provide privacy, create a cool sanctuary in the summer, attract birds and add visual interest.
Use a lovely shade tree to create a cool oasis in summer and add interest with flowering plants, garden edging and retaining walls.
The right shade tree is also great for kids to climb or swing from. Add a tyre swing to a strong branch for hours of entertainment. In the summertime, enjoy a backyard picnic under its canopy.
Vegetable garden beds
Gardening is a fun, safe and educational activity for kids. Children can learn new skills, have fun, play and develop self-confidence by spending time in the garden, tending plants and growing their own food. Most children enjoy being outdoors and love digging in the soil, getting dirty, creating things and watching plants grow.
For best results, use raised garden beds that are easy to reach and dig around in, treat the kids to their own tools and give them space to grow what they want. Cherry tomatoes, strawberries and peas are always a hit – they are fast growing and a delicious garden snack. Sunflowers are always a joy for kids to grow too.
Other activities kids love that will also benefit your veggie patch include making a scarecrow, setting up a worm farm and adding a water feature or bird bath.
Teen Retreat
As your kids grow into teens, you can adapt your garden. For example, trade in the sandpit or cubby house to create a space they can still call their own. A few benches and lounging cushions around a fire pit will make an attractive place where they can hang out with friends. Or consider upgrading the cubby house or transforming a garden shed into an ‘adult-free zone’ with reclaimed furniture, rugs, cushions and hammocks.
As winter finally starts shading into spring, the summer holidays can’t be too far away. Start planning now for months of outdoor fun!