How to Make a Kid-Friendly Garden Look Good
Creating zones is key to luring children outside. See how it can be done without turning the entire garden into a playground
We all know that getting your children outside into the fresh air as much as possible is one of the best things you can do for them as a parent. But how do you compete against the myriad indoor attractions available these days such as PlayStation, Xbox, tablets and laptops?
Start by creating plenty of kid-friendly activities and play areas in the garden. If children know they have their own dedicated play area outside with a trampoline or swings, as well as a hut or playhouse to hang out in with their friends, they’ll be more than happy to give the computer a miss for a while. You can easily incorporate such spaces into your garden without compromising its attractiveness if you do a little advance planning. Don’t be too precious about the garden – designer gardens with not a leaf out of place are certainly no fun for kids.
Start by creating plenty of kid-friendly activities and play areas in the garden. If children know they have their own dedicated play area outside with a trampoline or swings, as well as a hut or playhouse to hang out in with their friends, they’ll be more than happy to give the computer a miss for a while. You can easily incorporate such spaces into your garden without compromising its attractiveness if you do a little advance planning. Don’t be too precious about the garden – designer gardens with not a leaf out of place are certainly no fun for kids.
Let the child in you come out
The owner of this cool garden certainly did. The sloping site has been cleverly utilised to include a concrete slide as well as a climbing rope. A tiny sandpit has been squeezed into the bottom of the garden as well. All the elements have been designed to integrate with the style of the garden and house, so everything reads as one harmonious composition.
The owner of this cool garden certainly did. The sloping site has been cleverly utilised to include a concrete slide as well as a climbing rope. A tiny sandpit has been squeezed into the bottom of the garden as well. All the elements have been designed to integrate with the style of the garden and house, so everything reads as one harmonious composition.
Plan for the future
It’s not always necessary to separate spaces for adults to relax and kids to play. For example, a sandpit can be built into a deck or a swing hung from the overhead beams of a pergola. When the children grow older the sandpit in this lovely timber pavilion can be turned into a water feature or a fire pit.
It’s not always necessary to separate spaces for adults to relax and kids to play. For example, a sandpit can be built into a deck or a swing hung from the overhead beams of a pergola. When the children grow older the sandpit in this lovely timber pavilion can be turned into a water feature or a fire pit.
Create relaxed areas for hideaways
If there isn’t time to get the children out into the natural environment very often, why not bring a little wildness into your own garden? If there are existing trees on your property think about using one as the centrepiece for a ‘wild’ area where the grass can be left longer. And if the tree is large enough, perhaps you could use it to frame a tree house.
If there isn’t time to get the children out into the natural environment very often, why not bring a little wildness into your own garden? If there are existing trees on your property think about using one as the centrepiece for a ‘wild’ area where the grass can be left longer. And if the tree is large enough, perhaps you could use it to frame a tree house.
Group play equipment
To save on space it’s a good idea to group swings, slides and playhouses together in one zone. And, as lawns wear out quickly around play equipment, consider using paving and bark for these areas. There are also many specialist play surfaces available now, some made from recycled materials.
To save on space it’s a good idea to group swings, slides and playhouses together in one zone. And, as lawns wear out quickly around play equipment, consider using paving and bark for these areas. There are also many specialist play surfaces available now, some made from recycled materials.
Make spaces multi-functional
When space is tight it makes sense to combine two functions into one area. Informal areas, such as vegetable gardens, can be turned into fun areas for the children with perhaps a kids’ vegie patch, sandpit, mosaic pavers and scarecrows. In this Perth garden the circular beds used for the edibles make the ideal form for a tiny tot’s sandpit, too.
When space is tight it makes sense to combine two functions into one area. Informal areas, such as vegetable gardens, can be turned into fun areas for the children with perhaps a kids’ vegie patch, sandpit, mosaic pavers and scarecrows. In this Perth garden the circular beds used for the edibles make the ideal form for a tiny tot’s sandpit, too.
Build a playhouse
Older kids love having their own place to retreat from adults. A cubby in their own backyard will keep them happy for hours. Buy one ready-made if you aren’t handy on the tools and have to site it near your outdoor living areas. Otherwise build it yourself or, better still, let the kids help with its construction. Try to use recycled materials (floorboards, timber posts, bricks, old furniture, old logs). These can be scrounged from friends who are renovating, roadside inorganic collections, the tip or salvage yards.
Older kids love having their own place to retreat from adults. A cubby in their own backyard will keep them happy for hours. Buy one ready-made if you aren’t handy on the tools and have to site it near your outdoor living areas. Otherwise build it yourself or, better still, let the kids help with its construction. Try to use recycled materials (floorboards, timber posts, bricks, old furniture, old logs). These can be scrounged from friends who are renovating, roadside inorganic collections, the tip or salvage yards.
Connect to nature
Devote a corner of the garden to bees, butterflies, birds, frogs and other forms of wildlife. Here, the beautiful planting is designed to attract bees and butterflies with sawn logs as seats to watch the activities of the insects close-up. You could also have a shallow pond (covered with wire netting if small children are around) where frogs, dragonflies and other wildlife could make their home.
Devote a corner of the garden to bees, butterflies, birds, frogs and other forms of wildlife. Here, the beautiful planting is designed to attract bees and butterflies with sawn logs as seats to watch the activities of the insects close-up. You could also have a shallow pond (covered with wire netting if small children are around) where frogs, dragonflies and other wildlife could make their home.
Build paths for bike tracks…
Allow for plenty of paved areas in your garden plan for riding bikes, scooters and skateboards or for pushing prams. In areas with wet winters this is essential.
Allow for plenty of paved areas in your garden plan for riding bikes, scooters and skateboards or for pushing prams. In areas with wet winters this is essential.
…and soft surfaces for frolics
Lawns are also important for children to play ball games, chase the dog, run under the sprinkler or just lay about on the grass in summer.
Lawns are also important for children to play ball games, chase the dog, run under the sprinkler or just lay about on the grass in summer.
Shop around for bargains
Keep an eye on auction sites or the ‘For Sale’ columns in newspapers for unwanted play equipment such as trampolines, swings or playhouses. These can often be purchased for half the price of new ones. Swings can also be made from recycled tyres.
Keep an eye on auction sites or the ‘For Sale’ columns in newspapers for unwanted play equipment such as trampolines, swings or playhouses. These can often be purchased for half the price of new ones. Swings can also be made from recycled tyres.
Avoid toxic plants
Many common plants have poisonous leaves, flowers, fruit or sap. These include: arum lily flowers, daffodil bulbs, all parts of azalea, rhododendron, datura, delphinium, foxglove, hellebore and lobelia; the leaves of box (Buxus), calendula, rhubarb and tomatoes; the berries and seed of clivia, cycad, laburnum, Melia, privet, sweet peas and wisteria, and the sap of euphorbia and frangipani.
Many common plants have poisonous leaves, flowers, fruit or sap. These include: arum lily flowers, daffodil bulbs, all parts of azalea, rhododendron, datura, delphinium, foxglove, hellebore and lobelia; the leaves of box (Buxus), calendula, rhubarb and tomatoes; the berries and seed of clivia, cycad, laburnum, Melia, privet, sweet peas and wisteria, and the sap of euphorbia and frangipani.
Provide sun protection
Always ensure there is shade in summer for sandpits, paddling pools and other play areas. Site them under a tree or use a shade sail, awning or sun umbrella.
TELL US
What do your little ones like to do in the garden? Let us know in the Comments section.
MORE
Discovery Gardens: 15 Ideas to Let Kids’ Imaginations Run Wild
10 Backyard Additions for Active (and Not-So-Active) Kids
10 Super Sandpits Worthy of Digging in
Always ensure there is shade in summer for sandpits, paddling pools and other play areas. Site them under a tree or use a shade sail, awning or sun umbrella.
TELL US
What do your little ones like to do in the garden? Let us know in the Comments section.
MORE
Discovery Gardens: 15 Ideas to Let Kids’ Imaginations Run Wild
10 Backyard Additions for Active (and Not-So-Active) Kids
10 Super Sandpits Worthy of Digging in
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Sit down with the whole family and work out what you all want in the garden – sandpit, swing, trampoline, sitting areas, water feature, vegetable garden, flowerbeds, swimming pool etc. Make a rough scale plan of the yard and plot out the different activity zones. Unless you have an enormous site you probably won’t be able to accommodate everything on your wish list so some compromises will have to be made.
Try to create different areas in the garden with different atmospheres. For instance, places close to the house, such as terraces and decks, could be more ordered, while areas further away from the house could be informal and relaxed with space for play equipment such as a trampoline or swing.