Kids, it is safe to say, love outdoor fun. Having younglings play around in the back or front yard is an easy way to support their development and let them have fun all the while playing it safe.
If on top of this, your children get to experience plants and gardening, it all becomes much better.
Interacting with plants, or participating in a lawn edging project can in fact, can teach your kids wonders about the inner workings of our beautiful planet, as well as train young inquisitive minds and prepare them for the more elaborate notions they will come across in their school years. Not to mention the sense of accomplishment and the self-esteem boost they gain from a job well done.
If you have followed my blog for a while, by now you must know I love for my kids to have lots of fun. Notwithstanding, if know If you are planning on engaging in some gardening as a family activity there are, of course, a few things to keep in mind regarding safety. Once you got those out of the way, you can let the fun begin! Just keep on reading to discover more safe tricks to have some down – yet productive – time with the whole family!
So here it goes, how top-6 tips for child-friendly garden-related activities.
Hot Tip Number 1: Safety First
As we already established, when it comes to family activities, the first rule is to keep things safe.
You might not think about it a first, but not all plants are safe for kids.
Children are naturally drawn towards plans that stimulate the senses, like pointy leaves, colourful flowers, or very scented ones.
While there are a lot of safe options that meet all the above requirements, some caution is required. Refer to this list for a few kid-friendly ideas: https://tedsgardens.com/15-non-toxic-houseplants-that-are-safe-for-kids-pets/
Hot Tip Number 2: Teamwork is Dreamwork
No matter how young, every member of the family should have a say in what the final result should look like. Are you brainstorming a new border edging design? Have your 5-year-old mock up the blueprint! Older kids can even help with physically moving stuff around and creating garden borders.
Your little ones should also have a say in the kind of flowers and even edible plants you want to plant. Remains a vigilant supervisor, but try and let them have their moment with it.
Hot Tip Number 3: Use Garden Border Edgin to Create a Playground Area
Kids love a theme. Not for nothing, most kindergartens organise their leisurely time around themes such as a favourite movie, a festivity, or a beloved food.
Ask your little ones what they would like their yard to look like, and make sure to designate at least one area that is just for that. And of course, let them have as big a part as possible in the creative process. If you are wondering about how to best help pick a design, I have seen a lot of hot tips regarding garden edging and border garden designs on this website: www.garden-lawn-edging.co.uk. I am sure you will find so many valuable and innovative ideas specifically suited to your needs. If you are looking at creating a play space then look for equipment such as the Berg Playbase which will last for years and is expandable.
Hot Tip Number 4: Experience the Fruits of your Labour as a Family
The fun of planting a garden or indulging in garden edging is that it is a gift that keeps on giving. The preliminary planning and mocking up of the garden areas is every bit as fun to kids as actually putting their hands in the dirt and planting flowers. More fun comes from watching those seeds turn into plants and, around harvesting time, the whole family can have a field day collecting the ripe flowers and produce.
Hot Tip Number 5: Cook it Up
What’s better than a day spent harvesting fruits and vegetables grown in your very own garden? A night of gathering and cooking as a family, of course.
When it comes to children and doing work around the kitchen, common sense is a must. You know your kids and their level of ability and responsibility. It is your call to decide whether they can be trusted around boiling water or using a sharp knife.
That said, there are safe cooking-related activities for everyone. Washing veggies In the kitchen, snapping the green beans and putting together a salad are all very safe activities for kids of most ages.
Hot Tip Number 6: Create a Catalogue of Wonders for your Little Ones.
One of the greatest parenting skills is knowing how to work learning into fun and low-effort activities.
Depending on what part of the world you live in and the climate of that particular area, your garden will come with its very unique fauna.
It can be wonderful for you and your kids to keep track of every little critter you come across, snap their picture and save it on paper or in digital format for your kids to go back to it to their hearts’ content. There is no shortage on the internet for such inspiring ideas.