If your garden is a good size, your kids will probably be in it as often as they can be. After all, they are great outdoor spaces for them to run around in and have some fun away from the TV and computer screens! However, it takes quite a bit of work to ensure your garden is child-friendly. And even once you have ensured it’s child-friendly, that doesn’t necessary mean it is going to be a great play area for the kids. Here are some great tips to turn your overgrown garden into a fantastic children’s play area.
Add A Jungle Gym
One way to greatly enhance the fun factor of your garden for kids is to add some equipment that they can play with. The best item for this is the good old jungle gym. These are climbing frames that can be easily erected in any sized garden. Some often come with a slide or a swing set attached. Not only are these heaps of fun, but they also encourage your child to do a lot of exercise while they play. There will be lots of chances for them to swing from the frame and climb up it; they will certainly get a good workout!
Think About Flooring
If you do get a climbing frame or some other play equipment added to your garden, you should consider the type of flooring you use underneath it. Ideally, you want something soft so that if the kids fall or trip up, they won’t hurt themselves too much. That’s why most people put their climbing frames onto a patch of their lawn. This will be a much softer landing than concrete! Birch plywood is another great option as it provides kids with plenty of grip. That means that they won’t slip over so easy while they are running around!
Sensory Plants
Your garden will no doubt be filled with lots of plants and flowers, some of which may attract your children’s attention. Firstly, you will need to ensure that none of these are poisonous, as they could make your kids ill. But rather than replacing poisonous plants with any old ones, think about adding some sensory plants and flowers. These are ones that stimulate the senses and include ones with strong fragrances such as lavender and rosemary. Kids will love getting amongst them and smelling their sweet aromas!
Incorporate Some Sports
As well as using play equipment like jungle gyms, you can encourage your kids to stay fit by adding some sports equipment to your garden. Boys will love a small football net that they can practice their scoring with. If your garden is big enough, you might even want to get a plastic cricket set for the kids to play with. Some other sports ideas that are perfect for gardens include swing ball and frisbees.
Why not ask your kids how you can improve the garden to help them play more. You never know what kind of awesome ideas they might have!