Have you ever sat and watched your children run wild in the garden? Chances are – yes absolutely. Kids are born with an instinctive appreciation for nature; that coupled with their magical ability to imagine the unimaginable, can easily entertain them (and you) for an entire day.
The common gardening activities that can be done by the kids are planting and watering flowers, vegetables, and herbs; pulling weeds; raking leaves; and harvesting fruits and vegetables. Kids can also enjoy observing insects, birds, and other wildlife that visit the garden. However, not all tasks can be carried out by children, as some of them require professional assistance and expertise, and entrusting these tasks to youngsters could result in harm.
An example of such an activity is the trimming of trees, which would be beneficial if it was done by Greensboro tree services experts (or similar professionals nearby) as they have the necessary knowledge and experience to do the job safely and effectively. Similarly, if there is any major landscaping work to be done or if the garden needs to be replanted, it is best to get professional help. Such activities could be dangerous if done without the proper guidance of a las vegas landscaper (if that is where you live).
Helping in the garden or creating art from nature give children a great insight into how all things interconnect, if you’re looking for fun activities in the garden, here are five ideas to get you started.
Terracotta Birdbath
The whole concept of making a bird bath from scratch seems like a daunting task; one that requires a ridiculous amount of clay and possibly a kiln. Lucky there’s a super simple way of doing it, that won’t mean having to pull clay lumps out of your kids’ hair. Your tools of the trade? Two identical terracotta pots, a terracotta saucer, super glue and a bunch of funky paints (use patio/porch paint to ensure longevity). Firstly, glue the bottom of the pots together with the glue, and attach the saucer to one of the ends, creating a shallow bath for the birds to frolic in. Next, comes the fun part! Unleash your family’s inner artists by painting pictures of nature on the pots. This could be trees, flowers, ladybirds, frogs – whatever you desire. Lastly, fill the saucer on top with water and watch the birds play.
Milk Carton Planter Boxes
This is a great way to recycle your old bottle and add a bit of life to your backyard or kitchen. You’ll need an empty juice or milk carton (not the plastic kind), scissors, acrylic paint and a brush. Start by cutting the carton to around seven to ten centimetres high. Then gather your kids and get them to paint a design on their own planter box. Place some holes in the bottom for drainage, and then fill with soil and seeds of your choice. My pick? Sprouts or herbs.
Easy Bird Feeder
Put those dropped pinecones to good use by turning them into a kitschy bird feeder. Simply head into your yard or to your local park and collect an assortment of pinecones. Next, smear either nut or seed butter on the outside of the pinecone before sprinkling a selection of sunflower seed and millet until it is completely coated. Finish off by hanging your feeder in the tree, then sit back and watch them devour their treat.
Mini Fairy Garden
Young children have a fascination with mythical creatures, so it’s only fitting that you create a home for all the fairies roaming around your garden. This is an easy gardening activity that if you wanted to make on a larger scale, could be done with the help of a landscaper like PPG. You’ll need a shallow wooden box, small pot plants, shells, a shallow dish (for the pond), pebbles, soil, decorative pebbles, a small terracotta pot (for their cave), and a decorative frog (to guard the perimeters while the fairies are away on holiday).
Start by filling your wooden box with soil and plan out where you intend to place all your decorative bits. Dig a shallow hole for the pond and plants. Then put them into place and border it with your decorative shells and pebbles. You can stick decorative gravels with an adhesive to avoid them getting displaced. Adhesives such as mouldable glue are kids friendly and can be used for the creative purpose such as making and mending things, repairing ceramics, pottery or earthenware, etc. You can get more details on benefits, usage, and additional features through the internet by visiting web pages like https://sugru.com/buy/creative-glue-adhesive or similar other sites. To create the fairy cave, place the pot on its side, half in the soil, and place large stones to make a stepping stone path leading out of the cave. Add further decorations where you see fit, and finish off by filling the pond with water.
Getting kids involved in gardening and creative activities can be beneficial in many ways. One could be keeping them away from mobile, internet, online games, etc., for a while and developing their interest in physical activity.
Have you got any fun kids activities for the garden? We’d love to hear your ideas in the comments below.