We sometimes get carried away with trying to make our lawns as perfect as possible to the point that they can’t really be used for much aside from admiring it. When you have kids, this can be a problem because the space is not being used with them in mind.
It isn’t easy for kids to enjoy a well manicured lawn. Instead, we should think about the ways that we can set up a gorgeous space that looks good and is actually usable. With kids it isn’t easy, but with some forethought and a plan it can come together where your garden is a place that your friends look in envy and your kids will be looking to stay outside as long as possible.
In this article, I will go over several ways that you can create a kid friendly yard and have the whole family enjoy the outdoor space.
1 – Make it more natural
Lawns are very static and there isn’t much about them that are lively. A backyard can be a place for kids to not only enjoy being outdoors but feel like they are in a natural setting.
Lots of plants and trees are a must for kids to enjoy being outside and feel like they are in a natural setting. And I don’t mean a manicured path with plants running alongside it. I mean an area where kids can root around looking for bugs in the plants and admire it for the naturalness of it rather than something to just look pretty.
Adding a water fixture is a great way to add a natural element into your yard that your kids can explore. A fish pond is an excellent way to allow your kids to watch the life cycle of many creatures. You’ll probably have some frogs set up a life there and the kids can watch eggs transform to tadpoles and then frogs over the course of the summer. They can watch how fish grow and even have some responsibility by asking them to help take care of them.
If you don’t have the space for a fish pond, outdoor fountains at Soothing Company can be a good substitute. You can add some small goldfish to the fountain for them to enjoy.
And, depending on their age, you should set aside an area where you don’t mind them digging around in. This way they can play in the dirt and not worry about getting in trouble.
2 – Make a play area
If you really don’t like the idea of the kids digging around in the yard, then you should at least give them a corner where it is their space and set up things for them to play with.
You can make an area where you set up some outdoor chalkboards so they have a sort of outdoors art studio and can get creative. Or, you can place some all weather building blocks out there for them to build and knock things down.
You can even take things a step further and make an outdoor video arcade. There are loads of possibilities but it is important that no matter how you choose to set things up, that you do allow them to be somewhat in control of their own little area. This goes a long way towards kids feeling like they have their own space and independence.
3 – Attract birds and butterflies
Another way to have an area that teaches kids about nature is to invite certain creatures into your yard. Having the fountain is a good start to having more birds visit, but you can increase the traffic by also putting a bird feeder out there.
You’ll have birds of all types coming into your yard to be observed all year round.
In the summer, planting certain flowers will attract butterflies which will be a huge hit with the kids. Milkweed and sunflowers are two popular plants among butterflies. And the sunflowers are also very pretty and add an aesthetic touch to your garden.
4 – Grow some veggies
Having a little garden that they can plant and tend to is a great learning experience for kids. And it’s also a very effective method to get them to eat their veggies. When kids take part in the growing of their own food, they are more likely to eat it.
Carrots are especially popular with kids when they can pull it from the ground and then eat it. Anything that you may have troubler convincing them to eat can be grown and have a good chance at success.
