How to make garden fun for toddlers in autumn?

[SinkGirl]

We have twin toddlers, just turned 3, both autistic. They love being outside but we have a very child unfriendly garden. In a few weeks someone is coming round to do some work to make it safer - remove a raised pond from the raised decking, and put a low fence around the raised lawn. We will end up with a large area of raised decking (3m x 6m), a raised lawn (3m x 8m approx), and then there’s a much lower path that runs along the side and the end of the raised lawn.

So our garden is long and narrow and I don’t know what to do with it. We’ve just got a double swing which will sit at the end of the lawn and act as an extra barrier to stop them climbing off the edge of the lawn.

What could I put on the rest of the lawn / decking that will be fun for them? At the moment they would live in the swings if I let them!

At nursery they have a line of plastic crates down one length of the garden which they love climbing on and running up and down, so may do something like that? In summer I’d have water, sand etc but with the rain and cold it’s not a good idea.

I was thinking we need something to go on the decking - maybe something to climb on with a slide that goes from the decking to the lawn, so something modular maybe?

Any great ideas for DIY garden projects for kids to enjoy playing on?

[Lou573]

Mud kitchen! Even just an old table set up with some water, soil and pots and pans - hours of fun whatever the weather.

[ILiveInSalemsLot]

I agree with the outdoor mud kitchen. Also, a blackboard on the fence and some chunky chalk and a den of some kind.
Bouncy toys that they sit on and bounce.

[BenWillbondsPants]

My DS used to spend hours 'painting' the playhouse with water. Paintbrush and water - hours of fun.

[SinkGirl]

Thanks - will try these! They can be funny about getting dirty with some things but not with others so I’ll set up an experiment there. They don’t really paint / draw but I can definitely try them with some water and a brush on the decking!

[Barbarara]

Do you have a corner that they could dig in? Lidl regularly do child sized shovels and spades. Mine spent a couple of years excavating dinosaur bones/stones convinced they were going to make a fortune selling them to a museum

We got great mileage out of logs cut about 4” -8” high. They made excellent stepping stones as they were uneven so a nice challenge to walk across. You do need somewhere dry to store them.

Chalk can be lots of fun - for drawing, hopscotch or water gun targets. It washes off in the rain or can be hosed down.

We had a pop up tent and tunnel set that packed away flat. We used to set up obstacle courses.

The little tikes turtle sandpit is very durable and has a cover so you can have sand available on the odd dry days in winter.

[Seeline]

YY to Little Tikes turtle sandpit. The cover means that the rain doesn't get in so it's great for playing in all year round if the weather is dry. Just make sure they are wrapped up warm. Mine used to enjoy playing with cars and diggers etc in it rather than just buckets.

You can't beat mud pies.

TP climbing frame - you can erect it at a lower level, and then just add the legs as they DCs get older.