Garden ideas to amuse toddler if lockdown

[netstaller]

If there is a lockdown or we do need to isolate please give me some ideas of games to play/stuff to do with an active 2 year old with a shortish attention span. I also have a 4 month old. Currently battling with DP for a slide, are they worth it? He's against as we don't have loads of grass. We do have a patio and decking if that makes a difference.

Slides and rockers go down really well ime. It doesn’t necessarily need to be on the grass either. If you’re worried about bumps those massive foam puzzles can provide a bit of cushioning.

I think your fortunate to have a patio area because they can ride little trikes or a scooter. If you can get hold of some chalk you also have a never ending canvas for them to draw on.

‘Painting’ with water usually goes down well, dd used to spend a good chunk of time painting the fence. Water in general is excellent for playing, you can just fill up a washing up bowl and let them pour and wash anything vaguely suitable.

A bucket of water, a large paint brush and toddler can "paint" the patio. Best done on a hot day, or well wrapped up and wearing wellies if in chilly weather.

Maybe you could plant sunflower seeds and measure whose is the tallest later? Start them off inside on a sunny windowsill in yoghurt cartons.

Make windmills from brightly coloured scraps of packaging etc, have a little group of them in the garden.

Put some food out for the birds each day, something to watch from the window on a chilly day.

Make their own garden, perhaps in a large container, quick growing things like stock and cornflowers. At one time you could get a seed mix called cottage garden, that would be ideal. Lots of fun to be had watering their garden.

Chalk, big paint brush, washing up bowl (as big as you can). Collection of plastic pots and containers.
Small spade if you have a flower bed you can let them have a patch of -rope off "Toddler area".
I'd think you would get more use out of a ride on thing than a slide.

Skittles with a large ball and things like empty washing up liquid bottles etc. with just a bit of ballast at the bottom.

Sorry to hog the thread, it's taken me back to DS's childhood!

If you have room the tuff trays are brilliant.
You can put water, sand playdough all sorts on there and it's all contained.
Also good for potting flowers up if you have those to do.
The stands although expensive are definitely worth it too.

Build a bug hotel and buy him a magnifying glass. Hours of fun, especially if you get him to find names for every ant he sees.

Sand and some beach toys/plastic bowls from kitchen etc

Water to paint patio, with a little watering can and some cups/bath toys in a basin to play outdoors rather than in bath, make boats to sail in a basin etc

Bubbles to burst

Lie on a rug and look at the sky - what shapes do the clouds make, how many airplanes, what birds are flying,

What nature is I the garden - birds, insects, butterflies, plants and flowers....

Plant some cress as it’s fast growing and check daily, plant other seeds that take longer

Build wooden blocks outdoors - build big towers and knock them down

Bring out cars etc (not tiny ones) or animals or books and just play outdoors - a rug may be useful for this to corral the space they use, and a plastic tub or 2 so DC can carry their own things in and out (as much part of the fun and takes time to distract them too).

Oh yes Bubbles! You can get some fab kits to make large bubbles, but any bubbles are fun!

Bug hunting.... building houses for bees and other mini beasts, planting seeds - wildflower or a mini vegetable patch, build a mini wormery, gentle snail racing, make a den. These ideas came from this book and although not every idea is suitable for a little kid it’s something you’re likely to be able to use going forward.

A slide is a great idea as toddlers they love to climb and move. Do you have any large boxes or a pop up tent?
It can be exercise as well as a challenge
I found the biggest entertainment for outside was a secondhand Sand & water table
I alternate it with cars and construction vehicles to bath toys and spades, to household containers.
These can be filled with grit instead of sand
A watering can
A child's height garden box or planter with seasonal plants
We feed the birds on the deck and can watch inside on colder days.
Chalk up the deck or patio and you can always hose it away or leave it to disappear.
Go on a leaf or bug hunt
Blanket and have picnics or reading books

Best thing I did was make some binoculars out of toilet role tubes tied together he could decorate inside in the morning. Paint, stickers, glitter. Then we took them outside for a safari. I hid 8/9 little plastic animals and he had to find them and tick them off on a sheet. Filled loads of time with the two activities. Then he hid them for me to find (I say hid he mostly just dropped them on the floor). Lots of fun.

Slides are brilliant. I bought a tiny second hand little tikes one and it got three years of good use before my older child was so tall her feet touched the ground from the top. We're buying a big one to replace it.

It won't be long before its paddling pool weather!

DD is 3 but her favourite things to do in the garden (this year and last) are blowing bubbles and playing with a sand table

My dc all loved to "wash up" outside. Just an old washing up bowl or bucket filled with warm soapy water and a pile of their toys to wash. Small cars, plastic bricks etc.

There's some fantastic ideas here! Thank you! Just ordered some chalk, skittles, paint and I love the idea of a safari. Thank you so much for all your cracking ideas

Please be mindful of people having to work from home & NHS/emergency workers sleeping during the day when it comes to noise levels with these activities.

Slides are great, we used to put a blanket over ours to make a great tent, or a blanket over washing line as a tent.

My dc used to love mixing up potions, need a bucket with a bit of water then they can add mud, stones, sticks, need a big stick to use for stirring. Mine would play that for hours!

We also planted strawberries when they were little, they have some in Homebase at the moment, then you can pick the fruit, wash and eat it when it’s ripe.

Warm water in a bowl and make paper boats to float. Play sink or float with different objects, guess which will sink.

Blanket and pillows and read books outside.

Rubbings with crayons and paper on different surfaces: fence, bark, leaves, pavement.