What to put in the garden for a baby/toddler?

[catsofa]

Baby is 9 months old, we moved to a new house just before he was born and I'm just getting going on sorting out the garden.

What outdoor toys and garden features have your little ones had lots of use of?

So far I'm thinking that a small swing would be good for putting him down for a bit while I do some pottering, and I'll probably want to level a big bit as at the moment it's all sloping which is no good for paddling pool, sandpit, rickety folding chairs etc.

Securing the perimeter fence and gate is also high on my list. Any suggestions anyone?

sandpit
place to tricycle round
own flowerbed to dig and mess about in

Does it have to be a certain kind of sand, or will any do? I guess we'll have grass in the middle for trikes etc, seems a lot of work to keep it mown but worth it for kids to use. Yes he can have a bit to dig himself, just remembered the big hole my grandpa let me dig in his garden one summer

You can get play sand from toysrus. they also have sand/water tables with lids (to keep cats from crapping in it) and umbrellas.

Definitely a small slide. DS could climb a slide by himself at 18 months and would go up and down for hours. When he was 10 months old he would stand against a water table in his vest splashing

grass is tricky to cycle on, you need paths/a patio
grass is good for somersaults, roly polys, paddling pools, lying about etc

There's a concrete path already so maybe that'll do for wheels. Wondering if I could find a shower tray in a skip that might work well as a sandpit. What sort of age can they play with sand? Been steering him away from it at play groups cos I think he'd just eat it right now :)

Oh and we've got a big tyre for climbing on/in, might get some smaller ones to add to it as I've seen a few in playgrounds and they seemed popular (and cheap to do!).

Our most used garden purchase by far has been the playhouse. They adore it. It's a Smoby one and it's quite open so doesn't get spiders etc taking up home in it.

They have their own window box and pots of flowers around the edge which I help them top up with bedding plants each year.

Somewhere for a water tray is a must. It will get a lot of use because they can play with it when it's just 'nice weather'. It has to be really warm for the paddling pool.

I heard that cats like to use sand puts as litter trays so be careful of that.
Mine also love their slide and swings.
Other things they love in the garden

• making a dinosaur land in part of the garden
• goal and football
• magnifying glass to look at insects
• paddling pool and water slide