Gardens for kids

[Wave2wave]

What features/games/plants in your garden do your dc play with or like the most? Wanting to redo part of the garden and would like it to encourage the dc out to play or just spend time outside.

How old are your children?

My kids are teen/almost teen. When they were younger it was the swing, slide, and daffodils. Now that they're older and have weeding chores it's not as fun. The cat, however, is a big fan of the rock garden.

My kids like mud which is a good job cos I can't get even grass to survive in my garden!

Ds10 plays most with the four foot wide goal, as he likes to play football.

Ds6 plays most on the trampoline and nest swing and slide.

They don’t play in the play house anymore but they did when younger. When Ds2 was younger, he loved his Thomas rollercoaster, crazy coupe and petrol filling station.

They both still like a paddling pool, aquaplay, sandpit (step2) and and watering all the plants all day.

In terms of growing things, they like anything they can eat. We have different varieties of raspberries, blueberry and blackberry, rhubarb, strawberries, and dwarf apple, cherry and plum trees. And lots of herbs.

DS enjoyed planting candytuft seeds last year. They can be direct sown and flower within a few weeks. He likes anything that flowers and has colour. Not so keen on evergreen shrubs!

Thanks, some great suggestions.

Kids are 3 and 8, looking for things to last a few years. The paddling pool is currently a favourite (and the sprinkler) but will get put away again when the weather cools down.

Good call on somewhere to have a mud patch- we had great fun just playing with the mud as kids! I want to avoid a sandpit as have an ongoing battle to stop the neighbours cats shitting in the garden as it is.

Oh yes more edibles- we grow peas and strawberries, but could definitely fit a fruit tree and some bushes in too.

Wanting to avoid a trampoline but swings is a good call.

Interesting no real use of a play house or shed mentioned, so thinking to avoid that at the moment.

Mine are early teens 12 and 14 and the dartboard has been a real hit with them and their friends, ideal as it goes on the shed and doesn't take up much room, at your kids ages perhaps one of the magnetic ones could work?
We're currently painting a square with chalkboard paint to board up the window our son cracked with a dart!!

A few years back we grew a den out of runner beans. Canes in a teepee shape and space for a door. Now it's all about the hops and hopefully soon brewing beer. Takes about 3 years for the plants to fully mature to a big enough crop for brewing from what I've read.
They are super quick to grow though which would help with the den.

At the front we have a goal which keeps ball games away from anyone relaxing getting hit round the back.
Other winners have been swing ball and badminton nets. All folds down easy and small to put away in winter.

As long as we have sun loungers out, music on and plenty of drinks we end up with a garden full of kids. Although there have been requests for a pergola and pool table... I'll have to think about that one!
I think the key is to keep it a sociable space that everyone wants to be in

AmIAWeed

Some great ideas there, Thank you :-)

Just watch out growing Hops around a den or anywhere you will walk past- if you rub past the vines they can give a nasty welt on bare skin (I have found this the hard way!) but I like the idea of a runner bean den- or could use sweetpeas too.

hmm yes I think a sociable space to move around and be in is a good thing to keep in mind- not separate things off too much.