Tips for evolutive games/playgrounds in garden

[laraitopbanana]

Hello all,

I was just wondering what are the evolutive games that you installed in your garden for your DC DGC?

We have a medium size garden so we can't put too much but would love our two children (under 2) to enjoy things out too. Of course the smallest can't just yet...which is why I was interested in evolutive games/playgrounds

Thanks a lot for tour tips!!!

We had a sort of two story tower. Bottom room has windows so can be used as wendy house/ shop/ cafe. There's a ladder to get up to the top room and a slide out.

It has quite a lot of play value for quite a small footprint. It still gets used now (boys 8-12) as a 'base' for nerf wars etc.

This. A 'Rendel' from company called Selwood.

Yes I was thinking something like that!! So when they were little... they were still enjoying it. Would you say it isn't too "unsafe" then? Of course I wouldn't leave them out without me but it goes so fast...

Oh and what floor did you put? Like in playgrounds? Or did you leave the grass around?

It would be pretty difficult to fall out of as the fence is quite high in the 'upstairs' room. IMO, by the time a child was able to use the ladder to get up to the top bit independently , they would be reasonably safe up there.

We just have it on the grass. The grass inside does suffer because it doesn't get much light. You could put a square of fake grass in there.

A tiny toddler would probably be happy playing peekaboo in the downstairs room and being lifted onto the slide occasionally.

Our children having play house, sand pit and would love to make for them mud kitchen as well.

@JosephineHass
Mud kitchen?? What is it?

A mud kitchen is a messy okay space outdoors. You can go as complicated or simple as you like. Ours is basically a shelf at toddler height attached to a pallet on its side, with hooks to hang up utensils and a couple of washing up bowls for mud and water play. But you can go mad with them and make (or buy!) toy ovens and all sorts.

The thing DS likes best is the big trough where I grow herbs... he likes to dig in it, using all sorts of things from spades to bowls to an old plastic bottle - he experiments to see what works best. The herbs are pretty tough and have survived this so far, though I may transplant them soon and let him have the whole tub to himself!

Another game DS really enjoyed was a set of funnels with tubes attached - you attach the funnels to a fence or a cheap bit of trellis, in a line. Then you run tubing down from each funnel - but rather than have the tubes going straight down, you bend and weave it around so the tubes even up coming out in unexpected places. Then give your child a jug and some water, and let them play - pouring the water in to see where it comes out (an old washing up bowl is a good place to collect it). Loads of fun for them.

We bought something like this (2 DD's) when the oldest was about 4. It's got 2 stories.
It was a bit too 'grown up' for them at first, but they quickly got used to the ladder inside. So when they were young it was a typical 'Wendy house' type thing. Teddies, tea parties. Had their kitchen in it at one point.
Now they are older it's a 'clubhouse' with rugs, pens, they take music in their. Big beanbags etc... so has lasted, and still being used, 6 years now!