How to encourage DS to get out in the garden.

[HappilyChatterly]

Not sure if there would be a better place to put this...

I have a lovely garden, we have a block paved patio then a good sized lawn and then another paved patio at the bottom of the garden. We have a trampoline which DS really enjoys but I would like him to be doing more out there. What do your DCs do in the garden? I don't want to buy a lot of equipment if he isn't going to use them. DS is 5 and we currently waiting for a foster placement atm, the child will probably be primary school aged. I would love to get out there with him/them and we love getting messy so that is great.

There lots of lovely ideas on the net, but I do wonder which are practical and which DCs really enjoy. So please share how you and your DCs enjoy your garden.

Thanks in advance!!

Water play. Always water play, hours and hours of water play! Mud pies, watering cans and squirting things.
We've got a canal thing and an early learning centre water thing.

a basketball hoop is pretty good, plus a few bits of little tikes plastic (slides, cubes etc 2nd hand off ebay) and you can make a sort of assault course that they have to go round and do things in order. Lots of footballs, maybe a patch of garden that's theirs that they can dig and plant stuff? Chalks for the patio also. My DS likes scooting round our pretty small garden but he's only 3. Maybe get some cones or something to create a course for them to complete on bikes or scooters.

Thanks, I love all of those ideas!

I'd second water play. DD loves using paintbrushes and water to 'paint' on the patio, fence, decking. We have a water tray, but a big storage bucket would do.
Chalks for drawing on the floor.
Hiding 'treasure' in the garden to find.
An obstacle course of things to jump over/go round.
A large sandpit has been our best investment.
We have just bought a wooden fort, but that was expensive.

Mine liked the pop up tunnels and tents and swingball, hula hoops, skipping ropes, footballs.

Having things that are accessible for him to get out as the mood takes him - be that footballs, a spade to dig, a watering can, a bucket, his bike or roller skates or a trampette or chalks or anything really!