How can I get two boys 7.5 and 5 to play in the garden more ???

[mo2]

I know this will sound like a weird problem to many whose kids spent their entire life in the garden, but I find it really hard to get my two out there!

DS1 (7.5) seems to have developed a wasp phobia after being stung last year. Also isn't particularly into football, so that isn't a draw.

DS2 (5) will play out happily if someone else is out, but wants to come in as soon as I do

What do your kids DO in the garden if not football? I need ideas to persuade them to stay out...

We have also decided to have a garden toy overhaul... selling toddler ride-ons/ push alongs and sandpit etc and plan to invest in new stuff for the DSs.

But what?

Already have:

• goal & footballs, cones etc
• swing ball (albeit an old knackered one which requires malleting into the ground)
• badminton
• cricket
• waterway thing
• climbing frame + slide

We are investigating where we might put a trampoline..

All ideas gratefully received.

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God my garden is like a playground..but this afternoon my two have been outside for hours playing with a tub of chunky chalks I got in asda yesterday. Basically told them they can draw on what they want out there.

Trampoline might be a good investment given their ages.

a few bits of wood and a couple of sheets of plastic sheeting.
let the den-building commence!

Nemo - that's what I mean, and what it's like with all out friends, but our two are hopeless at playing outside unless we play with them (which kind of defeats the purpose in my mind)

i got mine to do my weeding for me!!

Current favourite is the big pile of earth in the far corner, and some diggers and dump trucks. Mining, digging for dinosaur bones and generally getting covered in mud.
Or a den under the whirly washing line.

oh yes digging and planting good

Mine have a sandpit, badminton set, mini basketball set from elc, tp explorer frame with big slide, walkway and den, small trampoline with handle, footballs and goal, lots of balls, small cube thingie with slide from when they were younger, plus some other things. They love it most of the time but sometimes need me out there too, I'm usually out there anyway so doesn't really matter. They like chalking on the patio and walls, painting with water, they LOVE the sandpit (dd 5.2 and ds1 3.5, ds2 14 weeks so keeping things for him when he gets older), paddling pool when it's hot, frisbee they enjoy, playing catch and piggy in the middle, taking blocks outside to build with, so many things. Their latest is making "stir fry" from grass lol.

Mine will play in the sandpit for HOURS. Bit of water, a few dinosaurs or Barbies, whatever takes their fancy! DD is 8, DS is 5.

They take their socks off and put their feet in too, lovely. I hose them down afterwards!

Have you got a two person tent you could put up? They could then play camping. You could even make a fire with them to cook sausages on. I can't think of many boys of that age who wouldn't love that game and one that you can start with them, then leave them alone to elaborate on. It could get them used to playing in the garden.

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They are outside at the moment building camps with the Thomas Train tent, half a ton of blankets and cushions and a lolly. doesn't get better than that!

why don't you sit out there and read the paper and start them off on something

have friends round for them to play with

you can time them on a circuit from your chair

My 2 Dss, nearly 6 and 8 are the same. MUCH rather be inside with their lego! I tend to basically MAKE them go out! At my most exasperated, when the sun's shining, I tend to ban them from coming in for an hour! BAD mummy. I open the shed (bikes, balls, mini trampoline, scooters, swingball, stompa rocket (we have access to a field immediately behind the house!)). I will sit out there with them for a bit reading the paper but I reserve the right to come in to iron/cook/clean etc as necessary. I often bribe with an icecream after an hour! Our back garden, like many described here is a bit like ToysRUs with a climbing frame, slide, rope swing etc. I believe there's enough there for them to entertain themselves.

I tend to find that after we get over the initial whining, they realise mummy's for real and get stuck in! Good luck though. It's very frustrating.