1. Treasure hunt
For adventurous gardeners, lay a trail of treasure in the garden to discover, or go on a hunt to see what nature uncovers. Think of the joy of beautiful stones, a colourful flower, interesting branches and even an empty snail shell. As an extra surprise, we also thought of hiding a small tin with some treats, for the kids to find at the end. It's a well-reserved reward for all that rooting around in the garden. Get things started by drawing a garden treasure map, with hints and tips on where to look.
2. Garden art
If you collected up some larger stones on your treasure hunt, you can turn them into garden art, and use them to mark the border of the vegetable patch, or even to label the plants themselves. Paint the smooth faces of larger stones with pretty, colourful designs. If your children are practicing reading and writing, you can paint on the names of the plants for future reference. Or perhaps there's a carrot-shaped rock that, with a bit of orange paint, can be used to mark out where the root vegetable has been planted. Let the paint dry for half an hour, then cover the stones with clear lacquer, so you can use them in the garden for years to come.
3. Helping hand
Planting plants is challenging for young kids on their own, but it becomes extremely rewarding when you do it together. Put on the gardening gloves, dig the hole for the plant together, gently place the root ball in the hole and let your kids fill round the edges with fertiliser and pat down. Add a little water, some plant food and you're done. Feel the satisfaction, and enjoy how proud you'll al be when the plant's flowers begin to bloom.
4. Drip, drip, drip
For little children, watering plants can be a fantastic adventure. Given them their own personal watering can, and assign them the task of watering the flower beds each afternoon. Explain, as you go round the garden, why the plants need water, and how often you should douse them. Point out lush, green leaves, and dry crispy leaves, to teach kids the effect of a good watering regime. If you need a refresher yourself, then read all about how to keep your plants in top form here.
5. Weeding contest
Pulling up weeds isn't the most entertaining job in the garden for us adults, but you'll be surprised to find that kids love the power of pulling plants out and destroying them. Explain clearly to your eager helpers which plants are weeds, and how to identify them. Then let them loose to tidy up your garden (but keep an eye on your best beds, in case of over-enthusiastic hands). It's fun to add a competition element, too: who can weed the most in the shortest time? Ready, steady, go!
6. Fruit feeders
One of the nice things about having a garden is watching how it can become a haven for local wildlife. With the right plants and flowers, butterflies and birds will descend to your garden en masse. Attract even more cheerful songbirds by hanging tasty bird balls in easy to reach places, made of fruit, nuts and seeds. Take some tasty fruit for yourself, too!
MORE INSPIRATION
Need some more garden inspiration? Then discover how to create a picking garden full of colourful plants or discover the DIY steps to create a picking garden. And don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest!
