Top 10 Garden Activities For Children

Doctors have recently revealed that, 'most children spend less time outside than prison inmates in 2019'. There is a lot more anxiety about letting children play out in the streets like they did in the 80's, and with the technology of today it is easy to get into the habit of putting your kids in front of a TV or video game while you are doing housework, cooking or having alone time, and it is completely understandable. But there is plenty of fun to be had right on your doorstep in your beautiful garden.

We've come up with a list of 10 activities children can do in the comfort of your garden this Summer.

Ah, a young child’s dream, a garden full of mud. Most of us have an area in our garden which we keep meaning to do something with, but never do. Well this area is perfect for the kids to be at one with the earth and make beautiful mud pies. Getting dirty in the garden will help build their immune systems, balance their moods and stop them being afraid of getting dirty in adult life, plus it's just great fun.

Getting your children into gardening from a young age can only be a good thing. It makes you feel happy and if you opt for fruit and veg, it gives them some yummy healthy snacks at the end of it. You can also make it fun by starting a growing journal, or teaching them about the different bugs they find.

What makes kids feel more grown up than being in their own space? Set up a tent in the garden. Sitting in a tent will make them feel independent and gives them personal space to read, draw, use their imagination, the possibilities are endless. You could even turn it into a sand pit by pouring sand in for your children to play with.

Who said board games have to be played indoors or at a table? Set up a picnic blanket on the grass or patio and set up some board games for them. Why not even play some board games in the tent? Giant Jenga, checkers and boules are also great games to play in your garden. 

If you have daisies growing in your garden, daisy chains are a fun little activity for your little ones. Give them the challenge of 'who can make the longest daisy chain' and if you hang it in the airing cupboard to dry out, they can keep them for much longer.

A water fight in the height of Summer is a great way to cool down the kids while you are doing something inside the safety of your home. Or you could get involved and show them how it's done! Paint ball fights are the messier of the two, but just as fun. Fill some water balloons with some non toxic paint, or make your own with salt, flour, water and food colouring. Give everyone a certain amount of balloons each and evacuate the area!

Fill a bottle or box full of 'treasures' for people to find years from now, for example, a family photo with dates and names listed on the back, one of their toys, money and anything else which they can think of.

Who knows what's been buried in your garden in the past. Someone could have buried their very own time capsule 50 years ago, which you could discover. Get out the metal detector or dig with bare hands to see what they can uncover. Or you could bury some 'treasures' in the garden of your own for the kids to find such as plastic jewellery, money or an old item which you have kept from your childhood.

Buy some plain and boring plant pots for them to jazz up with paint, glitter and whatever other art and crafts products you have lying around the house. Then help them plant some flowers in them to display in the garden for everyone to see.

Fairy gardens are all the rage lately, so encourage your kids to create one. They can use paint / chalk to draw a little door on the wall or create an entire village in a water fountain or large planter (with your help). Make benches out of lollipop sticks, use stones to make a path and a plant pot to create a house. If the kids have a dolls house, encourage them to use items from that too.

We hope we have given you some inspiration to get your children playing in the garden. If you have any other activity suggestions please share them with us.