Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.
The days are getting longer and warmer, and the urge to spend our days and evenings outdoors is getting stronger by the day. With the current pandemic, it’s becoming more important than ever to make full use of our gardens and outdoor space while practising social distancing.
If you’ve been struggling to come up with ways to keep the kids (and yourself for that matter) entertained as we spend an ever-increasing amount of time at home, then you can thank the heavens because gardening season is finally upon us once more!
Drag the kids outside for some fresh air and try out these three simple garden activities that kids and families will love.
Create your own patch to grow fruits and vegetables
Now is the perfect time to make use of your garden space and make a patch to grow some delicious fresh vegetables, fruit, and herbs! This will not only save you money in the long run, but you will also have peace of mind knowing exactly where they’ve come from and that no nasty chemicals have touched them. Despite the hard work, it’s such a rewarding experience to see the final result and also teaches kids about responsibility.
Order or pick up a new gardening set for both you and the kids to encourage them to help in the garden with the vegetable patch and make it a joint effort.
If you are struggling to think of what to grow, common fruit and veggies include: carrots, parsnips, strawberries, tomatoes, mint, basil, potatoes, apples, and pears – the options are endless!
Get them involved in the cooking process afterward so that they can see what their hard work ends up as, and sample the tasty rewards together. By doing this, you will be encouraging them to take an interest in growing and eating yummy, healthy fruits and vegetables for the rest of their lives.
Make your own bird feeders
No matter the time of year, our feathered friends could always do with an extra helping hand. Keep them fed and full and make your own bird feeder. Not only will this encourage wildlife to visit and flourish in your garden, but it’s also such a fun and simple craft to keep the kids busy. Made out of safe and easy to find ingredients, it’s a great way for you all to find out what birds live in your local area. You could even purchase a book of birds to look up and educate yourselves on the different species that pop in for a visit.
To make sure that the feeders are safe for birds, purchase a birdseed mix that will have a various blend of maize, seeds and peanut granules. If you still aren’t sure, make sure to check out the RSBP’s official web page to see if any of the ingredients that you might have lying around the pantry cupboard are suitable. Find lots of bird feeder tutorials online and on Pinterest to help guide you through the process and use cookie cutters to make them into fun shapes that kids will love.
Create an outdoor play area
Now that many parks and public spaces have been closed due to the pandemic, creating a safe outdoor space for your children in your back yard has never been more important. Entice them away from the tv and tablet screens with some shiny new garden play equipment that doesn’t have to cost you the earth either. A trampoline is an excellent investment, for example, and guaranteed to leave your kids occupied for hours on end. Not only are they fun but they are also great for promoting exercise and keeping the young ones moving. You can also indulge in some garden furniture for when playtime is over, and it’s time to wind down. A hammock is a great purchase that’s fun for grown up’s as well as children alike! Or you could indulge in your creative side and make a DIY outdoor teepee. Kids will love spending the warm spring and summer afternoons sitting around reading and doing various other things in this new, comfortable outdoor area. Make sure to also invest in some Lepro outdoor security lights to keep your garden safe.
You may also want invest in a hammock and hammock stand – perfect for relaxing whilst your kids are playing out and amazing it the summer days.
Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.
