3 Secrets to Persuading Kids to Enjoy the Garden

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Are you constantly nagging your children to put down their game consoles and get outside? When we were younger it was all about playing in the woods, setting up forts in the garden and enjoying the outside, whatever the weather. However, it seems as though our children are much more interested in building fake gardens on computer games than exploring the real one they have just outside. If you want your kids to spend less time in front of the TV and more time in the great outdoors then here are some fantastic secrets to entice them out.

A Vegetable Patch

This is one of the best, and easiest ways, to get your kids involved with the garden. Children love watching their hard work come to life, which is exactly what a vegetable patch will do. First, find out which veggies you can plant for each time of the year and then give them a choice. What would they like to plant and eventually eat? Let each child pick out their favourite vegetable, so that it is their own decision. Now, you need to invest in some growing bags or create a patch of soil in the garden to grow your vegetables. Your children will love watering them, caring for them, harvesting them and hopefully eating them. Try and get a good mix of fast and slow growing crops, so that the kids don’t get bored waiting for their veggies to grow. If you have very limited space then try a small herb garden instead, and ask your little ones to help you cook with their freshly grown herbs.

Getting Arty

There is nothing a child likes more than getting messy with arts, crafts and paints. The garden is the perfect place to get arty; especially as you don’t need to worry about the carpet outside. There are some great arts and crafts ideas that you can try in the garden, that can then be used to revamp your outdoor space. Children can make their own paper lanterns, to be hung up in the trees, or paint the fence panels with a mural that they designed themselves. If you would prefer a smaller project, then how about getting children to decorate their own plant pots? They can then pick some seeds that they would like to grow and nurture, giving them more of an excuse to go outside. If the children feel as though they helped you create a brightly coloured, fun garden then they are much more likely to spend time out there.

Welcome in Wildlife

Attracting all sorts of wildlife to your garden isn’t necessarily difficult, but the rewards for your children can be great. Not only will they want to spend more time outside exploring, but you will be doing your bit for the environment too. Depending on what kind of wildlife you would like to welcome, there are a range of options for attracting them in. Bird feeders are quick and easy, and should attract lots of different species during changing seasons. If you have the space, then why not build a pond; lots of animals, reptiles and insects will gather at ponds during the warmer months. Remember to create a safe border for your pond if you have smaller children, to prevent any accidents and to teach water safety.

These creative ideas should make it easier to get your kids outside in the sunshine, exploring the outdoors as it should be. If all else fails, just remove the TV and consoles until they go out and enjoy the garden more!