7 Ideas how your garden can become the playground
As we go into another week of lockdown, many of us are starting to get cabin fever. With summer time officially here, it's time to get yourselves out and about..... in your garden.
As we go into another week of lockdown, many of us are starting to get cabin fever. With summer time officially here, it's time to get yourselves out and about..... in your garden.
Get crafty and bring the beach to your garden!
Some of us are luckily enough to live next to a beach, next time you go on your 30 minute exercise pick up some shells and stones. Most children love arts and crafts, so a great way to get them out into the garden is to have them make something which they can see being used in the garden.
Spend the day painting your rocks and shells! If you are not very crafty then here is a link to 30+ ideas you can do on your rocks.
Another way you can make the garden bright and colourful is to paint plant pots. Let them loose with a wide palette of colours and allow them to choose what gets planted in the pot once they're finished,
The land of fantasy and make believe
All children have a range of plastic figures, whether it be fairies, barbies, trolls, dinosaurs - the list is endless! Place some of these in and amongst the plants so your children can create their own adventures. Children's imaginations are incredible, provide them the space to bring their stories to life. Perhaps the fairies or dinosaurs can leave little trails of stones or footprints somewhere, maybe the figures are hiding and you can use this as a chance to do a treasure hunt.
Watch the birds
Aberystwyth is well known for its starlings and seagulls. Hopefully you will get the colourful birds that summer has to bring. Make your garden extra friendly by providing a water source, bird bath or even go that much further and get a simple apple bird feeder. Hang it somewhere and the kids will love topping it up for the birds. You can count how many birds you see flying in and out of the garden.
Sports day
Time to recreate sports day from school into your home and you don't need a huge amount of space. Get the whole family involved in an egg and spoon race. Buy some footballs and let your child make up their own game. You can do long jump, get some old pillow cases for sack race. What do you remember from school?
Hotel for bugs
Many children are absolutely fascinated by the mini-beasts that inhabit our gardens and my own kids are no different. They simply love finding woodlice, worms and millipedes out in the garden and always have superb fun hunting them down. Create your own bug hotel, all you need is a large plastic fizzy drinks bottle - cut the ends off, full the middle with sticks and bark and place in your garden. Watch the bugs move in!
Give them their own little garden patch
Let your children decide what they’d like their plot to look like! If you are short on space, a plot might be beyond you, but you could still give your child their own pot or window box in which to plant things they choose. You’ll be amazed how much difference a little bit of ownership will make to your children.
Give them an opportunity to earn some money
A fantastic idea for older children is to give them a way to earn pocket money by doing odd jobs in the garden that are suitable for their age. You could task them with watering plants, deadheading flowers, or even—for responsible teenagers—mowing the lawn. Younger children absolutely LOVE watering plants.
If you decide to take a walk please remember the government guidelines.
Stay local and use open spaces near to your home where possible – do not travel unnecessarily.
You should only go outside alone or with members of your own household.
Keep at least 2 metres apart from anyone outside your household at all times.
Here are the latest UK exercise rules: https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/news/a31973975/coronavirus-uk-exercise-rules/
Stay safe from the Alexanders team.