How to Plant a Child-Friendly Garden

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

Rate: (0 Ratings)

Whether you want a space for children to play in or a way to teach kids about nature and gardening, planting a child-friendly garden should be fun for everyone involved. Keeping things interesting and fun for the kids makes them want to participate and spend time in the garden.

Flag Article

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step1

Think like a kid when you're designing the child-friendly garden. Kids love places to hide, climb and dig. Incorporate these elements into the garden if possible. For example, put in a sandbox or construct a tepee with tall poles, twine and climbing vines. Include a tree house or play house for the kids to play in if you have the space.

Step2

Let children choose what they want to grow. This keeps them interested in the garden. Consider vegetables which grow fast and produce something edible. Pumpkins, beans and corn are all great choices.

Step3

Create a space for kids to do what they want. With an area to explore all of their own, children will less likely invade already landscaped areas. Keep in mind kids will enjoy this space more if they aren't nagged about weeding or other gardening chores. Offer to help take care of their area but recognize and accept it may not be the most attractive or productive area.

Step4

Avoid poisonous plants. This is more important for gardens where young children will be present, but castor bean and precatory bean must be avoided in all child-friendly gardens. For older children, either have a fully edible garden for them or teach them which plants are safe to eat. Young children, who have a tendency to put things into their mouths, must have supervision while in the garden and toxic plants must be avoided as a precaution.

Step5

Get creative by including fun and unusual objects. Kids get a kick out of using everyday items as flower pots. Perhaps let them plant seeds in an old pair of shoes filled with potting soil. Also, fill the garden with things to spark their imagination by creating a crocodile out of stones or put a small wooden boat in a sea of grass.

Step6

Use plants which stimulate your children's senses. Create patches of garden for smell, touch and sight. Butterfly attracting plants are often colorful and kids will delight in watching butterflies and other insects. Place some bird feeders around the garden to attract hummingbirds and other species. Plants like strawflower, hens and chicks, and lamb's ear give kids different textures to explore.