Creating a Child-Friendly Garden for 2020

When your little ones start getting old enough to crawl, grab hold of furniture and eventually walk, they will begin to enjoy spending time outside in the garden finally. Having a small area that’s abundant with wildlife is great to stimulate children’s minds and get them interested in the outdoors. Finding a balance between child-friendly and sophisticated design can be quite tricky, but with a bit of planning, you can easily create a space that cultivates a balance between the two.

Compromise

Having a child-friendly garden doesn’t necessarily mean you have to install a set of swings; however, a bit of compromise will be necessary for kids to enjoy the space. If you’re reluctant to install a full metal-frame swings-set, then a tyre swing could be a cute addition, provided the tree is structurally sound.

If you are happy to invest in larger, more space-consuming features, then you have a number of options to choose from, depending on space:

·         Football goals: You could even get collapsable versions if you’re unwilling to compromise on the condition of your lawn.

·         A treehouse: You don’t even really need a tree for these anymore, a small house on stilts could suffice.

·         Playsets and games: These could be permanently anchored to the ground, or these could be taken indoors when playtime is over.

A wildlife pond

The wildlife ponds of our youth don’t always bring back attractive memories. Usually sectioned off and surrounded by grass, these murky ponds were host to plenty of fish and creepy crawlies. The truth is, any pond you put in your garden is going to be a wildlife pond. You don’t always have to sacrifice appearances for a pond that’s full of pond-dipping fodder. Frogs, newts, and insects will naturally make their way to your pond over time. You can, of course, arrange with a friend who happens to have a pond to pinch some of their wildlife to get your small ecosystem going!

To keep the water relatively clear, the best approach to take is to invest in a filter. These can be found at websites such as Water-garden.co.uk and are ideal for getting your pond water see-through enough to spot what’s inside.

Wooden decking

If you have particularly energetic children, then you may be worried about bumps and bruises occurring as a result of falling over during games and running around. If the idea of stone paving makes you wince, then wood could provide a softer alternative. Of course, it’s hard to beat grass when it comes to soft surfaces. Bear in mind with gravel that toddlers and smaller children have a tendency to put small items in their mouth; gravel could fall into this hazard.

Creating a child-friendly garden is all about compromise. You may have to sacrifice some of your personal style preferences in the short term, but they will soon grow out of their desire for trampolines, games of footie, and tendency to dig up your prized flowers.