No parent wants to sit inside listening to their kids’ moans and groans, saying, “I’m bored!” One fix is to get outside and enjoy the sunshine.
In this post, we’re taking you through our favourite ways to create a fantastic, fun garden area for your kids to play, learn, and grow.
We also promise something here for the big kids (aka the adults)! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Cubby house
Cubby houses are such a fun thing to have in your garden for kids to play in. So much imaginative play can happen in a space such as a cubby house!
Growing fresh produce
Teaching your kids the process of growing their own fresh produce is such a valuable skill to learn, not to mention rewarding (especially when you can eat what you’ve grown).
Mud kitchens and creation stations
Mud kitchens and creation stations are another awesome imaginative place for kids to have some sensory play outside.
Ready to read on? Check out these 26 garden ideas for kids!
1. Wooden treehouse
How sweet is this little wooden treehouse? If your kids are begging for a treehouse in their garden, but you’ve been putting it off, you should know that your treehouse doesn’t have to be an eyesore.
The timber treehouse is a great addition to your garden, and you can never go wrong with adding some fairy lights and potted plants onto the exterior.
2. Matching watering can
If you want to encourage your sweet children to water the garden, why not get them their own little watering can?
This cute bright yellow watering can perfectly match the lovely bright red and orange flowers in the garden. This little one is thoroughly enjoying their time in the garden, don’t you think?
3. Mud kitchen counter
Mud kitchens are a great way of encouraging sensory garden play. Head to any op shop or charity store to get a second-hand kitchen counter, chairs and tools, or put your old ones outside and get a new set.
Either way, your kids will have so much fun playing with their mud kitchen counter in the garden.
4. Butterfly garden
Why not grow flowers to attract butterflies to your garden? Look at this gorgeous monarch butterfly landing on the beautiful bright orange flowers that can bring a pop of colour into your garden.
A garden this beautiful would also entice your kids to step out more often and allow them to observe nature.
5. Sandpit
Here is another great sensory play area for your kids to hang out in. A sand pit is such a fun idea for a garden; kids can get as messy as they want without making a mess inside.
This great little sand pit station allows your kids to have fun and be creative.
6. Play area
Now, this is a very kid-friendly garden! It’s a great idea to fence off an area specifically for kids. Plus, the grass makes a soft landing for any little trips and falls that could happen.
7. Fairy garden
This just would be a dream for any little girl. What could be more magical than a fairy garden? This cute little house even has a tiny staircase that leads to the entrance, ready to welcome fairies to come and enjoy. Plus, the red-coloured roof makes it stand out in any green garden.
8. Log tunnel
How great is this garden idea specifically for kids? A log tunnel and playground is a great place to be the centre of lots of imaginary games. Kids can skip, hop, and swing. This space allows kids to be physically active and let their imaginations run wild.
9. High-class kids
If you are all about luxury, you expect no less for your children. This lovely little blue cubby house even has tinted glass windows, its own doorway, and looks like it has a small 2nd story.
It’s tucked away in the garden beside a bush for some privacy. The paint looks like it’s been professionally done, which adds to the luxuriousness. It seems more like a country cottage than a kid’s cubby house.
10. Tea party
Fancy a tea party, anyone? If you have some china lying around that isn’t getting used, perhaps you could have a DIY day with your little love and create your own mini tea party in the garden. This would also be a creative kids’ party idea that all little girls would enjoy!
11. Outdoor dining area
Every garden needs somewhere to sit. Why not add an outdoor dining area for the kids? This would be such a cute little spot for your kids to hold all their teddy bear picnics, not to mention just a lovely place in the garden to enjoy some sunshine.
12. Faux vegetables
If you don’t quite trust your kids yet with growing real vegetables, perhaps a faux vegetable garden outside would be a great idea to test the waters. You can allow your kids to harvest these vegetables and serve them in your outdoor dining area for fun.
13. Pallet veggie patch
Here is a ‘real’ alternative to the last one. If you want to teach your kids about gardening, having a veggie patch for kids to tend to is a good idea.
The gratification of growing your produce and eating it is so rewarding, and for kids to experience that is an amazing learning experience.
14. Kid’s potting bench
If your children are keen gardeners, consider having a little potting bench to plant their seeds and plants. Imagine how proud they will feel having their own little space in the garden to get creative with their plants.
15. Artificial grass
Similar to number 6, here is another kid’s garden area with artificial grass. Artificial grass beside your regular grass creates a separation where the kids can play.
Look at this: it is a great playground. With something like this, your kids are in for a grand time!
16. Garden tipi
Here is a cute little tipi in a garden suitable for kids. It’s lined with fine cloth that’s breathable and cool but more than enough to give your kids some shade.
This gives your kids space to rest after a long afternoon of play or let them use it for more imaginative games.
17. Wooden labels
If you’re teaching your kids to grow some fruit, herbs and vegetables, then it’s a great idea to label things so that you know what’s growing. So why not get your paints or carving knives out to make wooden labels for your garden?
What a fun little DIY project that kids would feel proud of.
18. DIY garden
Here’s another fun DIY to do with your kids in the garden. If your sweet child begs for a garden, why not make your own?
This lovely little garden has a couple of raised garden beds to transfer your potted herbs and produce.
You can show your kids how it’s done, let them take ownership of the space, and they’ll feel so proud.
19. Regrowing scraps
If you live in an area that doesn’t have much garden, then why not bring your garden inside and educate your kids in regrowing scraps while you’re at it?
If you’re unsure how to regrow scraps, there are plenty of videos online; search which vegetable you are trying to regrow, and you’ll be able to watch them regrow before your eyes on your window sill.
20. Kid-friendly garden
How lovely is this kid-friendly garden? The plants and flowers around are right at eye level. This means that curious children can look at all the different plants around.
And you can always go right with varying textures in your garden so that they can explore with their senses.
21. Planting station
Here is another cute little planting outdoor station for your kids to play at. There’s enough room for all your tools and if your kids need space to work and pot some plants.
It’s great that it is convenient and tall enough for your little ones to reach all their tools.
22. Playing in the sand
Check out this idea if you’re looking for more sandpit inspiration. If you want to build this yourself, all you’ll need is some timber to border the area, then just add your sand in the middle.
Then, your sand pit is ready for all the toys to be thrown in and played with.
23. Potted plants
Any child would love to have their own brown outdoor cubby house. It would be a dream. This sweet little timber cottage surrounded by greenery is all too lovely.
The glass windows, roof vegetation, and the assortment of potted plants outside the front make this cubby feel homely.
24. Zero waste
It’s so important to teach your kids to recycle. Giving your used tin cans and plastic containers a new lease on life is a lovely idea. Just cut out the top and puncture a couple of holes in the bottom, and viola!
You now have recycled plant pots. You can nail them to the side of a wall or shed and create your hanging gardens!
25. Herb garden
If you’ve got your own herb garden and your little one is showing interest, why not make them their mini herb garden to tend to?
Just grab a dozen small pots and plant some herbs in. Don’t forget to label each herb so everyone knows what’s growing.
26. Pops of colour
Similar to number 7, here’s another gorgeous fairy garden. This large bird bath was transformed into a lovely fairy garden with beautiful pops of colour.
The blue rocks, miniature plants and flowers create a cute little spot that fairies would love to live in.
So that concludes our 26 garden ideas for kids. Any kid would have loved having their own fairy garden or cubby house. It’s great to look at different garden ideas with little creative stations that have endless play, imaginative and sensory purposes.
What special garden areas will you be creating for your kids? Let us know in the comments below.
