Garden Design: Safe, Inspiring Ingredients for a Child-friendly Space
Make your garden appealing to the little people in your life, without compromising on style, with clever, child-pleasing designs
Jo Simmons
3 August 2014
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several books on design and numerous features for glossy homes mags over the years. For Houzz, I cover decorating ideas and trends and interview designers and professionals for their insights. My favourite pieces to write, though, are Houzz Tours, as I love exploring and learning about real homes. Call me curious — or nosy!
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several... More
There is only one thing kids love more than playing, and that’s playing outdoors. So however small your garden, elevate it from a simple outside space into a place of adventure, learning and fun for your little ones by tweaking its design and weaving in a few clever additions. That doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice your own ambitions for stylish alfresco dining or creative planting. Sometimes, all you need is a well-positioned swing, a small patch of earth for digging in or a splash of bright colour to transform your garden into the ultimate outside play space for your kids and their friends. Here are 10 tips for creating gardens that suit tiny tots and growing boys and girls.
Add interactive elements
Inside the house, chalkboards and walls treated with blackboard paint act as a fun place to sketch ideas and pictures or jot down To Do lists. The same concept works outside, too. Try converting a section of fence into a chalkboard so that kids can express their creativity outside. Or paint a portion of the house or boundary wall in blackboard paint – then just add chalks!
Inside the house, chalkboards and walls treated with blackboard paint act as a fun place to sketch ideas and pictures or jot down To Do lists. The same concept works outside, too. Try converting a section of fence into a chalkboard so that kids can express their creativity outside. Or paint a portion of the house or boundary wall in blackboard paint – then just add chalks!
Put up a teepee
Young kids love the opportunity to hide, create a den and enjoy some independence, and popping a teepee up in the garden meets all these needs. Older children will also enjoy the privacy a teepee affords and can come here to read or listen to music, away from adult eyes.
See how to host a fun and stress-free children’s party
Young kids love the opportunity to hide, create a den and enjoy some independence, and popping a teepee up in the garden meets all these needs. Older children will also enjoy the privacy a teepee affords and can come here to read or listen to music, away from adult eyes.
See how to host a fun and stress-free children’s party
Get them growing
If space allows, it’s a good idea to set aside an area for kids to grow their own plants. This teaches them how flowers and veggies grow and encourages them to take responsibility for them, too. They could try growing easy vegetables, such as beans and lettuces, which they will enjoy picking and, hopefully, eating, too! Or plant colourful and impressive annuals that are easy to grow, such as sunflowers and nasturtiums.
If space allows, it’s a good idea to set aside an area for kids to grow their own plants. This teaches them how flowers and veggies grow and encourages them to take responsibility for them, too. They could try growing easy vegetables, such as beans and lettuces, which they will enjoy picking and, hopefully, eating, too! Or plant colourful and impressive annuals that are easy to grow, such as sunflowers and nasturtiums.
Zone the space
Even a small garden can function as both a play space and somewhere for grown-ups to enjoy alfresco gatherings or an afternoon with a book. Clever zoning helps give portions of the garden a clear identity. Here, the play area is towards the rear of the garden, but, thanks to its slightly elevated position, an adult can still keep an eye on the kids from the terrace or the house. It is also positioned out of the way of the more sophisticated terrace, which is conveniently close to the house, so no grown-up has to tiptoe over plastic toys or crunch across spilled sand to sit down at the table.
Even a small garden can function as both a play space and somewhere for grown-ups to enjoy alfresco gatherings or an afternoon with a book. Clever zoning helps give portions of the garden a clear identity. Here, the play area is towards the rear of the garden, but, thanks to its slightly elevated position, an adult can still keep an eye on the kids from the terrace or the house. It is also positioned out of the way of the more sophisticated terrace, which is conveniently close to the house, so no grown-up has to tiptoe over plastic toys or crunch across spilled sand to sit down at the table.
Work in a water feature
You might think a water feature is the least child-friendly addition to a garden going, but installed with thought, it can be both safe and appealing. Kids love messing about by water, and ponds attract a host of child-pleasing wildlife into the garden, too, from frogs and toads to dragonflies. If you have young kids, make sure the pond is covered for safety. Alternatively, build a shallow stream-style water feature, like this one, that will give children the chance to play and paddle with minimal risk.
You might think a water feature is the least child-friendly addition to a garden going, but installed with thought, it can be both safe and appealing. Kids love messing about by water, and ponds attract a host of child-pleasing wildlife into the garden, too, from frogs and toads to dragonflies. If you have young kids, make sure the pond is covered for safety. Alternatively, build a shallow stream-style water feature, like this one, that will give children the chance to play and paddle with minimal risk.
Choose tough planting
Planting that can withstand footballs being kicked into it, swordfights, hide-and-seek sessions and everything else that kids can chuck at it is the best bet in a garden that works for all ages. Choose shrubs, ferns and perennials with tough stems, such as lavender, verbena bonariensis and fuchsias, which can take a battering but still look great. Alternatively, enclose tender plants within a low box hedge border, which will offer a ring of protection.
Planting that can withstand footballs being kicked into it, swordfights, hide-and-seek sessions and everything else that kids can chuck at it is the best bet in a garden that works for all ages. Choose shrubs, ferns and perennials with tough stems, such as lavender, verbena bonariensis and fuchsias, which can take a battering but still look great. Alternatively, enclose tender plants within a low box hedge border, which will offer a ring of protection.
Create a natural play area
You don’t have to fill your garden with plastic swings or a huge climbing frame for it to provide opportunities for play. This simple row of tree trunks, set into the ground, are like super-sized stepping stones, inviting kids to hop across or build between them. They look lovely, too!
You don’t have to fill your garden with plastic swings or a huge climbing frame for it to provide opportunities for play. This simple row of tree trunks, set into the ground, are like super-sized stepping stones, inviting kids to hop across or build between them. They look lovely, too!
Add colour
Kids love and respond to colour and a child-friendly garden should contain plenty of it. Bright planting brings natural vibrancy, or work in some permanent colour by painting a wall or trellis. You could even install a beautiful mosaic path, like this one, that will lead children up and down the garden and fire their imaginations.
Kids love and respond to colour and a child-friendly garden should contain plenty of it. Bright planting brings natural vibrancy, or work in some permanent colour by painting a wall or trellis. You could even install a beautiful mosaic path, like this one, that will lead children up and down the garden and fire their imaginations.
Provide some privacy
A play area near the house is ideal for little tots, so you can keep an eye on them as they play, but older children will enjoy space well away from the eagle eye of parents. If your garden is large enough, rig up swings or climbing gear towards the end of the garden and make this a kids-only space, where older children can enjoy exploring, playing and hanging out with friends in privacy.
A play area near the house is ideal for little tots, so you can keep an eye on them as they play, but older children will enjoy space well away from the eagle eye of parents. If your garden is large enough, rig up swings or climbing gear towards the end of the garden and make this a kids-only space, where older children can enjoy exploring, playing and hanging out with friends in privacy.
Avoid prickly plants
Children are tactile and inquisitive creatures, and love to touch the plants in a garden or even climb between them. For this reason, avoid ones with prickles, thorns or spikes. Thistles, roses and sculptural plants with spear-like leaves, such as yucca or agave, are not suitable for little ones. Young kids and toddlers are often tempted to put things in their mouths, too, edible or not! So before planting, check out the Royal Horticultural Society’s website for a list of potentially harmful plants that pose an ingestion or contact hazard.
See the dos and don’t of perfect playrooms
Children are tactile and inquisitive creatures, and love to touch the plants in a garden or even climb between them. For this reason, avoid ones with prickles, thorns or spikes. Thistles, roses and sculptural plants with spear-like leaves, such as yucca or agave, are not suitable for little ones. Young kids and toddlers are often tempted to put things in their mouths, too, edible or not! So before planting, check out the Royal Horticultural Society’s website for a list of potentially harmful plants that pose an ingestion or contact hazard.
See the dos and don’t of perfect playrooms
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Love this comment, the 'play' is so much in the imagination, fantasy and make-believe of the kids and this is so abundant in natural colours, shapes and nature...