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View Full Version : Any ideas how to make my new garden a great outdoors space for the children?



Jenjen2014
21-06-2014, 08:44 PM
Hi, I have just bought a house and are setting up a new childminding business with my mum from my new property. we are adding a conservatory for an extra room/ place to store toys and play but takes up most of the patio. I'm worried the garden will be too small but will have to make do. Any ideas?
Obviously it's not child friendly at the moment as we haven't moved in yet! Will he adding fences etc for my privacy and security.

The first patio doors is where the conservatory will be added.
Any ideas would be great fully received :-)

Jen x

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littlemiss605
22-06-2014, 12:50 AM
Hi, this looks like a lovely space. I'd keep it all open ended natural resources with areas for den building , pretend 'mud kitchen 'style play and maybe a water wall? Advice I got on a recent course was to divide area into main types of scheemas and def as much outdoor natural resources as possible. Enjoy :0)

Maza
22-06-2014, 08:41 AM
Lovely space. I have got and under the bed storage box from IKEA and filled it with sand - cheap alternative to the purpose built sand trays. Look in jumble sales and charity shops/car boots for real pans - my little ones all prefer these to the plastic toy pans that we also have. Real utensils and muffin trays from the pound shop are great too. It's probably my most popular outdoor activity with all ages in the EYFS. You could also take out another tray full of water. Mine love combining all of this with leaves, grass, pine cones, conkers etc to make 'food'. How about some pots for planting bulbs/seeds? Look in charity shops for ride on toys too. You'll be amazed at what you can create for very little money over time. x

blue bear
22-06-2014, 06:29 PM
P,ant some herbs I old wellingtona and hang them on the fence for sensory. Paint some marine ply with black board paint and attach to fence for mark making. Add some clipboards and pencils. Windsocks and windmills add colour. The plastic boxes with lids are great fro the garden you can have sand, mud, stones, water, shaving foam etc either roasted or mixed lid back on and stack away to make space.
Collect some pine cones, shells, stones etc when out and about for free natural outside resources.
I have a conservatory and take the toys outside too so what's outside changes.

Jiorjiina
23-06-2014, 01:11 PM
Get some vertical planters to fix onto your walls/fences and put edible plants in them. I have a load of salad crops growing in mine at the moment and I have never seen kids take to eating salad so quickly in my life! They also love to help water and look after all the other plants too (the hose and squirty attachment thingy helps too there! ;)).

I find poundland is ****** brilliant for colourful windsocks, windmills, twirly things, seed packets and even kitchen things for use outside. And if it breaks/doesn't last long it's not the end of the world.

You could make a bug 'hotel' in a corner or by the fence just be stacking a lot of logs and letting them rot. Then let the kids (carefully) see what they can find every so often.

littlebears1009
23-06-2014, 01:33 PM
I have today (day off) made a water wall on the back off my garden gate. Used plastic bottles, clear hose, funnels unused guttering cost ne next to nothing and just used a few screws and table ties to attach them all in a way the water flows well. Cant wait for my own girls to finish nursery and school and give it a try!