garden decoration

[Helen79]

My garden is tiny so don't have many toys out there.
I'm looking for ideas on how to decorate it so it looks more fun for the kids?
I've got a fence on one side so can stick/hang things off there & a flower bed which has a few windmills stuck into it.

I'm getting some cds to hang from the tree but need some more cheap & cheerful ideas to make the garden look more appealing. Any ideas of pictures I could laminate to stick up & what I could hang up?

I would love to stick a blackboard to the wall but we're trying to sell the house so don't want anything too off putting to potential buyers.

[huggableshelly]

you dont need a blackboard if you have a paving slab, let mindees chalk on that instead.

Long ribbons attatched to your tree so they dance in the wind and children can try to catch them.

little bags of bird food hanging from a tree

as you said already you dont really want to go OTT due to selling.

[haribo]

snap ! i have a small garden ive recently had it done with asro turf whuch is fab. ive got some small tables out there and got some stackable boxes in a corner which we use for sand water etc and one has big blocks in. fixed arond the walls i have wrought iron long baskets with rainproof toys in so theyre easy to tidy. ive seen some little pottery bird nests with birds on in my garden centre im going to fix up too. i also have pots of flowers and lavender the kids like to smell. theres a site someone else will know where you can get waterproof posters and boards with themes like minibeasts , i want but the ones i saw were expensive. i just try and make it appealing for toddlers as we have a very nearby park for older kids to play football etc. i also like to sit out when the kids have gone so dont want too much kids stuff that i cant forget about work if your trying to sell i would just get stuff you can take with you for now . the los love being outside and i have a playtent i can put down instead of a playhouse which would take up too much room its surprising what you can do with a small space

[happytotschildminding]

A couple of ideas (but I don't have them in my garden - they are on my "wish list" which is a mile long!!!) child friendly mirrors - I've got my eye on the port-hole type ones, an outdoor thermometer, wind chimes, the plastic twirly things that catch the wind, bird table, um .. stuck now!! I'm sure someone with more imagination will be along shortly!
Carol

[ZoeAlli]

If you are wanting posters for minibeasts etc, what i have done is used the posters from www.sparklebox.co.uk printed them off and laminated them. This website has some great ideas for all sorts.
Asda had some windsocks, wind chimes and other garden things in at something like 2 for £3.00 about a month ago. I don't go very often so unfortunately don't know what they have a present! The other places to look for cheap outdoor objects is poundstretcher.
You could make raincatchers out of empty pop bottles and decorate them. If you have some plant pots you could get the children to decorate them ad plant seeds/ plants in them.
I do outdoor painting with the children-using sponges, paint brushes, rags, hands & feet, things from the garden ( feathers, sticks, stones) etc. These could then be put up outside on the fence.
I am wanting to improve my outdoor area too, so have been looking at what I could do. I have asked my husband for some different sized offcuts of wood for the children to build with/ climb on. I am also wanting some guttering to make a channel system on the wall, so the children can run water or balls down it. I know these may not be ideal but they may give you or someone else an idea.
Hope this is useful
Zoe

[jess]

sainsburys did some paint your own bird boxes last year, my children spent ages decorating them and were really proud to see them hanging up in the garden, you could just hang them with string from the fence if you dont want anything permanent. Also got the children to make their own mini scarecrows for our veggies just small plastic bottle sized with ping pong balls for heads and various decorations, wool, feathers sparkly streamers etc.
You could also get the kids to decorate plant pots and am sure Ive seen paint your own gnome kits somewhere?

[Kes]

I brought some of the foam seat pads from ikea they come in different colours and textures and tied them to the fence. They look good and the textures are great for sensory play.

Kerry

[manjay]

I have bought loads in poundland this morning. they had mini outdoor chalk boards, wind chimes, insect windmills, and hanging windsock decorations. Well worth a visit if you have one near you. My dh has just made me a massive outdoor chalkboard with marine ply and blackboard paint. He has attached it to the garage wall but can easily be unscrewed if I wanted it to be taken down

[The Juggler]

the poundshops also do those giant plastic butterflies to attach to fences.

you could have a little herb garden too or a little potted area so children can water a few plants.

[Helen79]

thanks for all the ideas

Unfortunately we don't have a wilkinsons, poundland or ikea round here. There are no cheap shops which makes it really expensive whenever I need to buy things like this

[The Juggler]

thanks for all the ideas

Unfortunately we don't have a wilkinsons, poundland or ikea round here. There are no cheap shops which makes it really expensive whenever I need to buy things like this

In that case, I think wilkinson's do on-line now and sure it won't be long before one of the pound/saver shops do the same now that woolies has disappeared.

also check out the car boots and school summer fairs.

[helenlc]

I am going to make an outdoor blackboard that i can hang on the fence and take down when not minding. But we also chalk on the patio.

Ebay do "mirror on a roll" which is safe stuff and you could just stick to marine ply like the blackboard.

On the back of one of those french catalogues, they had a bed canopy like this one http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/20130878 hanging from the tree and it looked really cool.

Get the kids to paint some terracotta pots and plant flowers in them.

Try Wilkinsons online, they have some lovely things and reasonably priced too.

[Toothfairy]

OOOOOOHHHH Like the idea of mirror on a roll.

[helenlc]

OOOOOOHHHH Like the idea of mirror on a roll.

The boundaries are endless arent they???