Baby Garden Ideas Please

[Guest]

We have a small garden for our under 2s room which is partly patio slabs and partly grass. It has a picket fence round 3 sides so the babies can see out into the wider garden for the older children. We have the usual low sandpit, a few ride on toys and a board for chalking and painting. Of course we regularly bring out the 'indoor' toys too.

We have decided we want to develop it further and I would love some ideas - preferably ones that are not too expensive.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Gruffalo2

[Cait]

could you grow some nice smelly herbs? Apple mint, thyme, chives?

[HappyMaz]

I assessed an EYP candidate who had strung up some everyday items from their picket fence at just the right height for babies to explore - whisks, slotted spoons etc. There were also mirror shapes, lot of photographs of themselves to look at as well as resources with a wide variety of textures to feel.

 

The babies I saw playing outside just loved it!

 

Maz

[Guest]

Please do not remove the grass - you have the perfect surface which the babies will love exploring, discovering worm casts, daisies, hard mud, wet mud/grass, short grass/long grass.I love the suggestion to add herbs, maybe lay some turfs of cammomile which the babies will be able to smell when crawled on, sow some wild flowers and grasses into the grass which will encourage butterflies and ladybirds to visit the garden - Maybe keep some areas of the grass long and mow some short in the summer, could even create a sort of maze buy mowing. If the size of the garden allows, create a mound which the babies will love crawing up and down, getting a different perspective.

 

Perhaps lay some slabs of different natural textures, bumpy pebbles, smooth glass stones, safe mirror/glass, hessian etc.

 

I know it's tempting to take up grass to lay down rubber stuff, but sooo much more to learn and enjoy from grass.

 

Lay a variety of different textured carpet tiles on the paved area - can be bought v. cheaply as off cuts from carpet shops.

 

Builders trays containing malleable materials and offcuts of material such as velvet, silk, cordroy etc to crawl and lay amongst. Can get from scrap stores v. cheaply.

[Guest]

Thanks Cait, Maz and dasher.

Please rest assured I have no intention on getting rid of the grass as I agree it is an invaluable resource and we are fortunate to have it. I like the idea of grasses and think we could have a small 'wild' area where we deliberately plant taller growing grasses etc - I'll have to find a way to stop the caretaker mowing them though!!

I have made patio slabs in the past by using concrete in plant pot saucers and pressing pebbles, glass beads etc. into the top. so will do that too.

Thanks for the ideas so far.

Gruffalo2

[Upsy Daisy]

Would it be worthwhile looking at the access? Is there a step which could be ramped to allow freeflow?

 

I'm currently considering ways in which I could make it easier for babies to access the outside unassisted because I would like them to be able to make choices about whether to be in or out.

 

I'm also looking for a way to fix some wheels to a panel or fence which they can spin freely and some tubing to post balls or stones down because all babies seem to love putting things down tubes and seeing them drop out of the bottom.

[Guest]

I also loved an idea I saw recently which could be used inside or outside with babies, of having large wicker dog basets with blankets inside, so babies can crawl in and rest/sleep when they want to, rather than being 'put' to sleep.

[Guest]

I use my washing line to hang different objects from - they love the chimes and pots and pans for bashing and ribbons and scarves for playing peepo, a big tyre full of compost for digging in, log stepping stones (older ones to climb on, young ones to place interesting natural objects on to explore). If my outside area wasn't a family garden too I would love to put up chutes and tubes for rolling and posting but I push family to their limits as it is

I I also bought an amazing piece of carved wood at my local garden centre which is loved by all and really versatile - children love to use it to arrange and position things on and post things through the holes

[Guest Spiral]

Just thinking of the dog basket idea - I love it!!

 

 

another idea is these;

 

http://www.cardboardtoys.com/acatalog/card...lay-houses.html

 

Also, planting herbs and textured plants such as 'lambs ears or stachys byzantia', so wonderful to touch! The tomato plant 'moneyspinner' is also great for making hundreds of tiny toms which are really yummy and the leaves will take you back to your childhood when you smell them.

 

A great idea which I saw last year was a washing line (the tripod, three armed ones). It was brilliant as you could make a sun/rain shade by just popping a blanket/tarpaulin over it and it was useful for drying things too!

 

Good luck,

Spiral