In generations gone by, there was nowhere the kids wanted to be more than the garden during the summer months. Now, a surprising number of children spend summer on their devices, with no room for outside time at all. Yet, experts continue to state that time spent outdoors provides countless benefits for our children, so what can we do?
Well, we know that taking away their computers doesn’t help (unless you want to spend your days locked in a silent battle that doesn’t get them outside anyway!), but there might be a better option. By redesigning your garden to make it irresistible to even the most tech-loving child, you might just be able to tempt them into outdoor time after all. Simply keep reading to find out how.
# 1 - Give Them Some Garden Freedom
You can’t let really young children loose in the garden without supervision, but once your children are around 5+, having mum in the garden all the time could quickly get old. And when you’re cramping their style, your children are less likely to explore, engage, or get creative outside.
Hence why your first step should simply be to provide them with garden freedom, which is a goal you can begin to achieve by simply searching for landscaping near me. Landscaping professionals are fully trained in everything from fencing to garden walls, and can ensure that every inch of your outdoor space is fully secure. Then, you’ll be able to let your kids loose to explore and enjoy that outdoor space as and when they like.
# 2 - Incorporate Secret Elements
Few things are more intriguing to young minds than secrets, so why not lure them outside with a few of these in your garden? Options like secret dens, hidden treehouses, and little secret areas built into your greenery, can all provide great encouragement for finally switching that games console off.
Even if your child just steps outside to have a search for these areas, their quest will see them engaging with nature in new ways. With the help of their siblings or friends, they should enjoy themselves so much that they head to these hideouts of their own accord next time around.
# 3 - Give Them a Project
While exploration can be enough to get creative young minds hooked on the outdoors, older kids might need a more solid reason to get outside. So, why not give them one in the form of a garden-based project?
A vegetable patch is the best example of this, as encouraging your child to grow their own veg is great for both increasing their food awareness and physically getting them outside every day. Equally, giving them an area of the garden to tend could be effective. Even incorporating something like a garden room where they could get creative, read, or simply organise the space, could see them stepping out of their rooms at long last!
If your kids are longstanding bedroom dwellers, then fear not; these top garden design tips could encourage them out of their dens this summer!