Five Cool Landscaping Features for Kids
In this day and age, it can sometimes be a battle to get kids off those screens and out in the fresh air where they should be, having fun. But the good news is that a well designed garden can be wonderful for kids (and their parents) since the kids will be entertained, playing out there for hours. Sometimes, all kids need is a muddy puddle to make some mud pies and they will be entertained for a good long while, but for those times when their imaginations need a little bit of a boost, here are five cool landscaping features to make your garden into an adventure playground without spending a fortune and while keeping things natural:
A Living Wigwam
A wigwam is a great place for kids to play house, or to live out their fantasies of living in the wilds, being a famous explorer, or perhaps even setting off in a rocket ship. Whatever your kids like to play, rather than building them a wigwam, how about creating a beautiful living wigwam using willow to form a living screen, which will act as a haven for wildlife and look great as well as keeping kids entertained.
A Tree Tunnel
A tunnel of trees can be any size you wish, big enough for the kids to cycle or run through, or so small that they have to crawl to get through. Make a tree tunnel from, for example, apple trees and this fun landscape feature will be productive as well as good fun. Even in a small garden, dwarf varieties could be trained for form a small tunnel – great for chasing games, agility and hide and seek.
A Grassy Mound
Do not underestimate the impact that can be made simply by elevating a small section of your garden into a grass-covered mound. This mound is great for running up or rolling down, fantastic as an island is a sea of sharks, or as a mountain peak, or a heap of pirate treasure. Sometimes, it is the simple things that can be the most fun, so, if nothing else, a grassy mound could be the perfect place for you and your kids to enjoy a picnic.
A Shrubbery Den
If you want to make a kid friendly garden then the landscaping must allow for some wilder areas. Like wildlife, kids will love a more natural garden, with shrubs and perennial planting that offers plenty of places to hide around the edges of the space. Allow at least one wild corner in your garden and let your kids make a den in underneath the foliage.
A Winding Path
There is something enticing about a winding path that a straight path just does not have – for adults as well as children, a winding path offers adventure lying in wait around every corner. Make even a small garden into a trail of discovery and the kids will surely run and play along it – the more windy and twisty the better!