We need more ways to get kids out in nature. We can start close to home in our own yards by creating a garden for children. As a child, I grew up with a large garden to play in and I want to give that same experience to other children. Providing a space for children to play also has the benefit of keeping them occupied so the adults have time to garden. In my experience, children want a space to use their imagination, find some privacy, enjoy opportunities for discovery, and encounter a little danger.
As a child, I had several favorite elements to the garden starting with the climbing tree. There was something magical about being up in the arms of my climbing tree. The perspective from above, the sway of the branches in the wind, and the intimacy with the insects all were part of the experience.
King of the hill/stump/rock is always a popular game to play with friends. The play area always became well trampled, but we were outside having a good time. Eventually we all got tired of being king and come back down to earth to examine the smaller creatures at the base of our play area.
There was no water in my garden beyond the birdbath, but I loved it when we were at the park and there was a stream to play in. A stream on a hot day is a wonder and can turn crabby kids cheerful again. The stream is also where I learned early lessons in hydrology by building dams and canals. Another activity to do at the stream is building rock piles. Sometimes our piles would just be built for size, but they were also many times built for beauty. Using natural objects to make art helps children to see the beauty in nature.
Children and adults alike love a garden swing. We have an especially tall one hanging from a silver maple in the back garden that is used frequently. I like to sit on the swing during long phone conversations with my mom. Swings attract children with a magnetic pull. When friends come to visit and aren’t sure where their children went, usually they are at the swing.
A play fort can be a structural element in a garden when attractively built. As a kid I was allowed to build my own tree fort which was not very attractive but hidden from sight behind the garage. I have seen many gardens with beautiful plat fort incorporated. A fort could be a platform in a tree like mine was, or take the shape of a hobbit hill or a cute little cottage. Small garden buildings are a focal point that draws the eye, and the children.
A child’s garden should have a place for a tent. Sleeping outside is an excellent way to become more intimate with your garden. A hammock is also a good place to sleep in your garden or just rest. There needs to be options to rest in the garden to just enjoy it.
A place of discovery is the rotting log. Allowing a log to naturally decay will attract all sorts of insects and other critters. Children enjoy poking around the log to discover new creepy-crawlies. Another crawly you may attract is snakes. Snakes, crickets, worms, and salamanders can often be found under a board left out in the garden. Teaching kids to respect snakes at a young age will help them become good stewards later in life.
Adding a garden gnome village or other make-believe world to the garden gives children a place to exercise their imagination. When I was a kid, we had a restaurant where we served mud pies, my cousin had a battleground for his army men, and my friend had a village of acorn people. The garden has a wealth of material to be used in such a make-believe world, with all its leaves, flowers, sticks, and rocks. Worlds may exist just for an afternoon of play or develop over months or years.
Gardening with children requires some flexibility and tolerance of damage. Include the child in planning and planting the garden to give them ownership. It is wonderful to watch something you planted grow and develop. The child and the garden will grow up together.
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