Garden Games To Try This Summer

Spring is a great time to get out into the garden and play outdoors! We think it’s great to let children experiment with garden games and messy activities – what better way for them to burn off some energy?

These simple ideas from NetMums are simple and genius for enjoying fun and games in the garden. Some of them require a bit of setting up, but they will potentially give your child hours of fun and delight.

So choose your activity, grab yourself a cup of tea and put your feet up…

Painter

Let your child be a Painter and Decorator. Use a sand bucket as a paint pot and give them a real 'grown-up' paint brush. Fill the bucket with water and a good splash of food colouring*. You can use red and blue and mix them to make purple. Let them paint the patio, side of the house, fence, slide, trees...

Body painting

Provide some finger paints or water based paint blocks and some water (in a bucket or washing up bowl). Let your child take their clothes off and paint their feet, legs, arms and tummies. They will be just fascinated by the idea and it's wonderful to occasionally allow them the freedom to do this.

Cooking

Fill 5 or 6 plastic bowls with kitchen ingredients: one of flour, one of pasta, one of lentils, one of porridge oats, and any other dry ingredients from the store cupboard. Give them a big saucepan and a selection of cutlery - wooden spoon, table spoon, teaspoon, ladle and some plastic cups and jugs with water.

Take the indoors out

Bring some indoor toys into the garden for immediate renewed play value! A train track can be built around a tree or through a bush. Tunnels can be built using stones and branches. Engine sheds can be made in tree roots or under shrubs.

Drawing on walls

Something every toddler has at least thought about! Offer your child a stick or two of chalk and let them draw on the outside walls. Brick walls or fences make a great giant canvas for your child's first mural. Then give them a sponge and some water for just as much fun washing it all off.

Source: NetMums