A huge portion of the world’s population has spent a lot of time at home this last year. Lockdowns and homeschooling have left families with a touch of cabin fever. There’s only so much Netflix you can let them watch.
With such short attention spans and such high energy levels, kids need to be outside, burning off all that energy.
If you have any outdoor space at all, there are some great DIY projects you can sink your teeth into so that your kids can enjoy being outside.
Of course, it all depends on how much space you have and how much you enjoy DIY. But there is something to suit most circumstances in this list.
Before you get started
You’ll be wanting to make sure that you have the necessary tools and materials to do the job properly. If you’re a bit of a DIY novice, get some help. Most materials you can find online and Tonkin Steel Queensland can deliver straight to your door.
Mud Kitchen
These kid sized kitchens are great for encouraging imagination through role play and also every kid’s love for playing in the dirt. A mud kitchen looks a bit like a child’s play kitchen that you might have in your home. They’re usually made of wood.
You can buy them online or create your own, either by repurposing some old wooden pallets or converting an old play kitchen you might have at home or see for sale second-hand online.
Give it a coat of paint and some weather proofing if you’re anywhere that gets a lot of rain and you’re guaranteed hours of entertainment for the kids.
Climbing Wall
Depending on how old your kids are, you can create your own climbing wall at home. Just ensure that you have a suitable soft surface in case of falls. You can attach hand and footholds to a garden fence or wall (not high enough to let them escape over it), or make a free standing one that they can climb up and over either side.
Obviously, you don’t want to make it too high or complicated to get over, and if you have the room they should be able to go from side to side too.
Not only will it keep children amused, but it is great exercise for them too.
Ground level trampoline
Trampolines are amazing, all kids love them. But they can be a bit of an eye-sore in a garden. More recent makes are surrounded by netting to make sure your child doesn’t fall off and hurt themselves. There’s still a risk of falling (or running into it) by younger children.
A great alternative is to buy a trampoline that you can sink into your garden, so that it is level with the ground around it. No unsightly nets that you have to repair or clip shut, and smaller children are safe to use it as there’s no climbing to get on.
You can buy specialist ground trampolines online and then you simply need to measure out the dimensions on your lawn and dig to the required depth. Entire that the trampoline is snug in the hole, filling in around it with extra soil if necessary.
Play house
Kids play houses today are so next level compared to the tiny plastic things that 80s and 90s kids had. Today, they’re wooden dens of the imagination, decorated to look like pirate dens, princess castles or shops. They’ve even got glazed window and doors. There’s really no limit to what you can make them,
Look online at the range available. They can be quite pricey, so if you’re watching your budget, you’re going to either need to find a second hand one that you can put your own design on, or get building one.
Building a playhouse is going to require some strong DIY skills, especially as you need to make everything safe for kids. A quick search on Pinterest or YouTube will provide you with hundreds of how to videos and inspiration
Sand pit
The classic children’s garden accessory. And with good reason, sand pits are so much fun. There’s a sand pit for every size of garden. They’re quite easy to make too. All you need is some wood that can be screwed together to make a frame, a liner to keep the sand from falling through any cracks, and sand.
If you really want to make your sandpit look a bit special, you can find an old wooden children’s boat and partially bury it in the sand to create a real seaside adventure. You’re going to need a cover for your sandpit too, it will keep the sand as clean as possible and prevent getting debris in the sand or attracting animals.
Vegetable patch
An activity for your children, lovely vegetables for your meals. Section off a part of your garden and turn it into a working vegetable garden for your kids. Let them pick the types of fruits and vegetables they want to grow.
You can find loads of child sized gardening tools, or cut down regular sized ones and jazz them up with some bright paint colours.
It’s a great way to teach kids gardening skills as well as make them aware that food comes from somewhere other than the supermarket.
Final thoughts
It’s hard to keep kids amused all day, especially if you are trying to get other things done too. Rather than spending the day in front of the screen, not getting much activity, you can use the space you have in your garden. By doing it yourself, you’ll not only save money, but can customise it to your garden style and your kid’s tastes. Always check that the materials you are using are safe for kids and that you’ve thought about any other potential safety concerns. If in doubt, get advice from someone who knows what they’re doing.
Then you can simply stand back and watch your kids play in the amazing garden you’ve created.
