by Silva Payne

Created on: June 11, 2009   Last Updated: February 21, 2010

Having a kid friendly garden is one of the best ways to encourage your children to get safe outdoor exercise. Unlike in days gone by when children had the run of the neighbourhood and could make dens and play outside until the sun went down, today's children are often limited to their own back gardens for outside play. As school grounds are covered in tarmac and concrete, the opportunities for kids to run wild in a safe place are ever more limited. The best compromise is to make your garden kid friendly, by following a few of these examples.

Children love adventure. They love to feel that they are doing something dangerous and wildly exciting, while knowing that they wont get hurt. The usual blank canvas of lawn is not exciting to anyone, so a good way to introduce some interest is to add some height. Raised beds with edges wide enough for small feet to walk along are perfect to keep everyone happy, as parents can grow plants in the middle and kids can climb and balance around the outside.

More height can be found by sinking wide posts into the ground and surrounding the area with a thick layer of bark chips. These create raised stepping stones with a soft surface to fall onto. Adding a small bridge, either solid or one suspended on chains like something out of an Indiana Jones movie, gives another height interest. The bridge need not be over water; a dry river bed made from smooth pebbles and rocks can be an interesting feature for the grown ups to appreciate too.

When selecting plants for a kid friendly garden, it is essential to avoid any poisonous varieties. Plants that are toxic to the touch, or that have irritants in their sap should always be avoided in gardens where children play. Other plants can be toxic if ingested, such as daffodil and tulip bulbs. However, it is an extremely rare event for a child to pull up a bulb and try to eat it. Alternatively, growing a small selection of plants with textured leaves including spikes or spines can help to educate children about what plants do. Most children love to stroke soft hairy leaves, or test out the prickles on a holly bush.

Children also love to have a place where they can feel unobserved. You can accommodate this while keeping them safe at the same time, by providing a screened area using bamboo or wooden trellis with climbing plants trained against it. Provide some kind of seating, and kids will happily spend hours giving their toys a tea party or making up any number of games. Those who live in 2-storey houses can make sure that the den is visible from the upstairs of the house, for extra peace of mind.

Kid friendly gardens do not always mean having play equipment in the centre of a lawn. They can be gardens that the whole family can enjoy, yet tailored to encourage exploration and imagination in a safe and contained area.

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