Small Garden Play Area Ideas

As a mum I love watching my kids enjoy playing outside, be it in our own little garden or out and about at the beach, park or forest. Outdoor play is a great way to help your little ones learn through exploration, burn all that extra toddler energy and stay happy and healthy. Did you know that being physically active outdoors in your early years has been shown to prevent diseases into adulthood including obesity, depression and heart disease?

Like most people, we are not blessed with acres of fields or forest on our doorstep, but we do love to watch our kids enjoying the fresh air from the kitchen window with a morning coffee. So here are a few ideas that will help you make the most of your outdoor space for those little explorers!

Mud, Sand and Water Kitchens

Mud, sand and water kitchens are one of our favourite additions to an outdoor play space. They don’t take up much room, are fairly cheap to build or buy and tuck into a corner if space is at a premium. Our kids spend ours making their own ‘delicious’ recipes with all the ingredients they collect around the garden.

Secret Spots

Children sometimes need to have some spaces where they can retreat for some alone time. We find this really helps our little ones regulate their feelings. Secret spots are also great for encouraging imaginative play and development of relationships.

A secret spot does not need to be entirely hidden from view, being in a space away from the main area of play or activity is often enough. You can use tents, plants, seating and other natural materials to create privacy and cosiness.

Wooden Planks, Stumps and Crates

We first saw wooden planks, offcuts and stumps used at our local National Trust park and realised what a fantastic feature they’d be for our own garden. They can be bought cheaply or salvaged, and you can coat them with a child-friendly paint or varnish to help them last longer.

Kids absolutely love rearranging them into their own personalised play ground! Place them on the lawn or in an area of woodchip so they can stack and climb to their hearts desire. And when they’re done they can be stored away for next time.

Odds and Ends

Children just love collecting, sorting, arranging and reimagining all kinds of little treasures they’ve found. The garden is a great place for them to be kept and played with! We find plant pots, baskets, jugs, boxes hung onto walls and fences are a great space saver.

Keep them low and accessible to those little hands so they can find and move items. Our kids particularly love to collect special stones and pebbles to add to their collection on trips out.

Small Worlds

You can create a small sensory, fairy or animal garden in the smallest of spaces. We like to use spare planters and boxes.

The best small worlds involve the children using their own creativity. Gather materials like soil, plants, flowers and stones and help them arrange them as they like. You can encourage them to plant and care for small plants. Let them add characters, special treasures and toys that you don’t mind getting a little dirty. Then just sit back and watch them bring it all to life!

Small worlds are a great way to explore your little one’s interests, and encourage imaginative and creative play.

Clean Up!

Messy play is great fun! But you don’t want it all walked straight into the house. A small area by the back door for cleaning up is a great way to encourage independence. We include a small bin and wipes for the kids to wash theirs hands, put rubbish, and hang up their their coats and shoes. You can add their names to hooks for a personal touch!

We hope you found this article useful and feel inspired to make the most of your outdoor space. Did you know that the Poppet community is a great place to find more helpful tips and resources for your family as well as flexible childcare from local parents and approved providers, all at the touch of a button. Register here today!