If you are running out of ideas to get the kids outdoors and active, here are some easy and entertaining garden projects.
Make a butterfly puddle
Butterflies are always welcome visitors to the garden and by creating a butterfly puddle, the kids can make the garden even more attractive to these graceful insects.
Shallow water is an important water source for butterflies, especially male butterflies that also need salt and amino acids.
All that’s needed is a shallow container, such as a plastic pot saucer or a shallow plate, sand, soil, compost, salt and water.
- Fill the container with sand,
- Add a small amount of soil, compost and a pinch of salt to the sand.
- Make sure the container is filled to the brim.
- Firm it down, then make a slight hollow in the middle of the container.
- Add water into the hollow.
- Place the container on a flat stone in a sunny spot in the garden, close to flowers that also attract butterflies
- Top up the water as necessary.
Did you know: nectar producing flowers that attract butterflies include alyssum, all kinds of daisies, agapanthus, dahlias, daylilies, pentas, salvia, verbena and single roses.
Photo fun
Instead of nagging the kids to get off their cell phones, encourage them to get out into the garden and take their perfect pictures of flowers, plants, bugs, butterflies or anything else that grabs their attention. The idea is to focus on the plants and not take selfies with the garden in the background.
In this way you are encouraging them to increase their powers of observation and discover the magic of nature. Just gently remind them that they need to be careful where they step so as not to harm plants or disturb the garden creatures.
For older kids, encourage them to jot down notes of what they saw and why they found it interesting . Their observations become more mindful.
All they need is a cell phone or camera, notebook and pencil.
If they are feeling unsure, start by suggesting some specific items like flowers in all the colours of the rainbow, different leaf shapes or five garden visitors with wings.
Watch seeds sprout
Watching seeds grow in a see-through plastic cup introduces young gardeners to the miracle of sprouting seeds and it is a fascinating way to observe the lifecycle of plants.
All they need is a clear plastic cups, some scrapbook paper or very light card, paper towel, a packet of garden bean seed, and water.
Start by cutting rectangles of light card or scrapbook paper and fit the strips into the inside of the plastic cup to make an outer lining.
Scrunch up pieces of paper towel into balls and put it into the inside of the cup until the cup is full.
Place three or four beans in the cup, between the side of the cup and the lining of scrapbook paper.
Gently wet the paper towel in the centre until it is saturated. Place the cup on a windowsill and keep the paper towel consistently moist. If the seeds dry out they will not sprout. Don’t put the cup outside as it will dry out too quickly.
What to expect: over the next week the kids will see the seeds wrinkle as they absorb the water, then the roots emerge and after that the stem and leaves. Generally, seeds sprouted this way don’t transplant well into the garden. Rather let them plant out a new crop of beans into the soil.
Make a fairy house
This needn’t just be for little girls. It’s a chance for both boys and girls to let their creativity and imagination to take over. Encourage them to explore the garden, think about the best place to build a little house and collect garden objects like sticks, stone, feathers, bark, pinecones, flowers or leaves that will provide a little shelter.
It may help to tell or read them a story about garden fairies, elves and other little creatures. You may need to make suggestions about materials or help them get started on the house but limit your involvement as far as possible.
Capture the fun with pictures or videos, that’s what memories are made of.
Text: Alice Coetzee
