Create your own playground

How your Shropshire garden can become a playground

The clocks have gone forward, and British Summer Time is officially here – now all we need is the weather. As we embark on another week on lockdown, many of us are starting to get cabin fever as adjusting to this situation hits home. 

With families having to home-school and all of us having to spend 24 hours a day together, it’s no wonder that tensions rise. As an extension of your home, your garden can provide some relief – especially if you have children. Our team at Samuel Wood have come together (virtually) to provide you with our ideas on how your Shropshire garden can become a playground.

Land of make believe

Is there an area of your garden or a couple of pots you can designate as a land of make believe? All children will have a wealth of plastic figurines, whether that’s dinosaurs, trolls, fairies, or farm animals. Place some of these in and amongst the plants so your children can create their own adventures, maybe the trolls have invaded dino-land, or the fairies are making new friends and helping your garden grow? Children’s imaginations are incredible things, providing them the space to bring their stories to life.

Sports day

School sports days have some fun games; you can recreate these at home, and you don’t need a huge amount of space. Get the whole family involved in an egg and spoon race – do you have any old pillowcases that can be used in a sack race? Let each child make up their own game, and add this to your mini sports day. Remember to make sure you film it so you can share with those family members who will be unable to attend.

Helping nature

Many of us are helping others even if in a tiny way, and children love to help, so why not give them the responsibility of looking after the birds that visit your garden? Homemade birdfeeders are easy to make; simply heat shredded suet in a saucepan then, once removed from the heat, add the same amount of mixed bird seeds and combine. We suggest you place the mixture in a coconut half that you hang on a string, then it’s ready for you to place in your garden.

Bring a smile

Add some new decorations to your garden by helping kids to create a nature mobile. On your daily walk go somewhere where you can get supplies – all you need is two sticks to make a cross and then add whatever nature can provide you. Children love to collect things on walks, should they wish to hang pinecones, feathers, or leaves, a nature mobile makes your walk fun and also adds something personal to your outside space.

Build a hotel

Bug hotels are fantastic for kids that love to dig and explore the garden for mini beasts, and you can create one extremely simply at home. All you need is a large plastic fizzy drinks bottle – cut the ends off, fill the middle with sticks, bark and pinecones, anything that you can find locally, and place in your garden. 

Wonderland

Your garden has the potential to become a wonderland for your little ones, as well as a place where they can learn as they play. We’d love to see photographs of what you and your family create, send your photos to our team on at shrewsbury@samuelwood.co.uk

From all of us at Samuel Wood to everyone in Shropshire, please stay at home and stay safe.

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