Garden Play Area Ideas

Entertaining your children over the summer holidays (and any time they’re not at school) can be an expensive time packed with busy venues and children that are desperate to be entertained.

To help, we’ve created a list of garden play area ideas for you and your children to enjoy, allowing endless fun from the safety and comfort of your own home for this summer and for years to come.

Read on to discover children’s play areas for small, medium and large gardens.

1. Waterproof Playhouse 

Kids love to copy what the adults are doing so playing house is common. A waterproof play house offers great variety as you can furnish it with toys, play kitchens or even a small slide.  The best bit? Your children can play outside even if the weather isn’t ideal.

Large playhouses can be hugely expensive and are usually impractical, however, pop up gazebos are a brilliant alternative that are easy to assemble and dismantle, as well as having the ability to be adapted for other purposes such as hot tub covers and shelter at family BBQs.

2. Artificial Grass

Although installation can be expensive, installing artificial grass is great for creating a fun and safe space for your children to play lawn games on. It is also much easier to maintain than natural grass which is an added benefit for a busy parent. It can also last up to 15 years, which will see your children through until they’re older, potentially adding value to your home.

3. Sand Pit 

Picking up a raised plastic sand pit is a failsafe choice that provides hours of fun – but if you are a fan of DIY you can use wooden planks to create a border in your garden and then fill it with sand. Be sure to cover it with a pop up gazebo or tarpaulin to protect it from the elements. 

Sand pits can be a great sensory experience for kids to get used to new textures and can be filled with buckets, spades and other toys so they can be creative and make shapes with the sand.

4. Vegetable Patch 

Digging a vegetable patch can be a delightful and educational children’s garden play area idea. Kids love growing their own plants and flowers. Successfully nurturing a tiny seed into a fully grown plant gives children of all ages a real buzz, and it’s a great way to inspire the next generation of gardeners. Start by inviting your kids to help you with light tasks in the garden. Give them their own mini-watering cans, rakes, and trowels. They can pitch in with you or make mud pies while you weed. Build a little kingdom for their toys by planting a leafy jungle setting or dig a moat to surround their lego castle. When they’re ready, give them a little patch of their own to grow things like peas or strawberries.

5. DIY Obstacle Course

If your kids like mud runs and boot camps, set up a DIY obstacle course as a creative play area in the garden. Collect various equipment like old tires, skipping ropes, a football, a plank of wood to balance on, and a net to scrabble under. You don’t need expensive equipment for this – look at what you can borrow from the house and get creative with the challenges. Old pillowcases are great for sack races and almost anything can be balanced on a spoon to make completing the course even more tricky.

6. Chalkboard

An outdoor chalkboard is a fantastic garden play area idea. It gives kids a designated area to write and doodle to their hearts’ content without you having to follow them around ensuring they don’t make a mess. It’s common for families to have a chalkboard inside the home to help children learn to read and write. But they can be messy and it’s often hard to describe to children the difference between the walls you can write on and the walls they cannot, which can often lead to them taking redecorating into their own hands.

7. Hopscotch Stepping Stones

Hopscotch stepping stones are one of the most purse-friendly children’s garden play area ideas. This huge version of the classic game requires no effort to build. All it takes are concrete pavers, colourful paints, and a good hand. Include red, blue, green, orange, yellow, or even black and white to make everything vibrant. Put the stones together, be it on the lawn or mulch, and let the game begin!

8. Treehouse

Building a treehouse can be a dream play area in a small garden. Even if you need to scale it back, a few accessories can ramp up the cool factor of the humblest of treehouses. A pirate flag turns your child’s hideout into the bird’s nest of Blackbeard’s ship, while a homemade banner claims the space for all to see. But for those without mature trees in their gardens, don’t despair! Tower playhouses are a great alternative.

9. Trampoline 

You can never go wrong with a trampoline, they can provide entertainment for children as soon as they’re walking up until adulthood. Installing one below ground is also a good safety precaution as it greatly reduces the height if you’re worried about your kids falling off or struggling to climb on. 

10. Climbing Frame 

These provide great freedom for children to play and use their imagination. Helping them to learn and gain more control over their body as they grow up. They are usually easy to install by pitching them into the ground or securing them to an existing playhouse, wall or fence.

11. A Swing Set 

Swings are endless fun and likely one of the most beloved playground attractions, they are a great way to promote bonding between you and your children or spirit teamwork between them as they practise sharing and helping each other. You can find swing sets in a variety of sizes so you’ll be able to find the perfect one for your garden.

12. Slip and Slide 

The slip-and-slide is a great summer addition to your garden and can be lots of fun for the whole family. If you aren’t looking to purchase one there are DIY options available. All you need is a sheet of waterproof plastic (any colour), some pool noodles, some plastic pegs to secure everything into place in your garden and a hose to wet the slide so your children can slide to their hearts’ content. 

13. Garden Race Track

Rev up the excitement with a DIY garden race track that will have your kids racing around your garden. Start by mapping out a track using chalk or tape, weaving it around trees, flower beds, and other obstacles in your garden. Designate starting and finishing points to add a competitive edge to the races. Gather ride-on toys like tractors, tricycles, or a ride-on car, and watch as the little racers zoom (carefully) around the course, navigating twists and turns with enthusiasm. Get creative and add fun elements like tunnels made from cardboard boxes or ramps constructed from wooden planks and let your little racers have a blast in your garden!

14. Build an Outdoor Ball Pit

Similar to the process of the sand pit you’ll need 4 wooden planks to build borders, then fill it with plastic ball pit balls. You could also add extra toys or hidden treasures in the ball pit for your children to find which will be great for their problem-solving skills and cognition. Be sure to add sufficient cover by placing a pop up gazebo over the top whilst in use for protection from the sun and rain.  As they grow up, the pit can be transformed into whatever you see fit from plant beds to outdoor storage.

FAQS:

1. How to make sure your garden is suitable for kids

Creating a beautiful garden for kids requires careful planning and consideration of their age, interests, and safety. Here are some ideas to help you design a garden play area that is both visually appealing and engaging for children:

Start with a designated play zone:

Designate a specific area in your garden as the play zone. This will help to contain the play area and keep it separate from other parts of the garden. Consider using fencing, hedges, or low shrubs to define the boundaries and add a sense of privacy.

Incorporate child-friendly plants:

Choose plants that are safe for children and add a touch of magic to the garden. Colourful flowers, aromatic herbs, and plants with interesting textures are great choices. Opt for plants that are non-toxic and avoid thorny or prickly varieties.

Provide seating and shade:

Create a seating area for children to relax, read, or enjoy a picnic. Consider adding child-sized benches or chairs, or even a cosy outdoor beanbag or hammock. Provide some shade over the seating area with a pergola, umbrella, or tall plants. This will ensure that children can take a break from play and rest comfortably while still enjoying the garden.

Create sensory experiences:

Children are intrigued by sensory experiences, so incorporate elements that engage their senses. Plant fragrant flowers and herbs to provide enticing smells, and include wind chimes or musical instruments that produce soothing sounds. 

2. What is the best material to put under a garden swing set?

The best materials to put under a garden swing set include rubber mulch, wood chips or bark mulch, play sand, pea gravel, and rubber mats or tiles. Rubber mulch provides excellent shock absorption and durability, while wood chips offer natural cushioning but require periodic replenishment. Play sand is soft and forgiving, needing regular raking and topping up. Pea gravel is durable with decent shock absorption but requires occasional raking. Rubber mats or tiles provide excellent shock absorption and slip resistance, making them a top choice for safety.

Discover our range of pop up gazebos

If you’d like some more information on gazebos that can be used in your garden play area contact us or browse our range of pop up gazebos.