Johannesburg - The summer holidays are here so now is the time to plant a vegetable garden, create a scarecrow, sow sunflowers or develop a play area.
Being outdoors in a garden can be a joyful experience for children. It is there that they play and use their imagination. It also provides a place for healthy exercise and provides an opportunity to connect with nature.
Children will spend more time outdoors in a garden if there are activities they can enjoy. A tree suitable for climbing will always attract a child, with fruit trees having their own attraction when ripe fruit is picked. Small children will delight in discovering little “fairy” doors painted in bright colours on the trunks of trees.
A ring of tree stumps becomes a seating area. Paths of stepping stones are perfect for hopscotch. A patch of lawn is a place for games and a grove of small trees is perfect for a Teddy Bear picnic.
Encourage children to grow their own herbs and vegetables so they enjoy spending time outdoors and learning about the origins of the food they eat. Where possible, a child should be given his/her own piece of ground in a part of the garden that receives at least five hours of sunlight a day.
Help with the initial preparation of the soil by digging and composting beds to ensure plants have a good start. Mark the boundaries of this garden with a little wooden fence, or one made of criss-crossed sticks.
Give the children seeds of quick-growing climbing nasturtiums to plant on the fence and soon it will be covered in bright orange and yellow flowers.
A tap should be nearby so it does not become too much of a task for small hands and legs to carry watering cans. Children love colourful small-sized garden tools. Choose those of good quality that match the age of the child.
Lettuce, radish and bean seedlings are quick to germinate and provide interest while waiting for other plants to grow. Add a statue such as Peter Rabbit and regale children with the tales of Peter Rabbit in Mr McGregor’s garden.
Children are never too young to connect with nature and to observe plants, insects and bird life around them. Many of the most enduring and popular children’s stories, The Secret Garden, Wind in the Willows, Winnie the Pooh, The Elephant Tale and The Last Leopard all have gentle lessons about the countryside and nature.
A couple of trays of seedlings about to flower will provide instant colour. A daisy bush is a good idea as it flowers for many weeks, and provides flowers to pick.
Older children who have progressed beyond the first garden stage may want to make their garden more personal. A log could serve as a bench, another with a flat surface could serve as a table where they can have friends to tea parties. To encourage older children to go into the garden, install a rain gauge. They can record the rainfall in a notebook and the names of plants in flower and birds that visit the garden.
Making a scarecrow can be great fun. The materials used should be weatherproof and strong enough to cope with wind and heavy rain.
Basic materials are a main pole (allow extra for placing in ground) and a second pole for arms. Use strong twine to bind the poles together firmly. The face, body, arms and legs can be made of hessian stuffed with straw and gloves stuffed for hands. Pot “people” are also fun to make using terracotta flower pots.
By encouraging children to play outdoors in a garden, parents provide them with wonderful opportunities to discover the wonderful world that surrounds them.
Hazards in the garden
l To prevent unwanted accidents carry out a safety check.
l Avoid slippery paths and steps. Scrub regularly to remove algae.
l A water feature must be child friendly. Children are fascinated by water and can drown in just a few centimetres of water. Any open-water feature should be fenced off or covered with child-proof netting.
l Paddling pools should be emptied immediately after use. The safest water feature is a millstone, where water is pumped over pebbles and recirculated.
l Injuries and even fatalities have been caused by children trying to pull themselves up on top-heavy pots, urns and statues. Ensure all ornaments in the garden are firmly secured.
l Teach children not to eat any berries, leaves or fruit.
l Avoid leaving garden tools lying about or hanging where they are in reach of children. A hosepipe should not be left lying in the garden to be tripped over.
l Pesticides and fertilisers must be locked away.
Saturday Star