Guest Post written by Sarah-Jayne McCreath from Backyard Chicken Coops.
Chickens make the best pets for your growing children. A flock of chooks provide love, a sense of responsibility and teach our kids the importance of compassion and care. They are super cute and affectionate and make great backyard pals for toddlers to teenagers and all in between. If you want your kids to have the best when it comes to pets – check out our top 5 breeds to choose for your kids below and get cluckin’ on that family flock! Continue reading
In this Guest Post, Tracey Sidwell from Bale Grow talks about straw bale gardening. I have read about this concept but had never actually seen it in action. That was until I met Tracey and saw for myself her fabulous straw bale gardens.
I often get asked what is the best way for kids to have a vegie patch in a rented property, I think straw bales may be about the perfect solution.
xx Erica
Straw Bale Gardening with BaleGrow
As a mum, nothing makes me happier than seeing my kids eat fresh veggies; especially when they can pick them straight from our garden. With almost no gardening experience and limited space, the kids and I have had a ball with our straw bale garden. I figured lots of other families would love this just as much, which is how BaleGrow was born. Continue reading
My husband and I introduced our children to gardening early. We believed it was going to teach them about plants and other forms of life, the importance of sustainability, the environment, and keeping the carbon footprint low much more than any biology course would. They would learn how to grow their own vegetables and would keep them away from the temptation of spending their entire lives behind laptops or televisions. Continue reading
Today’s guest post is written by the talented and inspirational Laura Trotta from Sustainababy. Laura’s family has recently adopted three chickens and her children are reaping the benefits of having them in the garden. Here she shares with us seven reasons why your family should consider having chickens. Continue reading
Here is part two in our series on designing the perfect kids garden written by professional garden designer Helen Spry from Ezyplant. Helen is a mother of two very active boys and has been a domestic garden designer for 10 years. In this post Helen looks at equipment that can be added to a kids garden to encourage imagination, play, relaxation and exercise. To see part one where Helen discusses matters relating to productive gardens, turf and paths for kids click here.
Trampolines provide hours of fun and physical activity and are available in a range of sizes. Apart from the physical benefits they can also be used for reading and doing homework. A quiet outdoor classroom provides a wonderful space for learning and can be helpful for remembering spelling words or math sums. Jumping on a trampoline or bouncing a ball while saying the word/sum out loud can make all the difference in retaining information for some children. Give it a try!
Sandpits provide a creative space and will guarantee hours of play. The bigger the better especially if you are catering for more than one child. Essentially a 3m X 3m size pit will allow 2 children to play happily. If your garden allows, consider a huge pile of dirt for hours of fun digging, making mud pies and creating cities with roads and houses. Continue reading
Today’s first guest post, in a two-part series, is by domestic garden designer Helen Spry. A mother of two very active boys, Helen has been a domestic garden designer for 10 years. She operates a garden design consultancy business, Eco Garden Design Pty. Ltd., and an online garden planning website. Greatly influenced by her great-grandfather and grandfather, who were both garden designers in their time, she has had the advantage of a lifetime of learning. Her passion and immense interest in domestic design led her to establish Ezyplant.com.au, a D.I.Y. garden planning website for the home gardener.
As parents we can struggle to balance our lives with the added pressure to keep a healthy balance in our children’s lives. With technology so accessible, it can be an easy option at the end of a long day to give in to their requests.
Imagine coming home and having your children racing to get into the garden! Here’s some important design elements you can incorporate into your garden to entice your children away from technology. Continue reading
Some gardeners take their craft so seriously that they forget the beauty of allowing children to help in the garden. If you are too uptight about your garden, it can create an unpleasant experience for both you and your kids. The trick is to make gardening an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. For kids to enjoy gardening, you need to work to make it fun for them and what is more fun than getting dirty?
Aside from helping you dig holes, the best way to let your kids get dirty is to involve worms. Kids love to play with worms and worms are great for your garden so it’s a win win! You can send your kids on a worm finding expedition and have them count the worms that you dig up while gardening. If you want to take it a step further, you can start a worm farm with your kids. Worm farms are great because you can turn your table scraps and yard debris into nutrient rich compost for your garden and a nice home for worms. It is also something that can be done year round. Continue reading
To make your own tee pee with the kids in your garden you will need: Continue reading
Now, I know that on reading the title of this article, you’re probably thinking, “Why on earth would I want to make my garden look rubbish? Surely, I’m after tips on how to make it look nicer?” Well, before I go on any further, let me explain myself – because, when I use the term ‘rubbish’, I am in fact referring to using old household items to make your garden not only look nicer, but to also make it more eco-friendly – with the help of your children!
Your children are bound to love getting involved with helping you make these creations for your garden, and what’s more, it’ll also teach them the importance of recycling old items to help and do something positive for the environment around them. Continue reading
Just recently I discovered a seedling growing under my lemon tree. Not knowing what it was I pulled it out and a few days later two more seedlings appeared. I decided to consult my friend Google and was surprised to discover that without planting anything in that soil, pumpkins were growing in my backyard!
I was a bit excited and immediately got the kids to come and have a look. We have all been amazed that within four short weeks they have grown from a tiny seedling to THIS: Continue reading
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