35 garden activity ideas for children

Did you know that today is World Environment Day and this week is National Children’s Gardening Week?

There are so many ‘days’ to remember lately, aren’t there? Sometimes I wonder whether some of the trivial ones just add extra (loud) noise in our already choc-a-block parent-lives. But, these two really are fab for popping into the calendar for little ones.  

The beauty of these awareness days are that they are all about getting outside, considering the environment, and nurturing the space that we have around us so we can all thrive. Here are 35 garden activity ideas for children that you can do at home that embrace these lovely awareness days in your own way.

35 garden activity ideas for children

1. Make your own seed bombs.
2. Go on a flower hunt and see how many different varieties of flowers and plants you can find in your garden, window boxes and/or indoor plants. 
3. Draw your favourite flowers and plants and add a dash of watercolour fun.  
4. Create your own flower chalk gallery.
5. Make your own bug hotel.
6. Paint and decorate a premade bug hotel.  
7. Go on a bug hunt and see how many critters you can spot.
8. Draw the creepiest bug you find.
9. Draw the prettiest bug you find.
10. Invent your own bug! 
11. Try some rock painting (you can buy stones relatively cheaply from Hobby Craft and Baker Ross).
12. Make your own plant markers using painted rocks. 
13. Make a butterfly garden by planting an area with flowers that butterflies are attracted to.
14. Make your own fairy/little people/dinosaur garden at the bottom of your own garden.
15. Make a window box fairy/little people/dinosaur garden.
16. Make an indoor fairy/little people/dinosaur garden using indoor planting to create a lush green space.
17. Build a den.
18. Build a living den out of willow (this will require quite a bit of planning and space!)
19. Paint and decorate some pots for planting.
20. Plant some salad seeds to grow your own salad! 
21. Plant your own vegetable patch. 
22. Plant your own fruit patch.
23. Build and plant a mini living wall (this will require lots of planning).
24. Water the flowers and plants.
25. Make a bird’s nest (just for fun).
26. Make a bird’s house.
27. Paint and decorate a premade bird’s house.
28. Do a bit of bird spotting.
29. Make a chart of the number of different birds you see (and hear) in your garden. 
30. Draw your favourite bird that you have spotted.
31. Make your own bird feeder.
32. Paint and decorate a premade bird feeder.
33. Make your own bird cake (for the birds!).
34. Lay on a blanket and listen to the sounds in your garden. 
35. Enjoy a picnic in your outdoor space and try some of your home grown produce.

There are SO many lovely things that you can do and this list is just a teeny drop in the ocean to get you started if you need some ideas.

What’s your favourite garden activity?

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