Keeping a well-groomed and manicured lawn is difficult during the best of times. But maintaining a well landscaped yard when you have kids, now that is difficult. But there are actually some creative ways that you can get your kids involved with the landscaping projects. Not every project is good for kids, but if you are looking for a way to get your kiddos involved in the landscaping, these are some projects you should give a shot.
Remove Weeds
Weeding a garden can be a very mundane task to take on by yourself, but having your children join you can make it a lovely family bonding experience. Pulling weeds just requires getting on your hands and knees in your garden and pulling up and of the weeds that are not supposed to be there. This offers you a great opportunity to teach your children about the plants in your garden and how to take care of plants. Plus, it’s a way to get them involved actively, allowing them to pull the weeds themselves, which can give your kids a major sense of accomplishment.
Plant Trees
Planting trees in your yard is another task that your kids are perfectly suited to help. Planting trees requires very little dangerous tools or materials, and is a wonderful habit to instill in your children. Planting trees in your yard gives your children the opportunity to learn about different kinds of trees and plants, and to get up close and personal with the roots, trunk, branches, and leaves – there is nothing better than hands-on learning for children. And, once the trees are planted, your kids can see their handiwork every day.
Start a Garden
Maintaining and keeping a garden is a wonderful habit to instill in your children. Gardening with your kids can help teach your kids about all sorts of different healthy fruits and vegetables. It also allows you to teach your kids the value of healthy eating, and the work that goes into growing the food they eat every day. It also allows your children the opportunity to get involved with the foods that they eat, contributing to their meals. Gardening is a safe activity that kids are perfectly capable of joining, and having help in the garden is always nice.
Lay Mulch or Gravel
If your kids like to get a little dirty, then this is the task for them. Laying down mulch or gravel in your yard has massive benefits to your lawn – helping support healthy growth and watering, by providing nutrient rich soil for your lawn. And all you have to do is spread mulch anywhere that you need it, nothing more complicated than sprinkling it everywhere! And if you choose a gravel yard, your kids can help you spread your gravel too. There are many types of gravel that can take the place of a water-intensive lawn. Spreading a gravel lawn is a fun way to get your kids involved.
Putting up Decorations
There is nothing that kids love more than holidays. And keeping your house festive for the holiday season involves setting out lawn decorations to make your yard festive for the season. Getting kids involved in the decorations is a great way to get them excited for the holidays and working on the landscaping. Most decorating doesn’t involve anything sharp or dangerous, making it a perfectly safe and fun project to take on with the kids. No yard is complete without some decorations.
Fertilizing Your Lawn
Keeping your lawn fertilized is essential for proper lawn care to support the health and beauty of your lawn. And luckily, fertilizing is a very easy task to get your kids involved with outside. All you have to do is spread your fertilizer across your lawn. Your kids can come with you walking all around the yard to get fertilizer in your lawn. It is a fun way to stay active and get some energy out walking around the lawn, and getting to learn about proper lawn care.
Raking Leaves
When fall starts rolling around, the leaves start to change, giving the world an autumnal glow. But, those leaves then fall onto your lawn, leading to a lot of clean up. But lucky for you, kids love helping rake the leaves. Get your kids a small rake and have them help you build huge piles of leaves. And then, have some fun with your kids, jumping into the piles and playing around with the leaves! It’s a great way to get your lawn cleared of the leaves, and make a lasting family memory that your kids will cherish forever. Just don’t forget to have them help you bag up all the leaves at the end.
Setting up a Bird House
Another great way to get your children involved in the landscaping is to have them help you build a bird house.Most of the other ideas on this list are very plant-life focused, but a bird house is a great way to teach your children about some animals. This one does involve some minor construction, using basic hammer and nails, so this one is better for slightly older kids who are responsible enough to handle tools. Once your family bird house is built, you can set it out together and watch as birds move in. Throughout the year and season you can watch as a bird makes a home in the birdhouse you built together, and if you’re lucky, experience the process of laying eggs and hatching in your very own front yard. This can be a very special memory and experience for your children and a great way to add to your landscaping.
There is always landscaping work to do. And while some of it involves heavy machinery or sharp tools that are not safe for kids, there are lots of other creative ways to get your kids involved in the landscaping. Getting your kids involved outside can help them feel invested in the yard, and teach them all about the natural world. So grab some yard work equipment and your kids and go make some memories outdoors with your children.
Read this next: Life Skills to Teach Your Children This Summer
