Today we started work on building a sensory GarDEN around the digging pit. This is going to be a place that the preschooler can sit and dig and let himself be surrounded by lots of sights, sounds and smells in his little garden. It’s going to be right next to the mud kitchen and sand pit, making this part of the garden well and truly kid’s teritory!
Although only in the very early stages (we only started today) this is already generating a lot of excitement between the children and they are loving getting in and getting their hands dirty… kind of. The preschooler has been enjoying gardening with me but he still tends to prefer staying on the clean side of mud. And I may be the only mum in the world who wants her son to get covered in mud… I just think he would enjoy it! So the sensory GarDEN is for him! I used The Little Book of Growing things for inspiration and this is what I’ve done so far:
- I marked a large letter ‘C’ in the soil inside the digging pit. The open part of the C shape was going to be the door but actually once the canes were in, any of the gaps could be made into a door.
- I secured 6 2metre bamboo canes into a teepee shape around the C shape simply by pushing the canes into the mud and sloping them towards the middle of the C shape.
- I used fabric strips to tie the canes and secure them. The loose ends are to scare birds away and to represent flags! We will probably tie more fabric to the top later to make it brighter… perhaps we will add a real flag!
- We planted a mixture of Sweet pea (for colour and scent) and runner beans into pots and placed them at alternate intervals around the digging pit. I’m hoping the result will be a nice combination of colour and greenery.
- I placed weather-proof toys inside the digging pit, along with buckets and spades for digging.
- I hung a chalkboard watering schedule for the Big One to keep up to date. I want her to take responsibility for watering, training and thinning the plants as they grow.
As the plants grow, they will form a lovely sensory den for the children to play inside- I can’t wait!
Next I will:
- keep an eye on the plants and when they start to grow, I will train them around the canes.
- plant some Love in the Mist- these have rattly seed pods that the preschooler will love shaking.
- plant some Lavender and Chocolate Cosmos for some lovely smells.
- plant some mint and other herbs for both smelling and for trying in new foods.
- introduce the Broad beans and Nasturtiums that we planted in Plenty Pots.
I also intend to use the sensory GarDEN as part of our outdoor messy play station. I already have the mud kitchen plans and the sand pit waiting to go up. Oh, and not forgetting the water wall and busy fence! I’m looking for an old Lego Duplo board for the fence and old pots and pans for the kitchen. Looks like the garden is well on it’s way to becoming a place where the kids will want to be this summer!
I’m linking this up to The Boy and Me’s 365 linky. Please click the badge to see the others!
What a brilliant garden .. you should come and design a garden at the school where I work x
Author
I would LOVE to!!
xx
Wow that is brilliant. I thought i was a cool Mum for buying seeds for the children to plant in their ‘car’ garden but you sound WAAY cooler than me
Mumy Matters recently posted..Stokke Crusi with sibling seat saved my sanity!
Author
Haha not sure about that. Maybe I just have too much time on my hands?!
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This is amazing. My mum and I both enjoy gardening and I can’t wait to get S involved as he gets older. I have some plans involving herbs too, but think I might add some other things now too!
Author
I have so many plans for this garden! When Eva was a baby, I planted so many flowers and really wanted a perfect garden so much. Now I just want them to play and if its going to be muddy then so be it!
xx
Sounds like this will be great fun – lovely to get kids involved in the garden!
Author
I agree. I’ve always loved gardening and I think Luka is showing a real interest too 🙂
xx
Wow, that looks great. Can’t wait to see how it turns out when the plants start to grow!
LauraCYMFT recently posted..365 Project Days 104 – 110
Author
Yes me too. I’m hoping they will grow well this year!
xx
Wow thats such a cool idea – that used to be your sandpit didn’t it?
Notmyyearoff recently posted..Photo Of The Week – Week 16
Author
Yes. Altohough we never actually used it as a sand pit. We have a pirate ship sand it now so its being used as the digging pit! The kids love it 🙂
xx
Our sandpit at school is not being used we should do this !!
Claire toplis recently posted..Final Countdown
Author
Its a great idea. Can be done without the sandpit of course but they like to sit there and dig so I thought I would combine the two 🙂
xx
I love the look of this and I think we may give this a little go
OneDad3Girls recently posted..#365 Week16
Author
It was surprisingly easy to do. If you do it, let me know, we can compare notes!
xx
This will be great once it has all grown! Makes me really want a garden even more than I already do!
Danielle Askins recently posted..Not ‘just a mum’
Author
I only wish I had thought of it sooner! Hope it grows now!
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That’s brilliant,. It’ll be wonderful when it comes up.
Author
I hope so!
xx
Looks lovely. I look forward to seeing how it develops over the next few months x
Rachel @ An Exeter Mum recently posted..Project 365 Week 16
Author
Me too. I’ll be blogging the progress
xx
Oh this is brilliant, it’s going to look amazing in a few months time!
Thanks for linking up to Project 365.
you are one clever mummy – you have so many wonderful ideas which you employ to stimulate your children. this is a wonderful idea x
jenny paulin recently posted..My Week That Was #16 (Project 365)
Author
Ah what a lovely comment, thank you so much 🙂
xx
What a fantastic idea!
Jaime Oliver recently posted..I Am Me – Jaime
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We’re going to make a scarecrow this week- the pre-schooler wants to protect his crops!
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What a fab idea. Looking ordered to seeing it develop x
Karen recently posted..Country Kids – A Walk In The Park
Author
Me too!
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Hey, move over kids! I want to come and play!
I can’t wait to see how it progresses over the summer x
fivegoblogging recently posted..Silent Sunday
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Me too! I will be blogging it of course!
x
What a fantastic idea – I can’t wait to see how it develops and grows.
Coombemill – Fiona recently posted..Silent Sunday / Project 52
I really like the look of that. It’s going to look fab too when the plants start to grow. Great idea!
Erica Price recently posted..Week 16 Project 52
Author
Yes I hope so! We’re going to add the sunfowers too 🙂
xx
Wow. That looks amazing.
Joanne Blunt recently posted..Project 365: Days 104 – 110
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I’m hoping it will be when everything grows!
xx