Getting them away from their TV or game console and out into the garden can be tricky…and keeping them there can be even harder! Especially if youre short on space and dont have acres of room for large climbing frames, swimming pools or trampolines.
If youre looking for practical, budget-friendly ways to turn your small garden into somewhere your little ones can let their imaginations run wild, youre in the right place. In this guide, well show you how easy it can be to transform your outdoor space into every kids dream play area.
Having a fun, engaging play area is essential for children’s development and happiness. But what if you only have a small garden? Not to worry! With a bit of creativity and smart planning, you can transform even the tiniest outdoor space into a magical play area for kids. Here are 14 creative small garden play area ideas to inspire you.
1. Compact Sandbox
A sandbox is a classic play area that provides hours of fun But full-sized sandboxes take up a lot of room A compact sandbox is the perfect solution for small gardens. You can make one easily using an old wooden crate or plastic storage container. Fill it with play sand and add some buckets and shovels. Your kids will have a blast digging, building sandcastles and playing pretend.
2. DIY Chalkboard Wall
An outdoor chalkboard is a wonderful way to encourage creativity. And it takes up zero extra space! Just paint a section of fence or wall with chalkboard paint. Add some sidewalk chalk and let your kids’ imaginations run wild as they create colourful masterpieces. Use chalk to play games like tic-tac-toe too.
3. Backyard Obstacle Course
You don’t need much room to set up a fun DIY obstacle course. Use items you already have like hula hoops, pool noodles, jump ropes and balls to create challenges. Have kids climb through tunnels bounce over hurdles and more. Get the whole family involved in this active playtime idea.
4. Play Teepee or Fort
A play teepee or simple fort built from blankets over chairs makes an ideal play spot. Kids love having their own special enclosed hangout space. Add comfy cushions and blankets inside for extra coziness. Use it for reading time, tea parties or just hanging out.
5. Outdoor Dramatic Play Area
Set up an area just for pretend play like a mini kitchen or store Toddlers and preschoolers will delight in roleplaying grown up scenarios for hours All you need are some play food and cooking items or old shopping baskets and pretend money. Boost imagination and social skills through dramatic play.
6. Backyard Ball Run
Make an exciting ball run using gutter pipes, funnels and tubes. Set it up vertically on a wall or fence. Drop balls in the top and watch them zig zag down. Kids will be mesmerized watching the balls speed through the run. Encourage STEM learning as they design creative new runs.
7. Garden Music Wall
Give creative musical souls a designated spot to make music outside. Use pots, pans, and other items to make drums. Hang windchimes, bells and xylophones. Let kids create their own instruments too using beans and glass jars or rubber bands over boxes. The musical creations will be endless.
8. Outdoor Sensory Bin
Fill a bin or shallow plastic tub with sensory materials like rice, dried pasta, birdseed or sand. Add cups and scoops for pouring and digging. Sensory play encourages young minds to explore textures. And it’s an easy, compact outdoor activity. Switch up the filling for new sensory fun.
9. Backyard Theater Stage
Every performer needs a stage! Set up an area with a small platform or picnic table as the stage. Let kids put on shows, magic tricks or puppet plays for the family. Make curtains from fabric or tablecloths. Prop up iPad or phone to record their creative productions.
10. Interactive Planting Area
Give budding green thumbs their own planting patch. Even the smallest corner of the garden will do. Provide toddler-sized tools, pots and gloves. Guide them in planting seeds, watering, weeding and watching their garden grow. Nurture a love of nature and responsibility through outdoor gardening.
11. Reading Nook with Canopy
Carve out a cozy reading nook using a canopy for shade and filled with cushions and pillows. Kids will love having an inviting outdoor space to curl up with books independently or listen as you read aloud. Place it near flowering plants or windchimes for added relaxation.
12. Painted Stepping Stones
Decorate flat stones or cement pavers with acrylic paints. Create hopscotch courses, mazes or animations using the stepping stones. This open-ended craft is fun for all ages and makes the garden more vibrant. Change up stone patterns and placement for new creative adventures.
13. Outdoor Arts and Crafts Spot
Provide an area for letting those creative juices flow using sidewalk chalk, washable paint, collage materials and more. Use a small table or clear space on the ground. Add an easel for painting. Simple art materials will keep young kids engaged for long periods outside.
14. Build a Fairy Garden
Fairy gardens capture kids’ imaginations. Fill pots and baskets with miniature plants, houses, figurines to build enchanting play spaces. Add tiny accessories like furniture, ponds or play equipment. Kids will return again and again to tend to their fairy homes, sparking new magical stories to share.
With a dash of resourcefulness and creativity, you can build the play area of their dreams even in the tiniest yard. Focus on open-ended materials and ideas that spark imagination, exploration and growing independence. Most importantly, make time to join in the play yourself. Your involvement in their creative adventures will mean the world. Happy playing!
Get cooking with a kids’ play kitchen
Ignite your childrens culinary creativity with a kids play kitchen in your small garden. This delightful addition will turn their playtime into a fun-filled cooking extravaganza!
Choose a compact and weather-resistant play kitchen that fits perfectly in your garden space and set it up under a shady tree, on your patio or in a playhouse, creating a delightful outdoor cooking station for your little chefs.
Stock up on kids kitchen toys like pots, pans, utensils, and food items, allowing your kids to whip up imaginary culinary masterpieces. They can host pretend picnics, BBQ parties, or bake delicious make-believe treats for their friends and family.
Play area ideas for small gardens
If your kids love to paint and draw, give them a space to get crafty in your garden with some new creative garden toys!
You dont need much space to set up a craft station, your garden patio or decking could be the perfect spot. Any budding artists will love working on their latest masterpiece whilst sitting at the Rebo Montessori Pikler Style Drawing Station, which attaches onto your little ones climbing triangle as a fun and creative upgrade.
This play area idea will help your little ones nurture their creativity and express themselves through art. Who knows, you might even nudge them towards a career as an interior designer in the process!
Rebo Wooden Garden Swing Set with Monkey Bars
What are the best playground ideas for small backyards?
We’re starting our list of playground ideas for small backyards with one of our favorites for a tiny backyard space. It’s a Brooklyn backyard playground – from Houzz. We love how the swingset frame also doubles as a pergola. We also adore the added play wall. And – the wooden bench is also a secret storage area.
How do you make a garden play area fun?
You could also give kids a space to grow their own flowers or veggies. It will offer them a valuable sense of responsibility whilst teaching them about the wonders of nature. A bug hotel is another fun feature for a garden play area – check out our guide on how to make a bug hotel to get started. 9. Sink a trampoline into your lawn
What are the best outdoor play areas for kids?
Climbing Wall & Rope Ladder by YellowDogs World 6. Aeriel Ninja Line by Camilo Pineda 7. Nature-Inspired Play Area Ideas by Modern Parents Messy Kids 8. DIY Water & Sand Play Area by TheWoodgineer 9. Cute Wooden Playhouse 10. Simple and Safe Tire Swing by Chris Notap 11. Small Backyard Treehouse Ideas by Family Handyman 12.
What are the Best Play Centers for small gardens?
Compact all-in-one play centers are a great choice for small gardens. Here are some top options: Look for short but multi-functional climbing frames suited for toddlers up to ages 5-6. Many have slides, swings, crawl tunnels and climbing walls. For older kids, rope or boulder climbing walls attach nicely to fences or walls.
What is a DIY garden playground?
Their outdoor DIY garden playground includes everything we’re looking for, including colorful tire obstacles, a hammock, a wooden teepee, and a fort house. All it needs now is a few birdhouses and a bird bath. Mini play garden completed! Who says that vegetable plots and children don’t go together?
What is a play garden?
This Play Garden incorporates elements like a table and chairs made out of found wood stumps, a hopscotch pathway through the middle, a pot for digging, and a little kettle for a tea party for children to have a little play in their new secret garden. Learn more: Garden Therapy The best kid spaces will inspire hours of creative play.