There are so many fun and free activities you can do with your toddler in the garden! Here are some ideas to get you started:
1. Make a fairy garden or dinosaur garden: This is a great way to spark your child’s imagination. Find an old flower pot, seed tray, or any plastic tray or box. Help your toddler plant some small plants or flowers in the container, and then let them decorate it with miniature fairy or dinosaur figurines, pebbles, and other small decorations.
2. Shooting water into buckets: Set up a few buckets or containers in the garden and give your toddler a small watering can or spray bottle filled with water. Encourage them to aim and shoot the water into the buckets. This is a fun way to work on their hand-eye coordination skills.
3. Painting stones: Collect some smooth stones from the garden and set up a painting station outside. Provide your toddler with child-friendly, washable paint and let them get creative by painting the stones. Once dry, you can use these painted stones to decorate your garden or create a stone garden border.
4. Make mud pies: Let your toddler explore their sensory side by making mud pies. Find a patch of dirt or create a small mud pit in the garden. Give them some old kitchen utensils, like spoons and measuring cups, and let them mix and shape the mud into pies. Just make sure they don’t eat it!
5. Take your soft toys outside: Encourage your toddler to bring their favorite soft toys outside for some garden play. They can have a picnic with their toys, set up a pretend tea party, or take their toys on a garden adventure. This can be a great opportunity for imaginative play.
6. Make a time capsule and bury it in the garden: Help your toddler create a time capsule by gathering a few small items that represent their current interests or milestones. Put these items in a small container or box and bury it in a designated spot in your garden. You can mark the spot with a special stone or plant a flower over it. This can be a fun activity to revisit in the future and reminisce about their younger years.
7. Nature sketching: Give your toddler a sketchbook or a few sheets of paper and some crayons or colored pencils. Take them on a nature walk in the garden and encourage them to observe and sketch the plants, flowers, insects, or anything else that catches their attention. This can help them develop their observation skills and appreciate the beauty of nature.
8. Chalk gallery: Use sidewalk chalk to create a gallery on your patio or driveway. Let your toddler unleash their creativity by drawing or scribbling their own masterpieces. You can also join in and have a collaborative artwork session.
Remember, the most important thing is to have fun and spend quality time with your toddler in the garden. Let their imagination run wild, and don’t be afraid to get messy and explore together!