No time no blog. The wet weather and planting/digging duties put the 'fun' on hold. However I have finished a tyre tower from discarded tyres which has been a great success.
Making a network of paths with willow tunnels is also another success and looks good now that the willow has grown a bit.

I will post photos of these soon ...just waiting for a bit of sunshine!

Surprise interest

The slug survey (see other blog) has become created a surprising interest by older child and they likes the idea it's scientific research and is very keen to count the slugs (and they see them better than me, so a big help). It just shows that if you can create a good purpose, with some immediate results children can be entertained in the garden very easily and thus you can a) get them outside in the fresh air and b) involve a bit of education with it. It's making me think of other things I can survey - umm? insect life, traces of other wildlife, flower pressing, tree survey etc.
The very wet weekend has halted my ambition to build some play stuff with the old tyres I acquired but I did plant lots of willow paths. The only time I've failed a bit with willow was planting them last year ...the day before a 2-3 week drought! The ground ain't going to dry up too quickly after 3-4cm of rain we had last night!

Tyres

I've just aquired a whole stack of used tyres and plan my first of several ideas this weekend.

The start & the concept

Having two young 'test dummy' kids I'm always trying to invent way of making the garden interesting for them so they get outside (which will have huge health benefits for them) and they can be in the garden while I am ..and OK I like to join in as well. I think there are simple things we can do to make the garden not only productive but also as interesting 'must be' place for the children.
There is the standard play equipment which is obviously a winner but I'd like to think there are things we can do using the natural attributes of the garden and pretty much for free. So I'm going to research a few ideas and see what appeals to my kids and their friends and guests the most.
Initial ideas:
1) Lots of 'secret' paths and den building opportunities. Every young child likes the magic of hiding, running around and having a special place or den.
2) Willow tunnels. I'm fortunate in that we have a bit of space and loads of willow. It's not the most athsethetically pleasing of trees but it is a vigourous grower and very easy to propagate; just cut of a green stem in spring and push it in the ground. After seeing how the kids enjoyed the willow paths at the Eden Project it seemed a good idea to try it here. Even in the smallest gardens a willow structure could be made and would interest the kids.
3) Nature study. Work out how to find all sorts of insects and wildlife and teach them about it and get then to find some too - just need cheap magnifying glass or, even better, a small cheap portable microscope (interesting for adults too) and a good guide book. OK this isn't going to interest them everyday but a great thing to try every now and then and very educational and helps to foster an interest in wildlife at an early stage. Not for all kids but I know some that have really taken to it.
4) their own little garden plot, even in a small garden a little corner would create an interest


...any other ideas out there?