|
Family-Friendly Landscape Design |  |
March 22, 2007
by Angelique Gervais
Design Programs Columnist
Watching my two sons play out in the backyard is as pleasurable for me as it is for them. Pouring water onto a dirt mound, watching how it moves and then finding ways to divert it to their will is just fun. Little do they know that they are learning while they are playing! The benefits of a child-friendly landscape design may surprise you too. Why not give it a try yourself?
What Should You Include in Your Landscape Design Idea?
Here are some ideas of things to include in your landscape design that will maximize the benefits for your children:
- Let your kids plant and nurture their own vegetable patch
- Include a small, shallow waterfall or pond with water plants and fish
- Build bird feeders together and place them around the yard
- Place a birdbath in a sunny, out-of-the-way spot
- Use hedgerows rather than fences to enclose your yard to allow wildlife entry
- Plant bright, nectar-rich flowers such as Blue Sage, Yellow Honeysuckle, Foxglove Beardtongue, and Red Buckeye to attract butterflies and hummingbirds
- Make a hummingbird feeder together
- Use the top of an old bird feeder filled with sand or gravel and water for a butterfly puddle
- Prune trees to help them become great climbing trees
- Use wooden ties for edging for little ones to balance on
What are the Benefits for Your Kids?
Educators are proving that kids experience great benefits from outdoor adventuring. They develop increased motor skills, enhanced attention span, more energy, greater self-confidence, and increased social awareness. With a little guidance your children will use your landscape design as a spontaneous school room. They will see how other creatures differ from themselves.
If you're excited about this kind of project, why not try it for a living? In a landscape design program you can use your education to design playgrounds and other outdoor recreation areas that stimulate young minds and encourage outdoor exploration.
About the Author
Angelique Gervais owns and operates a graphic design business serving rural areas in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada.
| |
|
