The Empowered Educator

Inspiring ideas, training and resources for early learning.

Weekend Wanderings – A Little Landscaping….

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I have had a few people ask me recently how we are landscaping the backyard on such a big scale with twin toddlers in tow…..the answer is VERY SLOWLY!!! 
Seriously though…as long as we are prepared to accept that we have to proceed a lot slower than we did before the girls on these sort of projects we are able to make progress (Would be nicer if we could get it done faster as i can't start my Family Day Care business until it is at least at a safe stage but that is life with kids)!
Unfortunately there are so many ideas swirling around in my head as we attempt to create an inviting natural playspace for our girls as well as family daycare children that the list currently seems never ending and at times frustrating when we have to down tools for snack time or endless toilet trips!
However, there are a few simple strategies when landscaping with our twins that i am happy to share…..surely we aren't the only ones digging and visiting Bunnings every weekend!

Natural playspaces landscaping idea
1. Identify mini projects and make a plan to keep the kids busy as well!
We wanted to really make progress on a dry creek bed leading down to the new boulder sandpit area this weekend so in advance i visited our local toy library and borrowed a few simple but new toys the girls could discover while outside. Something new ( or that has been away for awhile!) or borrowed can keep them busy while you make a project start!

2. Plan your project in small stages 

When you have one stage done, head off to spend some fully engaged play time with your toddler and then lead them into another activity that they can do on their own…I found a new use for an old bird cage stand and the girls kept themselves busy tossing small and big balls through the circle for quite awhile….back to the next stage of the project!

Toddler outdoor game
I started with helping His Patient Self to move rocks and debris from the area we wanted to build the dry creek bed…Well i watched him move the huge rocks anyway! Once cleared we set about building the creekbed edge with yet more rocks from around the yard. You can see from the pictures we have an endless supply!


3. Involve toddlers in mini ‘Helping' projects while you are working…..

The girls love to watch Daddy digging and they love to help so i will often see them digging up rocks or weeding just like Daddy does. As adults we can easily forget how much toddlers see and then mimic sometimes!

Here i asked Ruby to collect some sand for the new path and Tara to dig up some small rocks for the path…you would be surprised at how long these small tasks can keep them busy if you are also working hard by their side!

toddler sandpit construction
4. Provide toddler size tools to work with….
Toddlers are constantly learning about the world around them and they do this by playing. I loved this moment when i caught Tara using her little garden spade in the way that Daddy uses his large shovel to dig…foot on top to dig down and all!!
The toddler twosome have their own kid sized rakes and shovels as well as gardening forks and spades, watering cans and a little wheelbarrow each. None of these were expensive items and in my opinion they will be played with long after the novelty of a new plastic toy has worn off!
We encourage them to use their tools when we are…in the last few weeks they have been digging sand and transferring it via their wheelbarrow to the new sandpit, planting seedlings in their vegie patch with their gardening tools, raking the dirt and gravel and watering plants. By allowing them to feel useful and helpful they allow us to continue on with our own work!
Toddler outdoor fun

5. Let them get dirty…and don't stress about it!

Forget the shopping shoes and best clothes….have a stash of outdoor play clothes and some little gumboots for working in the mud and on uneven surfaces! Let them explore and sit in the dirt if they want to. Let them dig and run and fall over, let them wipe their muddy hands on their shirt…..let them know that it's ok to get dirty when playing outside…..they will let themselves have so much more fun if you do!

Let them see you get dirty too but also model washing of hands before eating or wiping sand and dirt off feet before going inside. My girls know that they must take their boots off before coming inside and their good shoes don't come out to play in the red dirt! Boundaries are still in place (I'm no saint!)…but there is also freedom!

Ruby is having fun ‘planting' small rocks to grow here which is sweet…but what i loved about witnessing this moment is that i noticed she didn't want to constantly wash her hands for a change…she was too engrossed in her important ‘work'!

 Gardening with Toddlers

6. Give them areas of their own to take pride in….
This area will be a little vegie patch just for kids….the family day care children will be able to help the girls plant and take care of it. Already they have enjoyed transplanting some lettuce and bok choy from our big garden and have begun to place fairies and other little treasures they have found into ‘their' garden. Let this space be about their creative side and forget perfection and placement!
We do have a lot of space but if you don't you could always try a little pot they could tend or a mini fairy garden in a tub…there are lovely ideas all over Pinterest…I have quite a few on my Outdoor Fun & Gardening Board you might like to explore.
Because they were so busy in this area, it allowed Daddy to keep working on the area just above which is to become a new home for the chickens. Another area the children will be able to help us look after. And see those branches piled up in the back corner….i have grand plans for those!!

7. Turn ‘helping' into a Game….

There will come a time in the day when they just want to do exactly what you are doing…and at this time you will become frustrated because you were SO nearly finished with your next mini stage!

Turn the frustration into a game to help distract them a little. Here we had the side boulders in place and we had purposely used fairly flat ones so that they could be used as stepping stones as well. So i began a game of walking down the boulders so Daddy could get the weed mat and sand ready.

We then had races to see who could rake up the most rocks while Daddy raked the path to an even level with his own rake. Notice the lack of pictures here…I was too busy keeping them diverted! Which brings me to my next tip….

Gardening for toddlers

8. Accept that one of you will be the main worker while one gets to do the boring toilet & food runs!

This has been really hard for me to accept….I love to work alongside His Patient self landscaping and we used to spend whole weekends from dawn to dusk getting jobs done together.

Unfortunately with toddlers, that doesn't work and since I don't have the muscle power of Daddy he is often the one who can keep working while i have to change the wet pants and go inside to get snacks and break up arguments….sometimes i get resentful and also guilty because he is left to do the majority of the work but accepting what works and what doesn't is part of the key to landscaping with toddlers!

It does also mean though that sometimes i get to sneak off for my own toilet break (a rare treat as parents of toddlers will know!) while the girls continue to be ever so helpful to Daddy! Here they were helping to spread out the weed mat and add a thin layer of sand (I am beginning to grow weary of red rocks and sand just between you and me!).

9. Accept Reality 

You probably aren't going to reach the stage of completion that you wanted to…..but appreciate that you did make some progress and your toddler has been out playing in the fresh air all day, learning new skills, feeling good about themselves because they were able to participate in ‘grown up' work  and will more than likely sleep very well tonight!
We managed to get the path ready for the rocks….but by then the girls had had enough and daylight was fading fast. Over the next few weeks though the girls will be able to help me collect small rocks from around the yard and dirt pile and add them slowly to our dry creek bed….and then another job will be crossed off the list and the toddler twosome can have fun filling their trucks and playing in their little creekbed quarry. I'll be sure to share a photo of the completed job…when it gets done!
Gardening with toddlers


10. If all else fails and it is just one of those days when your attention MUST be on the toddler and nothing else apparently…..make a run for it and try the landscaping again another day…it will still be there!
Have you been doing any landscaping or gardening projects with toddlers lately? I'd love to hear about them!

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Warm Wishes…

Comments

  1. Stephanie says

    What a great post! I know from experience that you speak the truth- our own landscaping projects have been progressing at a snail’s pace with our two little “helpers” involved 😉 I can’t wait to see your finished play space- it already looks amazing!

    Reply

  2. Elise Ellerman says

    Thank you for sharing so many tips and strategies to consider when undertaking a landscaping project with extra “helpers”. Your girls are going to have an amazing outdoor play space. What fun to be able to nurture a veggie patch too and then use your home grown veggies in your meals.

    Reply

  3. Kate - An Everyday Story says

    Jode that riverbed is amazing! I know how you feel though. Our new house needs a lot of work on the garden, the basic structure is there but the house has been rented for so long that it is really over grown. I’m looking forward to seeing the pictures of the finished space 🙂

    Reply

  4. Ali Wright says

    Great tips Jode. I think you are so right about accepting reality and that progress will be slow. We are currently cleaning and sorting the rooms in our house. We choose one room each weekend and just do that.

    Reply

  6. Ness @ One Perfect Day says

    Your garden is looking amazing (and you know how much I love your space)! Thanks for all of these wonderful tips. They’ll come in handy when we try to do something with our yard next Summer.

    Reply

  8. Coombe Mill says

    I think as parents with toddlers you just have to accept that any project will take longer than you anticipate! You have some great strategies and activities to keep the children included and entertained though. It all looks like it’s coming along very well and I’d be interested to see how it progresses, thanks for sharing on Country Kids.

    Reply

    • Jodie Clarke says

      You are so right…and these years don’t last for long! Would like our progress to be faster but that’s not the reality at the moment…can’t wait for the after picture though!

      Reply

  10. Sara Murray says

    Mini projects, especially ‘helping’ ones definitely work – but as you say, if all else fails, accept you can finish another day! It seems to be coming along really well though! Have visited your blog a few times and am now following on bloglovin’! #CountryKids

    Reply

  11. Jackie@My Little Bookcase says

    I love your landscaping posts. I am so envious of your space. You are creating a natural wonderland for your girls.

    Can I just add too, that your blog is looking fantastic. The images are amazing, and your sidebar is looking great too.

    Reply

    • Jodie Clarke says

      Thanks Jackie…we are indeed so very lucky to have all this space to create in!
      Thanks so much for your kind words about the blog….it’s slowly coming together!

      Reply

  12. Twins Squared says

    What an undertaking! But it will be so great when you are finished! These pictures actually remind me of what I tried to do to the crab habitat we made last week for these crabs the kids brought home from school. Rocks, gravel, sand, plastic barriers! And I still think it’s not going to work out. Short of investing in a real tank and filter which seems silly because you know the day I buy the stuff the crabs are going to die. Anyway, looks neat – I’m impressed with all that you do – where do you find the physical and mental energy??

    Reply

    • Jodie Clarke says

      Was just reading about your crabs…such a big undertaking!Somedays the energy is there and somedays it isn’t…much of the time i just NEED to get the girls outside though hehe!

      Reply

  13. Caz says

    What a fantastic post, loved reading all of your points (and laughed at a few too!) and seeing the photos of your amazing outdoor play space taking shape. It all looks like great fun, can’t wait to see it all finished!

    Reply

  16. rightfromthestart says

    lovely post, I love how you involve the children in the garden, after all it’s their garden too. can’t wait to see the finished product. Popping over from Country Kids.

    Reply

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