Children’s Garden Ideas

I like to see other children’s gardens. Last summer our family took a one-month roadtrip to Washington, and in addition to seeing friends, family, and the sights, we stopped at school gardens along the way. On this page I plan to post all of the charming and educational garden ideas I’m collecting. Sometime the idea comes from a museum or a school or a park—I think all have potential applications in the garden.

Each site is labeled, and a directory to their websites is below. (You can click on the individual pictures to enlarge them, and then click through like a slideshow.)

Brightly painted birdhouse (National Botanic Garden, D.C.)

: Plants with common “animal” names (Life Lab)

: From the “zoo” garden (Life Lab)

: Kids cannot resist tunnels, especially living ones (Life Lab)

: Someone has been making mudpies! (Life Lab)

: Small yet productive beds (Life Lab)

: Clever way to store watering cans (Life Lab)

: Easel, natural materials (Life Lab)

: Painted rain barrels (Life Lab)

: Good reminders (Life Lab)

: Kids seem to love curvy shapes (Turtle Bay)

: Rebar arch (Edible Schoolyard)

: Outdoor oven (Edible Schoolyard)

: Colorful, reusable signs (Edible Schoolyard)

: Posted mission statement at the Edible Schoolyard

: Places to hide! (Santa Barbara Zoo)

: A place to perch (Santa Barbara Zoo)

: Creative, child-sized gate (Santa Barbara Zoo)

: A drape of pinecones! (Westmont College)

: Cardboard scarecrow (Farm + Food Lab, Great Park, Irvine)

: A cute idea, for a non-functional wheelbarrow (Farm + Food Lab, Great Park Irvine)

: Beds can be little (Farm + Food Lab, Great Park, Irvine)

: Solar powered aquaponics (Farm + Food Lab, Great Park Irvine)

: Efficient way to grow strawberries (Farm + Food Lab, Great Park, Irvine)

: Love these moveable boxes (Farm + Food Lab, Great Park, Irvine)

: (Farm + Food Lab, Great Park Irvine)

: Upscale chicken house (Farm + Food Lab, Great Park Irvine)

: Farm + Food Lab, Great Park, Irvine

: Farm + Food Lab, Great Park Irvine

: Clever, if this problem plagues your garden (William Elementary, San Jose)

: (Williams Elementary, San Jose)

: Simple pleasures—sitting on blankets under shade trees (Williams Elementary, San Jose)

: First time I’ve seen this! (William Elementary, San Jose)

: I love hopscotch in the garden (William Elementary, San Jose)

: How cute is this? (Life Lab)

: Creative signage (Life Lab)

: Sundial (Life Lab)

Life Lab: A teaching garden on the campus of UC Santa Cruz (www.lifelab.org)

Botanic Gardens at Turtle Bay, Redding, CA (turtlebay.org)

6 thoughts on “Children’s Garden Ideas”

whidbeyschoolgardens on June 4, 2013 at 5:46 am said:

Thank you so much for compiling these photos from your travels! So many inspiring ideas!

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- kidsingardens on June 4, 2013 at 1:15 pm said:
  
  You’re welcome! I love to see what others are doing, and thought others might too..
  
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Dawn King on November 13, 2012 at 9:47 pm said:

I loved seeing these, Tricia. Just makes me remember all the more what a blessing the natural world is!
Dawn

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- kidsingardens on November 13, 2012 at 11:42 pm said:
  
  Thanks Pastor Dawn! I feel the same way—the most elemental things can cause some deep wonder and delight!
  
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Marisa McFedries on January 15, 2012 at 12:40 pm said:

Tricia,
Thanks for sharing these garden ideas! You have gotten my wheels turning for our wonderful garden at school and my own at home! – Marisa

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- kidsingardens on January 16, 2012 at 5:43 pm said:
  
  When your wheels spin….look out!
  
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