Are you concerned about your children and their friends tearing through the turf you've so painstakingly cultivated? Sure, you want them to get outside and enjoy nature, but does it have to be at the expense of your gorgeous lawn?
The best way to keep kids from wearing out the grass is to offer other zones in the yard that are much more interesting. Check out these tips for creating outdoor play spaces that don't damage the lawn.
Include Rocks for Climbing
Guess what? The large decorative rocks that provide such great focal points within a landscape are also super tempting for kids! Children love to climb big rocks, clamber across stone walls, and jump from rock to rock. So, feel free to incorporate huge boulders as well as smaller rocks into your design, and you'll find that your kids gravitate to those areas rather than the grass.
Keep in mind that the kids will probably topple off the rocks occasionally, and that's okay. Surround the rocks or line the rock walls with beds of thick, dark mulch to provide natural cushioning for those tumbles.
Plant Sturdy Trees with Low Branches
Another thing kids love to do is climb trees. In the modern era of neatly curated parks and ultra-safety-conscious parents, tree-climbing is a bit of a lost art. But you can be the cool parent who installs multiple climbing trees in your yard.
The best climbing trees have solid trunks and branches that are low enough, thick enough, and numerous enough for climbing. Choose varieties native to your area so the trees will stay healthy and strong.
Create a Shallow Pond
A shallow pond provides tons of excitement and interest for your children. They can wade, splash, float boats, and conduct experiments in this area of the yard. Surround the pond with a broad area of flat paving stones and a few moisture-loving plants.
Build an Obstacle Course
Go full-on American Ninja with part of your backyard, creating an obstacle course made out of rocks, logs, ropes, trees, ladders, and tunnels. Afraid it will look tacky? There are plenty of ways to do this artfully, in a way that's aesthetically pleasing, as long as you're willing to embrace a more rustic, wild aesthetic. But after all, the primary goal here to is ensure that your kids have fun and get exercise while staying off the grassy areas.
Include Pathways
If your goal is to keep small feet off the lawn, provide plenty of pathways for your children to get from one point to the next. Make it interesting by including colorful pavers, stepping stones, or other unique pathway designs that the kids won't be able to resist.
Ultimately, the more natural the space, the better. Sand pits, interesting paths, sloped ramps for scooting or rollerblading, sensory gardens, swings, trampolines, and more can provide spaces for creativity and zones for exercise and enjoyment. If you need supplies like spades, mulch, edging, decorative rocks, and grass seed, feel free to browse the Kurtz Bros website or contact us anytime with your questions.