July is often synonymous with vacations and family time. To make the most of the fine weather, why not consider a few fun and instructive activities to enjoy with your children in your garden? From caring for flowers to discovering the little animals in the garden, here are 7 ideas for activities to keep children busy while discovering the world around them.
1. Taking care of garden flowers
In July, flowers are in full bloom and need special care to stay healthy and beautiful. Teach your children how to look after them: regular watering, removing weeds, pruning wilted flowers… They’ll love taking part in the care of these colorful, fragrant plants!
Sowing vegetables for summer
Why not take this opportunity to introduce your children to gardening by sowing vegetables together? Radishes, green beans, cherry tomatoes…
The possibilities are endless, and children will be proud to watch their plants grow and then harvest the fruits of their labor.
2. Tidying up and cleaning the garden shed
Summer is also a good time to tidy up the garden shed. Ask your children to help you sort, organize and clean out the tools, pots and other objects that may be in the shed.
This activity will not only make the space more pleasant and functional, but will also teach children the importance of tidiness and cleanliness.
Create a space dedicated to children
To motivate children to get involved in tidying up, suggest that they create a space specially dedicated to their activities in the garden: a corner for drawing or painting in the open air, a small personal vegetable garden, a relaxation area with cushions and deckchairs… Let their imaginations run wild!
3. Prepare DIY outdoor games
The garden is an ideal playground for children, especially in summer. To vary the pleasures and encourage their creativity, suggest they make their own outdoor games from simple, recycled materials: chamboule-tout with tin cans, an obstacle course with wooden pallets, pétanque with tennis balls…
There’s no shortage of ideas, and children will be delighted to play with their own creations.
Organize a family Olympiad
Once you’ve made your DIY games, organize a friendly competition between all the family members. Whether it’s a sporting event, a game of skill or an artistic challenge, the most important thing is to have a good time together and share a few laughs!
4. Observe and care for small garden animals
The garden is a veritable ecosystem populated by many small animals, often unknown to children. Take the time to show them the different species present (insects, birds, hedgehogs…) and explain their role in nature.
You can also teach them how to help them by offering them shelter or food, for example by installing a bird feeder.
Create an insect hotel
To take things a step further, get your children to build an insect hotel from recycled materials:
- hollow bricks,
- tiles,
- pieces of wood…
This fun and educational activity will help them better understand the importance of biodiversity and environmental protection.
5. Cool off with water games
In July, the heat can quickly become stifling. To cool off and have fun at the same time, there’s nothing like water games! Water guns, water-filled balloons, misters… There are plenty of options to suit all ages.
Just make sure you don’t waste water unnecessarily, and choose times when the sun isn’t at its zenith to avoid heatstroke.
Organize a water painting session
Another idea for combining fun and refreshment: get the kids to create outdoor works of art using water-based paint. Easy to prepare and clean up, this activity will also help develop their creativity and fine motor skills.
6. Go treasure hunting in the garden
To stimulate children’s spirit of adventure and discovery, organize a treasure hunt in your garden. Hide a variety of objects (small toys, figurines, sweets…) and write clues to guide children to their location.
You can even create a scenario and dress it up as a fantasy or historical quest to make the activity even more captivating!
Create a family herbarium
In parallel with the treasure hunt, suggest that the children create a herbarium using plants and flowers found in the garden. They’ll learn to identify the different plant species, and keep a nice souvenir of their summer discoveries.
7. Cooking with garden produce
After spending some time growing vegetables and herbs, it’s time to make the most of them by cooking them together. Mixed salads, vegetable kebabs, homemade pesto…
Summer recipes are numerous and delicious. What’s more, cooking with the kids helps them acquire culinary skills and discover new flavors.
Blind tasting
To add a playful touch to this activity, organize a blind tasting with the different preparations made. Children will have to recognize the ingredients, and will appreciate the fruits of their labor all the more!
