The warm weather invites you to relax in the garden. Children in particular are looking forward to the coming summer and enjoy spending time outdoors. Of course, it's twice as much fun when it's equipped with numerous facilities such as a slide, climbing wall, playhouse, a self-made mud kitchen and a sandpit. With a little skill, anyone can put together a playground for the garden themselves. As inspiration, we offer you 40 projects for child-friendly outdoor areas. Let yourself be inspired and maybe you will find an idea that you can realize yourself!
Build a safe playground for the children
Hard to believe, but true - there is a risk of injury in your own garden. In contrast to the kindergarten and the playground in the public park, where the children always play under supervision, they are oftenin your own outdoor arealeft alone. Caution is required to ensure that no accidents occur. A well-thought-out garden concept and a safe playground are therefore an absolute must. Also important – the children should stick to the rules of the game.
The first step to a child-friendly garden is to create a sketch. The dangerous places can be identified straight away - water sources such as pools, rain barrels and garden ponds should be fenced off so that children do not have access to them. It is better to let unstable trees fall. You can either mark poisonous plants with a sign or remove them. Once this preparatory work has been completed, you can use the sketch to select the appropriate location for the garden playground.
The right location
The appropriate location is on a lawn with a fence or stone wallshielded from the street. It is also important that you can always watch the children playing - even when you are relaxing on the terrace or preparing food in the kitchen. You should also think about the right wind and sun protection. A minimum distance of 4-5 meters from the neighboring house makes sense.
Choose age-appropriate devices
Although most manufacturers offer ready-made playground systems that combine several pieces of play equipment, this is rather unfavorable. It is better to only choose age-appropriate devices. For small children up to 3-4 years old, it is advisable to avoid swings, trampolines and slides - instead you can opt for a playhouse, a sandpit and a spring seesaw. Various games such as bowling can complete the play area. Pictured above – a garden bench has been converted into a sandpit.
Older children (i.e. from 5 years old) will then be able to do soa tree house with a climbing wall, look forward to the slide, carousel and swing. In addition, school-age children like to play balance games such as hopscotch, love hanging bridges and need their own realm (for example the tree house or playhouse mentioned above). These systems offer the opportunity to divert the attention of active children from dangerous places (tall trees, plants with thorns, etc.). In the photo gallery below you will find various garden projects for outdoor playgrounds - get inspired.
Large format playground for the garden
Large families in particular will be thrilled by the project above - there is nothing missing in this garden. The design was inspired by the film Cowboys and Indians - the theme is interpreted in a child-friendly way. The spaceship on the left is a cozy gazebo where the little ones can relax. The playhouse on the right offers storage space for balls, toys and accessories. The lawn is ideal for playing bowling or football and there are three small children's tables with art supplies on the sunny terrace.
With paint, adhesive tape and decorative stones, the playhouse becomes a spaceship - and the little astronauts can give free rein to their imagination. Many adventures await you in the garden. In any case, safety should come first here. The right surface for the outdoor playground helps reduce the risk of injury and breakage. Fall protection mats are non-slip, can be set up on different surfaces and offer a wide range of uses on the playground. They also score points when it comes to hygiene – they are easy to clean. The lawn grid panels offer another variant - they impress with a natural look, can be installed even in hilly locations and offer fall protection up to a height of 2 meters.
Inspired by the fairy tale “Snow White”.
The next project is inspired by the fairy tale “Snow White” - Disney presented the feature film “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” in 1937, which caused a sensation at the time. Even almost 100 years later, the Disne interpretation is still very popular. The most important scenes from the fairy tale can be recreated in a large garden. Of course, the House of the Seven Dwarfs should not be missed. There, children can organize tea parties with dolls and stuffed animals, read books or simply relax in the shade.
A great project was then realized in the backyard - dollhouses, garden gnomes and of course the Snow White figure contribute to the charming arrangement. The toy train, which connects the individual elements in a creative way, provides variety. The children can imagine themselves in different roles and let their creativity run wild - fun is guaranteed. At the same time, the design is extremely compact and ideal even for small gardens. Even more so - unlike other playgrounds, the project pictured above can be dismantled in no time and stored in the garden shed for the winter.
Alice in Wonderland
The children's book "Alice in Wonderland" was published in 1871 - today it is one of the most popular stories for children. The next project is inspired by this - the mushroom figures are cast from concrete and serve as a table and chairs. Of course, you need to be careful when setting it up because the concrete furniture should be very stable on the floor to avoid injuries. If you don't feel confident enough, you can get advice or simply buy a ready-made seating area. The three parasols provide shade for the cozy outdoor seating area where people can play, paint and climb. Of course, a toy train shouldn't be missing here either. In any case, setting it up is time-consuming and you need to have a certain amount of experience so that you can master the task without any problems. But you can simply lay paving stones and the little ones can ride their ride-on.
If the children are not allowed to play in the pool or garden pond, an alternative must be offered - the water games shown above have been successful in the USA. Special films are glued to the non-slip fall protection mats. Built-in splashes provide cooling on those hot summer days.
Pirate ship in the garden invites you to have outdoor adventures
Yo-ho-ho! The pirate ship in the garden is the highlight of the next DIY project. Actually, the owners simply modified an old boat. The paint was sanded off, the wood was repainted, benches were built. A plastic knight's castle leads from one side, and a rope bridge leads to the ship from the other side. The play area borders directly on the pool and exotic plants such as palm trees and ferns are planted around it - the imaginative design makes us think of onedreaming about a distant island.
The project was inspired by the film series “Escape from the Caribbean” – the setting actually offers the opportunity to organize treasure hunts or celebrate children’s birthdays in the garden. Of course, smaller children are only allowed to play next to the pool under supervision.
Another variant for the allotment garden – pirate ship in the middle of the flower bed. The blue hydrangeas create an optical illusion and resemble waves. Details such as rudders, gas lamps, binoculars and of course the treasure chest add the finishing touches to the design.
A summer cinema with a pirate look: old beer barrels become chairs, the television is “hidden” in a treasure chest. So nothing stands in the way of pleasant evenings with friends in the garden!
Design a playground for the little fairy
A magically beautiful playground for the little fairy - the playhouse offers the perfect opportunity to invite your friends to a tea party.
Stepping stones lead to a charming seating area next to the second playhouse. Of course, a small fairy figure on the tree trunk should not be missing - the project was inspired by the character Tinkerbell from the film “Peter Pan”. The name of the spirited fairy comes from English and is translated as “bell”. By the way, the owners made almost all of the furniture and decorations from the project themselves - the flowers are made of fabric, the stools are real tree trunks, the playhouse is made of cardboard and decorated with stickers.
Playground fromFilm“Frozen” inspired
The American film “Frozen” became popular worldwide. The family that chose the theme has three daughters, who are also among the many young fans of the film series. Artificial snow, a dollhouse and of course a comfortable seating area in blue form the perfect background for the climbing bridge over the pool and the sleigh right next to it.
“The Little Mermaid”
It was clear at the beginning that the children's pool would be colorfully decorated - the parents surprised their daughter with a poster from the film “The Little Mermaid”. Other maritime decorative elements such as lanterns, sea shells and fishing nets complete the look. Here too, caution is advised – children should only play in the pool under supervision.
No matter whether big or small - there is always a free niche in the garden for the outdoor playground. The right location is shielded from prying eyes, offers sun and wind protection and is at a distance of 5 meters from the neighboring house. The playground consists of a play area with a swing, slide and sandpit, and an area where the children can relax - a playhouse, tent or climbing castle. Age-appropriate equipment guarantees fun, and the right surface protects against injuries. Homemade decorations put you in a good mood. Summer can come – now everyone will feel comfortable outdoors.
Mickey Mouse climbing tower andBridge
“The Secret Garden” theme for the outdoor playground
Playground for the garden – Sleeping Beauty climbing castle in the backyard
