Irresistible Ideas for play based learning

Recently when we updated our “Hush Garden” we were pleasantly surprised at how little it cost us to do.

Naturally we didn’t have to pay for labour as the children along with the two of us and our work colleague Pauline did all the work ourselves.

Then again it wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun, or anywhere near as satisfying, if we’d paid someone else to come in and create OUR special place!

Jenny over at “Let the children play” posted a wonderful series recently on “how to create irresistible play spaces for children”  and we offered to put together a costing of our “Hush Garden” in order to support her wonderful information and encourage others to have a go at creating an irresistible outdoor play space.

Just for the record our “Hush Garden” space measures …

• 4 meters along the front of the picture from right to left.
• 11 meters along the left side up to the big willow tree.
• 7 meters across the fence line at the top end.
• 9.5 meters along the hedge down the right hand side.

These are the materials we used

Lilydale toppings (a locally quarried gravel) used for the paths.

Tuscan Pebbles used for the dry creek bed.

Large river rocks used to line the creek bed

Flowering Gum Trees – ‘Eucalyptus leucoxylon’ dwarf form,

planted in the raised garden bed.

Australian native grass and flowering plants, included throughout the Hush Garden, dry creek bed, wine barrels and playground.

Australian native lemon grass plants, placed along the dry creek bed.

1/2 wine barrels

Sleeper bridge

Rustic logs and posts

Small river rocks

Bird bath made from a log and large plastic plant saucer.

Mosaic pavers created by the children.

Garden ornaments

Bird Feeder

Friendship Poles

Costing for our “Hush Garden”

• 1 meter  Lilydale toppings @ $80.00 cubic meter =  $ 80.00
• 1/2 meter  Tuscan Pebbles  @ $ 83.00 cubic meter =  $ 41.50
• 30 River rocks  @ $130.00 cubic meter =  $ 26.00
• 3 x Dwarf Gum Trees – approx’ 1 meter tall @ $30.00 each = $ 90.00
• 5 x Native Grasses in 6″ pots @ $10.00 each =  $ 50.00
• 2 dozen assorted Austalian native plants in 6″ pots @ $ 2.00 each =  $ 48.00
• 3 x Lemon grass plants in 6″ pots @ $10.00 each =  $ 30.00
• 2 x 1/2 wine barrels @ $45.00 each  =  $ 90.00
• 1 x 9′ sleeper  (we had at kinder )  @ $ 21.50 each = *no cost
• 1 x 3m posts (we had at kinder) @ 27.50 each = *no cost
• small river rocks (we had at kinder) @ $130.00 cubic meter = *no cost
• Bird bath (we had at kinder) large plant saucer @ $4.95 = *no cost
• Garden ornaments (donated by Matthew’s family) = *no cost
• Bird feeder (donated by Matthew’s family ) = *no cost
• Friendship Poles created by the children = * no cost
• Mosaic pavers created by the children = * no cost

• Total Cost = $455.50 + approximately $100.00 worth of material we didn’t need to purchase!

Creating this beautiful spaces has nurtured a real sense of ownership for our children. They are extremely proud of what they have achieved and love showing it off to their families and other visitors to our kinder . We have noticed the children have become big fans of group projects over this term, revelling in creating not only the Hush Garden together, but the “Spore Project” and Friendship Poles too.  We like to think this has all been a great lesson in - ”Together Everyone Achieves More” which is a wonderful learning outcome for all the children!

You may no be able to create a project on the same scale as we have here, but we would certainly encourage everybody to have a go on any scale.  Large or small, regardless of budget, there are amazing things you can do to “create irresistible play spaces for children“!