To all of the parents that are homeschooling and juggling working and as well we know how stressed out you are, many of our team are in the same situation and we too shudder at thought of another Joe Wicks workout (sorry Joe)! So with this in mind we have collated four lockdown garden activities for kids to use up an a few hours during the school week, or even at the weekend because who knows what day it is at the moment anyway?!
Building a bug hotel in January will give insects such as wild bees, butterflies, moths, lacewings, spiders, ladybirds time to settle in. Build in a sunny spot that is sheltered from wind and rain and by the time spring and summer arrives your hotel will be a hive of activity.
We've added some inspiration below from our recent Instagram saves.
@house_behind_the_mill
@house_behind_the_mill
@my_little_allotment
Sow seeds - what to plant in January and February
As far as lockdown garden activities go planting seeds should be one of them! There's loads of edibles that can be planted now and kept on a warm windowsill where children can keep an eye out for the seeds germinating. Chilli, aubergine, broad beans, lettuces, salad onions, spinach, cauliflower and many more vegetable and salad varieties can be sown in January and February. Sowing plants indoors now will ensure seedlings are ready to transplant into bigger pots or raised beds, vegetable plots of containers in the spring.
For flowers; plant sweet peas indoors or create a wildflower container that can be stored outdoors in a sheltered area or in a greenhouse. For loads of helpful advice on what vegetables and flowers to sow in January and February head to the RHS website.
Giving kids ownership of their own growing space also means they are more likely to be invested once the seeds you sow are transplanted in the spring. A raised bed can be a great way to do this, being raised off the ground also makes it easier for youngsters to reach.
Here's three quick-to-build raised beds that children will love.
It may not look like a hive of activity but our gardens are still full of life at this time of year. Go on a bug hunt and lift up rocks, look under bushes, on the underside of leaves and try and find and identify as many different creatures as possible.
The RSPB's Big Bird Watch runs from 29th - 31st January, download a spotters kit to see how many different birds visit your garden over those three days.
