Hi Cathy,
I agree with you that the winter can sometimes feel like there aren't many sensory experiences for kiddos in the garden. Below are some ideas for you to increase the winter interest of your space so it feels more engaging:
-Evergreens in your garden will add green all through the winter and attract birds. You can adorn them with bird feeders and garlands. If it's too late to plant this year, you could put greens or old Christmas trees in containers around your space and decorate those.
-Leaving seedheads up will also add texture/interest and attract birds
-Creating signage will add color and information to engage with
-Building fort like structures with saplings can create spaces to play, decorate, hang feeders and wind chimes
-Sculpture and garden art can be an attraction for people and critters
-Tracking weather with rain gauges and snow measuring sticks can be a fun winter activity as well
I am sure others have lots more ideas, but here are the ones that are coming to mind for me now. Hope this is helpful. Have fun out there!
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Em Shipman
Executive Director
KidsGardening
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-23-2021 11:51:12 AM
From: cathy Hartenstein
Subject: need color in drab winter garden!
Those who teach in children's gardens in Winter - like bare-tree, mostly browns, dead grass kind of winters - how to you bring color and interest to them? I will be teaching parent-child Winter nature classes in my own yard(not a school program) and while I know there are things to explore and are cool and pretty in the perennial beds and trees when we look close and use some crafty materials, the space is still SO bare from Dec - March. I am ok with teaching that this is the color of nature here at this time, but also want it to feel inviting and stimulating and a big magical for the kids and the parents. I am finding that challenging to create when things aren't in blooming and vegetable bed is asleep. Any thoughts for how to incorporate colorful "touches" or some kind of nature creations/ornaments would be welcome!
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cathy Hartenstein
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