From Lawn to Nature's Playground

I've been thinking more and more about getting rid of my lawn. I'm dreaming of rocks, sticks, woodchips, flowers, and a teepee for my kids to play with. We don't have a big yard attached to our suburban duplex, and half of what we do have is the domain of the vegetable garden. The greatest would be a home on the outskirts of town with trees to climb, water to play with, chickens to care for, and hiding places to find. But we are where we are, and my desire is to make what we have an amazing place to play-- to bring some of nature's bounty into our small spot.

I just read through Sunflower Houses : Inspiration from the Garden - A Book for Children and Their Grown-Ups, a really neat book about enjoying nature with our kids. The book is simple and beautiful, and it is filled with amazing and creative ways to participate with our children in the magic of nature: With our gardens, leaves, and flowers we can make things like hollyhock dolls, clover chains, lavender wands, and sunflower houses. After reading this book I feel totally inspired to transform our flat boring lawn into a small but magical natural area filled with opportunities for my kids to be creative. I envision a vine-covered teepee hideout, rocks and sticks, flowering plants, and a bench in the shade of our tree.

What are your favorite childhood memories of enjoying nature? How will you include your own children in nature's beauty this summer?


Related posts/links:
Garden, Not Lawn
Confessions of a Mother
Lasagna Gardening
Our Children Are Our Best Teachers