  Living in such a high-tech world, our kids prefer tech-based games to play with neighbourhood kids nowadays. So, there’s no doubt that you too have hard times when it comes to taking the kids outdoor, like so many other parents out there. Anyway, if you are one of those fellow parents searching for some effective ways to encourage your little one to explore the outdoor world, this post is absolutely for you. Here are a few ways you should try before you give up. Let’s check them out in the following:  Limit Electronic Gadgets Electronic gadgets have taken over the people all across the globe. We cannot even think of a single day without them, right? Likewise, children, from the very early age has been attracted to numerous electronic devices. So, it has become impossible to an extent to get rid of all sort of techy things no matter how hard you try. However, you still have the control to limit the access to those electronic gadgets you kids stick to every now and then. Set rules for the usage of gadgets and tell your kids to go outdoors and play with the neighbourhood kids.  Introduce Your Kids to Outdoor Environment At this stage, as a conscientious parent, your aim is to introduce your kids to the outdoor environment once you set the limit for electronic gadgets. To do this, you can simply decorate the backyard of your home in a kid-friendly way and take their toys out there. Now, ask them to play with their favourite toys like block and puzzles, playdough, outdoor playhouse, baby activity tables, etc. and explore new arrays of the games they love.  Invite Your Kids to Nature Once your kids are comfortable with the outdoor environment, it’s time you invite them to nature and show them the blessings. You can simply take your kid to the nearby park, playground, beach, river banks, hill slopes, and wherever in the green. You can even restart gardening with your little one and ask him/her to assist you in gardening chores. Nature can be the best alternative to get rid of techy gadgets at childhood days.  Introduce to Neighbourhood Kids Introducing your little one to the neighbourhood kids can be an effective way to encourage him/her to explore the outdoors. Besides, neighbourhood can be the best place to teach your kid different social skills as well. It’s true that your kid will feel like out of water at the very beginning but once they are comfortable with them, I bet, you’ll have a hard time taking him/her home from the neighbourhood.  Get Them the Right Outdoor Gear Getting the right outdoor gear can also contribute a lot to encourage your child to go outdoor and explore newer things. If your little one hardly wants to go outside, get him/her a Kid’s Binocular and teach how to use it properly to see distant objects. Once it learns and realises the beauty of nature, the pleasure of sightseeing and birdwatching, it’s more likely to go outdoor on its own. Last but not the least, be bright and encouraging with the kids, make them excited about the outdoor, and follow the tricks above. We expect that you will notice a positive change in your kid’s attitude towards outdoor soon. This guest post is from WelcomeParenthood "I am Angelica Murdock, a working Mom with two lovely children. I have a parenting blog https://www.welcomeparenthood.com/ where I share my personal experience as well as parenting tips, tricks, and guidelines to make parenting comparatively easy for working moms like me." 
 (Yep... affiliate links are included which means, if you buy through me, I get some coffee money ... though not enough for the raisin toast as well. Full disclosure listed below.) I don't know about you, but I grew up reading fairy tales- stories of adventure, daring exploits and impossible quests. Einstein once wrote, 'If you want your children to be intelligent read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, the nread them more fairy tales.' How much better for your kids or grandkids to create their own fairytale adventures than if they had their own fairy garden. Now, I've seen a lot of wonderful fairy gardens that others have created. They look great! There are even fairy garden kits you can buy to make a beautiful garden that would be a perfect setting for a fairy tale adventure. But I'm not great with gardening. So I wanted a garden that would be easy to create, easy to maintain.. and one that I could keep indoors. So... when I saw a listed Workshop with Botancials by Bella about making a terrarium in an afternoon, I thought this would be great for my indoor garden. The course was a lot of fun. and yes, I was happy with the results. So I'm sharing the technique with you so that you can have much fun making your own fairy garden as I did and sharing it with your kids or grandkids. (I hope my workshop expert thinks with my tutorial adequately explains the process!) If you want to do a workshop yourself, I can certainly recommend Botanicals by Bella- she runs a lot of different and interesting project workshops. ;) Here's how to make your own indoor fairy garden Supplies: 
Directions: 1. Create layers in your fairy garden using the different types of materials- sand, pebbles, sphagnum moss. Not only does this look great in your terrarium, it has a practical purpose in draining the soil while providing the nutrients for growth.  Begin with the clean river sand. Don't use sand from the beach as this will contain salt. Add handfuls of sand to your container and press firmly into place. Build up the sand more around the edge of the container and up the side a little. Try and keep a circular hollow area in the base of the container as this is where you will add some handfuls of potting mix. Add extra sand and potting mix until this layer is level. Just ensure that the potting mix remains in the centre. You don't want to see it from the sides. Now, add some more sand on top of the potting mix and continue to press down firmly.  Now.. add a wide ring of pebbles around the edge. Bring the thickness up to about 5cm depending on the size of your container. Fill the centre of this layer with dampened sphagnum moss. 2. Add some height and landscaping to your garden. Add more handfuls of sand to the centre of your gardening bring it up a bit in height towards the back of your garden. Choose 2or 3 large smooth rocks and place them towards the back of the garden, too. Use your green moss and push gently into place behind the rocks and down and sides a little.  3. Plant some foliage- green moss and mini ferns are good choices Use your finger to push a hole into the sand behind the rocks. Gently push a mini fern into the hole. Add some extra sand around the fern if needed. Add a couple more terrarium plants to your garden. Think about the size of these plants and place the bigger ones towards the back and low growing plants at the front.  4. Include foreground features- pebbles and green moss Think about the front of your garden. Choose 2 different types of pebbles and add them in the garden to create areas of interest. You maight like to use some to make a garden path or another area. Extra green moss can be placed in the foreground too for more interest.  5. Add your fairy garden accessories You'll find plenty of options and choices to include in your inddor fairy garden. There are cute little stools and chairs, bright coloured toadstools even fairy cottages. But you can even make these little accents. I've include a number of links on my Pinterest board to help you make your own, if you wish.  creating Keep extra fairy garden accents and replace them regularly especially if your grandkids are visiting. They will love looking for the changes and new accessories in this mini fairy garden and I'm sure they will create special stories and fairy garden adventures. Low maintenance. This terrarium fairy garden is relatively easy to care for. First, find a position indoors that is bright and airy but will not be in full sunshine. Although the terrarium needs to be kept moist, too much water is as damaging as not enough. If you think there may be too much moisture, hold the container above your head and check the condition of the sand/potting mix in the base. When it needs more moisture, use a spray bottle. I find the garden is happier if I spray the garden every 2-3 days with a fine misting. If you run into trouble or need some more maintenance tips, check out the Terrarium Survival Guide from Botanicals by Bella. Give it a try yourself. I think you'll enjoy making your garden and creating family fun with your kids or grandkids. I know they will love to play with your fairy garden and create exciting adventures. 
 Disclosure: At Grandma's Place is committed to high standards of integrity and quality. I do not promote any brand I do not believe meets these standards, and I only promote brands I would purchase myself.
If I don't love it, or I don't think you'll love it, it won't appear on my blog.  'Where flowers bloom so does hope.' - Ladybird Johnson I remember, as a child, being sent out into the garden to find a flower or two for our kitchen table. We had a large garden and there was usually an hibiscus, perhaps some frangipani or, even better, a rose. The flowers generally needed replacing every couple of days since neither frangipani nor hibiscus are long-living. But I loved to search for a bright blossoms. It added such a cheerful accent to the kitchen table. The whole day seemed brighter. Brighten your home and create a positive mood at the same time One of the easiest ways to brighten up your home is by decorating with flowers. If you have a garden, then you might consider planting flowers that you can cut and bring indoors. By planting flowers that bloom all season long you can easily decorate with them until the cold hits in autumn. Not only do flowers look bright and cheerful, they have been found to have a positive effect on people's moods. One study (Rutgers, University of New Jersey) found that flowers produce both an immediate and long term uplift in mood- happiness, less depression, higher sense of life satisfaction. Further studies found that those who dined at restaurants where fresh flowers decorated the tables seemed in better moods. An increase in cognitive performance has been observed in offices with flowers and plants. The bright blooms seem to chase away anxieties and the blues. Another behavioral research study conducted by Nancy Etcoff, found that... 'the morning blahs, it turns out, is a real phenomenon'. The study also found that those who began their day with positive moods – happiness, friendliness and warmth, for example – continued to be cheerful and positive through most of the day. Etcoff adds, “Interestingly, when we placed a small bouquet of flowers into their morning routines, people perked up.” What better way, then, to introduce a quality, cheerful tone and ambiance to your homelife than with a simple bouquet of flowers. Here's how.....  Flower arrangement tips and ideas for beginners *Before you begin, trim on the diagonal the stems of your flowers before arranging them. It will allow the flowers to drink up plenty of water. (If your roses are a bit limp, trim the stems and plunge into a deep bucket of water up to their heads and even over. Some flowers, like roses, will absorb water through their petals.) *Remove any leaves that will be below the water line. This will prevent the leaves rotting. *If you're using flowers with long stems in a tall vase, ensure that the container has a heavy base. (You don't want it toppling over.) The finished height of the arrangement should be roughly 1 1/2 times the height of the container. *As a rule of thumb, use an odd number of main flowers in your arrangement.. it's not so important for smaller, filler flowers. This will result in an arrangement that looks balanced, more appealing to the eye. *And your flower arrangements don't have to be huge. A lovely bowl of flowers can be just as pleasing as a large vase arrangement. *Don't cut your stems of flowers and foliage too long. Consider the height of your arrangement. *Yes, foliage is important. But you can use what you find in your garden. Begin with small leaved greenery until you become more confident. Simple asparagus fern, spinning gum or callistemon work well and even herbs like rosemary would be fine. *Use the containers you already own.. you can create some truly beautiful arrangements in a teacup. Small bowls work well as do teapots, jugs, small watering cans or even large shells. If you're using a container with not much height, it will probably be best to use some florist foam (Oasis.) Just cut off a piece to fit your container, soak for about 15 minutes. Then push it firmly into your container. Arrange your flowers by pushing them firmly into the florist foam. You will find that you can cut the stems of your flowers and foliage a little shorter when using the foam since you push the stems roughly halfway into the foam to secure in place.  Use flowers from your garden Decorating with flowers doesn’t have to be expensive. Try looking around your garden and use what you see growing. You don't need a lot of flowers to make a beautiful home accent. For example, do you grow agapanthus? Pick one stem and add it to a container so that the bloom forms a dome at the top of your container. Now, pop some foliage stems and a couple of other flowers between the agapanthus flowerlets and you're done.. easy. Begin now and plant some flowers that you can use later in your home arrangements. Download the FREE guide to easy to grow and easy to use flowers for arrangements. why not try to involve your kids and encourage them to help out in your flower garden? They'll love to water the growing plants and pick the flowers as they bloom. You can even grow flowers that kids can eat. Make smoothies for your kids and they can sprinkle the top with nuts, seeds, muesli and ..... petals. (Violas, nasturtium, calendula and rose petals to name just a few..) Don't forget to add some foliage To add some flare to your floral arrangements don’t forget to use some of the leaves that grow with your flowers. Hosta leaves help add a wonderful touch of green to indoor flower arrangements too. You probably have a variety of grasses growing in your garden and these can be used to make your dinner settings stand out. Simply use a grass such as maiden grass of about 20cm long and tie around your cutlery and fasten with a knot. To add color to your setting pick a small handful of pansies or daises and tie them into a bouquet as well. Maiden grass dries extremely well and will keep for up to one year so you can easily reuse them over and over again. If you find the grass is getting a little brittle then spray very lightly with a little hair gel. Works wonderfully!  Creating Bouquet Arrangements Top floral designers are experimenting with creating tiered bouquets for the home and you can easily accomplish this, too. All you need for your tiered bouquet are two glass bowls which can be stacked on top of each other. Then simply fill with a mixture of small and large seasonal flowers. For example, in the spring you can mix pansies and nemesia or forget-me-nots and use larger flowers such as columbine and violas. In the sample one above, I used button chrysanthemums and baby's breath. First start by stacking your pedestal bowl on top of the larger one and then add water to both bowls. Use smaller blossoms for the base of the bowls and press the stems into the water. Then take your larger blossoms and cut the stems so they fit inside the bowl, simply insert these blossoms throughout your flower bouquet. If you don’t have a pedestal-type bowl you can use small individual glass bowls and place them around your home. If you are having dinner guests, you could place small flower arrangements at their place setting. Other simple ideas Peonies, hibiscus or frangipani look wonderful floating in a small bowl of water. To keep the peony above the water, place a small ball of bubble wrap underneath it for support. Use grasses or leaves to add a touch of green to the bowl. Check out some of the other simple floral arrangement ideas below. 'Don't wait for someone to bring you flowers. Download this FREE guide to find easy-to-grow flowers for your own garden and easy-to-arrange flowers and start creating a cheerful, warm home atmosphere. 
     A lot of people think that growing fruit and vegetables in their garden is going to be a challenge. After all, they need TLC in order to grow into healthy and mouthwatering delights that we can eat with our family. But it can also be an enjoyable experience which might cut the cost of your grocery bill! Here are some reasons why growing your own fruit and vegetables is a must for your garden.  You get to eat them fresh from the ground The best thing about growing fruit and vegetables is that you have easy access to great food without having to even leave your home! Once they have been fully developed, they can be made for your whole family to enjoy with their dinner! And there is nothing more rewarding than tucking into some fruit or veg that you have spent the time and effort growing yourself! Also, fruit and vegetables which you can fresh from the ground are much healthier for your family than the ones you buy at the local grocers! After all, they haven’t been sprayed with any chemicals and haven’t been stored for ages. It can be an excellent way to destress You might not realize that growing fruit and vegetables is one way to destress when you have had a challenging day. In fact, a lot of people with depression head outside to help improve their emotional well-being. It gives you a much-needed boost when you look after your fruit and vegetables and see them come into formation. Not only that, but getting outside in the fresh air can help you get all your necessary nutrients which will lift your mood. Therefore, start growing some today to find a hobby that can help you unwind once you get home after work. It’s fun and educational for kids It’s so much fun for children to help grow fruit and vegetables in the garden. They get to see how it ends up on their plate. It often boosts them to eat the delicious food once they have fully formed, which might typically be a challenge! You should let them get involved in taking care of them so that they pick up skills that they can use in school. During the winter months, you might want to consider installing a greenhouse in the yard where you can grow your fruit and vegetables. A lean-to greenhouse is often a top choice as it doesn’t take up too much room in your yard. It’s ideal to add color to your garden When we add beautiful plants and flowers to our garden, we are hoping it will make our yard look much more appealing. And even though fruit and vegetables are grown to be enjoyed in the kitchen, they can also add beauty and color to the backyard. As this feature says, crisp cucumbers and ripening strawberries can make a backyard look rather beautiful. Make sure you choose colorful fruit and vegetables to help enhance your garden. And remember growing your own fruit and vegetables gives you a reason to get outside more in your yard.   All kids love sweet treats and junk food, but as a role model in their life, it’s your job to teach them the importance of healthy eating. The chances are that their parents want them to be as healthy as possible, so as their grandparent, it’s your job to lend a hand. Grandmas are known for treating their grandchildren to their favourite sweets and cakes. But as a grandparent, it’s also important to teach your grandkids about being healthy. Of course, getting children to eat their greens is no easy task. However, with a little creativity, it's possible to help your grandchildren become healthier. Bake healthy treats  If you love to bake with your grandchildren that’s all well and good, but you don’t want to be giving them snacks filled with sugar on a daily basis. So get creative and start baking healthier treats. Believe it or not, almost all sweet treats can be made healthy. It’s just a case of changing some of the ingredients. There are plenty of recipes online for healthy cakes and bakes, such as brownies and flapjacks. Teach your grandchildren to cook  As well as teaching your grandchildren to bake, take the time to teach them to cook healthy, wholesome food. If a child has cooked something themselves, they’re twice as likely to want to eat it, even if it is healthy. So spend time cooking healthy meals with your grandchildren, and you can encourage them to be healthier. You don’t have to make all the meals from scratch; you could use a meal delivery service to make cooking easier. These services send you everything that you need to cook a healthy, delicious meal. So all you need to do is pop it in the oven or pan and cook it. This makes cooking with the grandchildren much easier. Grow fruit and vegetables together  One of the best ways to get little ones to eat fruits and vegetables that they’re not keen on is to grow them together. The thing is, if a child grows a fruit or vegetable themselves, they’re more likely to want to try it. So, if you have the space in your garden, create a vegetable patch and plant a few fruit bushes and trees. This will not only make your grandchildren more likely to try new foods but will also teach them about where fruits and vegetables come from. Make healthy foods fun  Remember, it’s important that healthy foods are fun. It can be hard to make all healthy foods fun, but there are ways to do so. For finding ideas, Pinterest is an amazing resource, as are parenting forums. The key to success is serving fruits and vegetables in different ways, rather than just chopped up on a plate. Instead of giving your grandchild a raw apple as a snack, coat the slices in peanut butter. Or, instead of giving them raw pepper and carrot batons to snack on, roast them and serve them with hummus and pita bread. The more fun you can make healthy foods, the better. Encouraging your grandchildren to be healthier doesn’t have to be a struggle. It’s just a case of knowing how to go about it; that’s all.   It's wet and miserable today, with sudden downpours of rain that are too heavy for a fun walk in the rain and certainly too cold to take two small boys puddle jumping. But they will be here soon looking for an exciting afternoon adventure with grandma. Fortunately, I've stocked up on indoor activities for just such a situation. Today's plan?... a wonderful mini vegetable garden.  'Woolworths Fresh Food' store's latest shopping incentive for families and the latest in their range of collectible cards, is Jamie Oliver's Garden. The collectible cards are very attractive with some textured, embossed and even heat sensitive that change if you hold your finger on the print. There are also some cards that are fragrant.  An optional journal can be purchased to store the cards and stickers or you could also buy a coordinated designer tin. I noticed that, among other matching items that can be purchased, there were some small aprons, gardening trowels and watering cans. So I stocked up on those items for the boys. You have to look the part.. it's half the fun! And... I bought the mini-greenhouse. It's really great. There is a shallow rectangular tray as the base ready to fill with the provided potting mix.  The rest of the greenhouse is pre-printed and cut clear plastic ready to be assembled. When finished, it rests on the tray and is easily removed to water the garden. Stickers are provided to decorate the greenhouse and herb seeds are included ready to sprinkle over the tray of potting mix. It's very simple and lots of fun. But if you can't obtain one of these little greenhouse kits, you can still create your own.  You will need: * large clear plastic drinking glass (You can use any container but I used plastic for safety with small boys. A glass or plastic jar, bowl or container would look very attractive. Be imaginative.) * small amount of gravel for drainage *filtering charcoal if you have any but it's not essential *potting mix * herb seeds or seedlings (chives, cress, mint, oregano,parsley) *colourful stickers *herb labels are optional but look great to pop in amongst your herbs. You can find some to download here.. The instructions are simple: add some gravel in the base of your clear container, then some charcoal, if you have some. Half-fill the container with potting mix and sprinkle with the herb seeds. If you have seedlings, gently plant these in the potting mix. Don't over-fill your container.  Then add some stickers to the outside of your container. (The boys wanted to addlots to their garden container.)
Don't forget to water your mini-garden; that's a big part of the fun for small boys. It might be better to use a spray bottle of water to avoid drowning the seedlings. And, once the herbs begin to grow, they can be pinched off to use in cooking, added to butter for a herb spread or sprinkled over salads. |
Life as a grandma.. it's no 'quiet, restful days in the rocking-chair'. It's filled with activity, excitement and lots of family fun. Please share it with me.
 
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