Keeping the children entertained over the school break is not for the faint-hearted.

It can end up costing a small fortune on day trips out and activity camps to prevent the onset of boredom.

There are any number of activities for children to do indoors, but there’s nothing quite like kids spending time outside in the garden, improving their social and independence skills.

No lawn? No problem. There’s always artificial grass to let you transform your backyard into the perfect play area for the little ones.

Here are just a handful of ideas to occupy your children in the garden this summer:

Make Your Own Sprinkler!

Have you got an empty plastic bottle? Hold off on putting it in the recycling bin! Make sure it’s clean and use a drill to make small holes in the sides of the bottle. Then tape the end of a hosepipe to the bottleneck using a strong, hardware tape. Turn on the tap and water will squirt out of the holes in the bottle when it becomes full. Perfect to keep the kids cool on warmer days – and so much fun!

Homemade Obstacle Course

Encourage your children to set and beat their own record time whilst completing a homemade obstacle course! Create obstacles by laying down a blanket for them to crawl under, marking a spot to do ten star jumps and using an old cardboard box to jump over. If you have an artificial lawn, you won’t have to worry about creating bald spots on the grass, and the whole family can help to gather items, set up the obstacles and participate in a bit of healthy, family-friendly competition.

Water Painting

Children love to get creative with paints – but aren’t often so keen on cleaning up afterwards! Instead, let their creativity run wild with a paintbrush and a jar of water on the garden path. They can even paint the garden wall or fence with the only ‘mess’ being a little spilled water.

Painting and Planting Flower Pots

If you don’t mind a little mess, let their creative juices flow with colour by encouraging them to decorate their very own flowerpot! Use paints and glitter (if you’re feeling really brave!) to personalise the pot and coat with a specialist lacquer to prevent the design from weathering. Once it’s dry, teach the kids how to plant some pretty flowers inside and they’ll be so happy to have made a beautiful contribution to the family garden.


If you’re interested in creating a family-friendly garden, the incorporation of artificial grass could be for you.

Artificial grass can be laid on almost any surface, and is a great way to remove all the hassle and fuss of your outdoor space.

Your lawn will be perfectly pruned and green all year round, and its durability means there’s no risk of bald spots from outdoor games.

As well as not needing to be cut, artificial grass even drains water away like the real thing.

If you want to learn more about how artificial grass can transform your outdoor space, contact Cumbria Building Supplies on 01228 525 104 , or visit their website: www.cumbriabuildingsupplies.co.uk.