A Child's Garden

60 Ideas to Make Any Garden Come Alive for Children

Until recently, children played outdoors after school and in the summer. Today, however, children are more likely to spend their free time indoors, watching television, playing video games, or using a computer. But children thrive in the natural world — studies show that they work and mature better mentally, physically, and emotionally when exposed to nature. This book offers a wide range of innovative examples showing how to create special places in which children can experience nature on their own home turf. Featured throughout are miniature paradises that parents and grandparents have designed just for the children in their lives, highlighting an enchanting variety of elements that will make any garden come alive.

Media reviews of this book:

"[Dannenmaier] presents 60 vibrant and inspired landscape plans and innovative weekend projects designed to help motivated parents create imaginative havens that will appeal to both young ones and those who are young at heart."

—Carol Haggas, Booklist, December 15, 2007

"Packed with luscious photographs and simple techniques and structures you can use to nurture a child's wild side."

—Jessica Walliser, Hobby Farm Home, Summer 2008

"Filled with ideas, this book reveals how to turn any green space into an inspiring one. Find garden plans, learn how to nurture a youngster's green thumb or simply pillage the pages for great ideas for your own yard."

—Nashville Parent, May 2008

"Breathtaking photos. Brilliant ideas. Even if I didn't have a kid, the book would inspire me to be bold and playful in my landscaping."

—Growing Curious, February 3, 2008

"The book's pictures, taken in both private and public gardens from coast to coast, are inspiring. And the author's suggestions are so delightful, I soon found myself drawing up a list of new features I'd like to add for the kids in my life."

—Jan Riggenbach, Daily Herald (Chicago), February 2, 2008

An excerpt from this book:

To thrive children need complex environments. That much we adults have figured out. And in our attempts to help our children achieve success in an ever more complex world, we try to fill their lives with good things — challenging schooling, enriching extracurricular activities, high-powered computers, developmentally appropriate toys. When our children clamor to go outside, we erect swing sets and slides for them, enroll them in team sports, take them to zoos and adventure parks. But how often do we provide opportunities for our children to deeply explore their own home grounds? How important are the old childhood pleasures of collecting seed pods, fishing in ditches, making bowers, picking flowers, and climbing trees? What should yards have that will be of value to children? My childhood was spent in a variety of suburban tract houses with parceled-out yards enclosed by chain-link fences ...

Read the whole excerpt