Getting Kids Involved

Gardening is a wonderful way for kids to connect with nature, learn about the environment, and express their creativity. Crafting in the garden can also be a great way to make the garden more inviting to beneficial insects, like bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, while fostering an appreciation for wildlife conservation. In this article, we’ll explore several fun and easy gardening crafts that kids will love creating, from painted plant pots to birdhouses and hedgehog homes, all designed to make gardens both beautiful and nature-friendly.

Painted Plant Pots:

Adding Color to Your Garden

One of the simplest and most rewarding projects for kids is decorating plant pots! Not only do these painted pots brighten up a garden, but they can also be used to grow plants that attract pollinators by filling them with beautiful bee friendly flowers, such as sunflowers, lavender, or wildflowers. Kids will love expressing their creativity and getting involved in planting in their painted pots too.

Materials Needed:

• Clay plant pots
• Non toxic outdoor paint or acrylic paint (bright colors work best)
• Brushes, sponges, or stamps – you can use stencils too!

Steps:

1. Start by cleaning the pots to ensure the surface is smooth and free from dirt.
2. Let the kids pick their favorite colors and patterns. They can use a brush to create abstract patterns or design cute bees, flowers, or animals that represent nature.
3. Once the paint is dry, fill the pots up with soil, and add in your pollinator friendly flowers, place them outside and water the plants to let them settle in.

Lollipop Stick Plant Markers:

Easy, Eco-Friendly Labels

Lollipop stick plant markers are not only a fun craft but also an incredibly useful one for keeping track of the plants in your bee-friendly garden. Whether you are planting wildflowers or herbs that attract pollinators, these markers will help kids (and you!) remember what’s growing and where, while adding a personal touch to the garden.

Materials Needed:

• Lollipop sticks or popsicle sticks
• Permanent markers or paint
• Small embellishments (optional, like stickers or coloured tape)
• Clear varnish (optional)

Steps:

1. Start by having the kids write the names of plants or flowers that are bee-friendly, like lavender, allium, or daisy, on each stick using a permanent marker.
2. For a creative touch, let them decorate the sticks with paint or other craft supplies. They can draw bees, flowers, or even little bugs to go along with the plant names.
3. Once they’re finished, the markers can be sealed with a thin layer of clear varnish to help them last through the weather and stay vibrant.

These lollipop stick markers are a great way to make gardening educational for kids, as they’ll learn the names of different plants while helping to identify which ones are essential for pollinators.

Birdhouses:

Providing a Safe Haven for Feathered Friends

A birdhouse is an essential part of a nature-friendly garden, offering shelter and safety for local birds. By building and decorating a birdhouse, kids can play an active role in creating a welcoming space for local wildlife. Birds not only bring beauty and joy to the garden but also play an important role in pest control, helping to keep insects like aphids under control.

Materials Needed:

• Pre-made wooden birdhouse (or supplies to build one from scratch)
• Non-toxic paints
• Brushes or sponges or stencils
• Decorative items (feathers, leaves, ribbons, etc.)

Steps:

1. If using a pre-made birdhouse, kids can paint and decorate it however they like. It’s best to use non-toxic paint to keep the birdhouse safe for the birds and the environment.
2. Encourage kids to paint the birdhouse in vibrant colors or nature-inspired designs, such as flowers or leafy patterns.
3. Once dry, the birdhouse can be hung in a tree or on a post where it will be easy for birds to spot. Be sure to place it in a quiet, safe spot away from predators like cats.

Building a birdhouse not only provides birds with shelter, but it also gives children the opportunity to observe bird behavior, teaching them about wildlife in their own backyard.

Hedgehog House:

A Cozy Home for Garden Friends

Hedgehogs are wonderful creatures that help keep your garden healthy by eating insects and slugs. Unfortunately, they are often in need of safe spaces to hide and hibernate, especially during the colder months. By building a hedgehog house, kids can help provide these spiny little creatures with the shelter they need.

Materials Needed:

• Wooden planks or wooden crates
• Straw or hay for bedding
• Nails or a hammer (adult supervision required)
• Leaves, branches, and moss for camouflage

Steps:

1. Using wooden planks or crates, start building a small, enclosed structure that is just large enough for a hedgehog to crawl into and curl up.
2. Add bedding inside using straw or hay to make the interior comfortable.
3. Once the structure is built, camouflage it with leaves, branches, and moss so that it blends naturally into the garden and provides the hedgehog with some privacy and safety.
4. Place the house in a quiet corner of the garden where it will be left undisturbed.

Not only does this provide a safe haven for hedgehogs, but it also teaches kids about the importance of creating spaces for wildlife and how even small efforts can make a big difference in conservation.

Find out more about helping hedgehogs from the wwf here.

Encouraging Creativity and Environmental Care

These gardening crafts are a great way to engage kids with the natural world, helping them develop both their creativity and their sense of environmental responsibility. Through fun, hands-on projects like painted plant pots, lollipop stick markers, birdhouses, and hedgehog houses, children can become more aware of the importance of supporting local wildlife, especially pollinators and other essential garden creatures.

By encouraging children to create their own nature-friendly garden crafts, you’re not only fostering a love for nature, but you’re also teaching them the value of protecting and supporting the environment and local wildlife for future generations.

Whether you’re looking to spruce up your garden with colorful decorations or create safe spaces for bees and other wildlife, these simple yet impactful projects will make your garden more vibrant and welcoming to nature.

Find more fun garden craft ideas for kids here.

Getting Kids Involved in Gardening

Help get your kids involved in the garden by combining creativity with conservation through these five garden crafts that support bees, pollinators, and wildlife.

These five craft ideas are a great way to teach kids about the importance of pollinators and the environment while also having fun with hands-on projects.

These are all simple, low-cost projects you can do at home in any size garden, and they offer lasting benefits for both your garden and the wildlife that visits.

Why Garden Crafts Are Important for Pollinators and Wildlife

• Engaging Kids with Nature: Hands-on crafts help children connect with nature and understand the vital role pollinators play in our ecosystem, they can learn gardening and crafting skills while having fun learning about the outdoors.
• Encouraging Environmental Stewardship: Crafting projects that support wildlife foster a sense of responsibility and teach children the importance of conservation from a young age, helping them to foster a healthy relationship with nature.
• Creating Habitat and Food for Pollinators: These small projects, like making bee hotels or planting pollinator-friendly plants, directly benefit bees and other pollinators while improving the garden ecosystem, so they’re good for the wildlife and for your garden.

Garden Craft #1: DIY Bee Hotel

• Materials Needed: Wooden box, bamboo canes or hollow twigs, pine cones, twigs or straw, natural twine, and non-toxic paint (optional).
• How-to Instructions:
  • Build a simple frame using a wooden box or a piece of untreated scrap wood.
  • Cut bamboo or hollow twigs into various lengths (about 5 inches) and fill the box with these tubes, making sure they are tightly packed.
  • Fill spaces around the tubes with twigs or straw for some insulation.
  • Optional: Decorate the box with non-toxic paint for a fun, colorful touch.
  • Place the bee hotel in a sunny, sheltered spot in your garden where solitary bees can easily access it.
• Why It’s Beneficial: This project creates a safe place for solitary bees to nest and find shelter, providing a vital resource for pollination.

View our full Bee Hotel Guide here for more information.

Garden Craft #2: Create a Pollinator-Friendly Seed Bomb

• Materials Needed: Wildflower seeds (native pollinator-friendly varieties), compost, clay powder, water, and a mixing bowl.
• How-to Instructions:
  • Mix compost, clay powder, and water in a bowl to create a dough-like consistency.
  • Add the wildflower seeds to the mixture and gently knead until the seeds are evenly distributed.
  • Roll the mixture into small balls (about the size of a marble) and leave them to dry.
  • Once dry, the seed bombs can be tossed into garden beds, bare soil areas, flower beds or any part of the yard that could use some extra pollinator-friendly plants.
• Why it’s Beneficial: Seed bombs help spread wildflowers that attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, providing them with the nectar and pollen they need.

For more information about choosing bee-friendly flowers, check out our guide here.

Garden Craft #3: Build a Bird Feeder

• Materials Needed: Pinecone, peanut butter (or lard), birdseed, string or twine.
• How-to Instructions:
  • Tie a string to the top of a pinecone, then spread a layer of peanut butter (or lard) over the scales of the pinecone.
  • Roll the pinecone in birdseed until it is well coated.
  • Hang the pinecone in a tree or shrub in your garden, making it easily accessible for birds and wildlife.
• Why Its Beneficial: This simple project helps feed local birds, attracting them to your garden and contributing to biodiversity. While birds enjoy the feeder, other wildlife like squirrels might also benefit from the seeds and the added fats from the peanut butter, especially in winter!

Garden Craft #4: Bee & Butterfly Puddling Station

• Materials Needed: Shallow dish or saucer, small rocks or pebbles, water, sand (optional) non-toxic paint (optional).
• How-to Instructions:
  • Fill a shallow dish or saucer with water, and add small rocks or pebbles to create resting spots for butterflies bees to drink safely from.
  • Optional: Add a bit of sand to mimic the natural environment of a puddling station, where butterflies often gather to drink and gather minerals.
  • Optional: Paint the rocks in bring colours and designs with non-toxic paints and let dry fully before adding to puddling station
  • Place the puddling station in a sunny spot in the garden and check regularly for visiting butterflies.
• Why It’s Beneficial: This project provides a much-needed water source for bees and butterflies, allowing them to hydrate and gather minerals, especially on hot days. It’s an essential addition to any bee-friendly garden.

Find out more about adding water sources to your garden here.

Garden Craft #5: Planting a Pollinator Garden

• Materials Needed: Bee-friendly seeds or young plants (e.g., lavender, alliums, sunflowers), soil, pots, or garden bed.
• How-to Instructions:
  • Choose a variety of pollinator-friendly plants that will bloom at different times of the year to provide continuous food for bees and butterflies. Check out our bee friendly flower guide for plant suggestions ad flowering times.
  • With the help of the kids, plant these in containers or in a pollinator friendly flower bed in the garden.
  • Discuss with children the importance of different plants, like lavender and wildflowers, and why they attract pollinators.
  • Teach kids how to water and care for the plants, and let them track the growth and changes throughout the seasons. Sunflowers can be a great option for kids to see who’s can grow tallest!
• Why It’s Beneficial: This project provides bees and other pollinators with a diverse range of flowers for nectar and pollen, helping to support their health and improve the garden’s biodiversity too.

Find out which plants are bee-friendly here.

Connecting with nature

These garden craft ideas will keep the kids occupied while getting them engaged with the outdoors and learning about nature too. These crafts will contribute to the well-being of pollinators and wildlife, and help you to cultivate a nature friendly garden.

By getting the kids involved you can foster a love for nature that your kids will carry through life, and show them that even small actions can make a big difference for pollinators and wildlife in the garden!

Garden Water Sources

Water is essential for the survival of all wildlife, including bees and pollinators, yet many gardens often overlook the need to provide a water source. Many gardens focus on providing food through nectar, and shelter through natural areas or bee hotels, but relatively few also provide water sources.

You don’t need to undertake digging a pond or adding fountains and large water features, there are many simple and easy ways to provide water for your pollinators that also look nice and don’t take up too much space.

Adding in these small water sources can have a big impact on your garden, by increasing biodiversity and encouraging pollinators to visit your garden, as well as providing water for birds and other wildlife during the hottest parts of the year.

Why Water Is Crucial for Pollinators and Wildlife

Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators need water for hydration just like any other animals, especially during hot weather or dry seasons. They don’t get enough fluids from nectar alone, and need a reliable water source, especially in the summer when they may become dehydrated. Bees rely on water to regulate their body temperature and carry it back to their nests.

Other wildlife will also benefit from the water source, such as birds, frogs and toads, all of which are great for controlling slug and snail populations naturally. It will provide a place for bathing as well as drinking, particularly in the summer when some natural water sources may have dried up.

Adding a water sources attract a variety of beneficial wildlife, contributing to the overall biodiversity of your garden and creating a healthier, more balanced ecosystem.

Types of Water Sources to Include in Your Garden

Shallow Puddling Areas:

Shallow puddling areas are ideal for bees and butterflies, which need water to drink but cannot access deep water sources. You can easily create a shallow puddling areas with a shallow water tray or dish that is filled with rocks and pebbles. The rocks and pebbles give bees and butterflies a safe place to land, and ensure no point in the water is too deep and provide lots of dry spots to safely drink from. Puddling areas are extremely easy to create and look nice too with decorative rocks. These shallow puddling areas are great for solitary bees, and will encourage them to nest in or nearby to your garden, which they will in turn help to pollinate. Keeping them at ground level will ensure they’re accessible to other wildlife like hedgehogs and frogs too.

Birdbaths:

Birdbaths as an excellent water source for a wide variety of wildlife, including birds and small mammals. It gives birds a safe place to drink as well as bathe, and can provide an aesthetic focal point on lawns or patios. Look for a birdbath with a shallow edge so smaller birds and pollinators can drink from the sides. If the birdbath is deeper towards the middle, you can also add some decorative rocks or pebbles to add some extra landing points for smaller birds.

Water Features (Ponds, Fountains, or Streams):

Adding a pond or small stream adds a dynamic water element to your garden while supporting various wildlife, and are particularly good for frogs and toads. Frogs and toads need water for breeding and feeding, and provide shelter for them to live in the damp spaces around the pond. Frogs and toads are excellent garden helpers, as they will happily control the slug and snail population for you, protecting your garden from pests. You can include a small fountain or cascade to create movement and aerate the water, which can attract more wildlife as well as keep the water cleaner and healthier.

Designing Water Sources with Wildlife Safety in Mind

It’s important to include water in your garden in a way that is safe for you, your kids, pets and wildlife.

Focus on providing shallow and accessible water, you don’t need to have deep water in your garden in order to help out the wildlife – shallower water sources like the puddling ponds are completely safe, and can be used by a variety of wildlife, including bees and butterflies.

Avoid drowning hazards by including safe points for wildlife to drink from, such as rocks, pebbles, or floating plants to help animals and insects safely access the water.

It’s also important to keep your water source clean by changing it regularly and ensuring there’s no standing stagnant water, which can become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria or mosquitoes and midges.

Consider the best place to place your water source. We recommend placing water features near flowering plants or in shaded areas to attract wildlife and make the water more inviting, and helps to keep it cooler in the summer months.

Maintenance Tips for Water Sources in Your Garden

• Regular Water Changes: Change the water regularly and clean birdbaths and water features regularly to prevent algae growth and ensure the water remains fresh.
• Ensure No Standing Water: Ensure there’s no standing water that could become a breeding ground for midges. If using a pond or fountain, consider adding a circulating pump to keep the water moving.
• Seasonal Care: In colder climates and through the summer, try to make sure your water source doesn’t freeze over, so that there’s some water available for the wildlife to drink.
• Monitoring Wildlife Activity: Observe your water source to see which species are visiting and adjust the design if needed (e.g., adding more rocks or providing more shallow areas if it is not being used by smaller wildlife).

Take a look around your garden and see if it’s providing food, shelter and water. If your garden provides all three, it will become a haven for pollinators and help support local wildlife too. These simple water sources have a big impact in encouraging wildlife and bees, and the more pollinator friendly your garden becomes, the better it will bloom in turn!

Why Bees Need Our Support

Bees are an essential part of our ecosystem, pollinating up to 90% of all plants, and 75% of our food crops. Bees are extremely efficient pollinators, and do the job much faster than artificially pollinating crops. Without bees to continue to pollinate, we could lose many of the native plants and flowers that fill our gardens. This is why, as bee populations are declining, it is extremely important to help bees in our own back yards.

One of the main reasons for the decline in bee populations, is habitat loss and habitat fragmentation, caused by human activity. This is why it’s important to provide small habitats in our gardens, like bee hotels, to help make up for the loss of bee habitats.

Bee hotels are a simple and effective way of looking after solitary bees, and are great fun to make too.

What Is a Bee Hotel?

A bee hotel is a small habitat built to provide a nesting spot for solitary bees such as mason bees, mining bees, leaf-cutter bees.

Solitary bees don’t live in colonies or hives with other bees, so they need to find safe spaces to lay their eggs or to rest and hibernate.

A bee hotel is just the right size to provide the perfect nesting spot for a solitary bee, and encourages them to stay in your garden, which means your flowers will also benefit from the bees pollinating them.

Why You Should Create a Bee Hotel

Support Pollinators: Solitary bees make up to around 90% of the bee population of the UK, and many plant species rely on them for pollination, including crops, fruit and vegetables and wildflowers. Solitarily bees are the most efficient pollinators, even more so than honeybees!

Provide Safe Habitats: Many species of solitary bees face habitat loss due to urbanization and pesticide use. Bee hotels give them a place to nest and reproduce.

Year-Round Benefits: Bee hotels can be used by different bee species at various times of the year, contributing to pollinator diversity in your garden, and helping your garden all year round.

Sustainability: Encouraging local bee populations is an eco-friendly, low-maintenance way to support a thriving garden ecosystem and helps to support local pollinators and plant life.

How to Build a Bee Hotel

Materials Needed:

– 1 wooden box
– Bamboo canes (or similar hollow hard-wearing stems)
– a couple of thicker sticks to drill later on
– twigs, moss or straw (for insulation)
– A drill

Step-by-Step Instructions:

• 1. Choose the Right Location: Place the hotel in a sunny, sheltered spot with morning sun and protection from strong winds. It should be about 3-5 feet off the ground.
  2. Build the Structure: Use untreated wood (to avoid chemicals) to create a box or frame to hold the nesting materials. Ensure it has a roof to keep rain out.
  3. Prepare the Nesting Tubes: Cut bamboo canes, hollow stems, or wooden dowels to various lengths (4-6 inches), ensuring the holes are about 3-8mm wide for solitary bee species to fit inside.
  4. Arrange the Tubes: Place the tubes tightly together inside the structure. If using a wooden block or thick sticks, drill a series of holes in the round end of the stick to mimic the natural nesting habits of bees.
  5. Add Natural Materials: Fill any gaps with natural materials like twigs straw, or moss to provide insulation and protection from wind, rain and cold weather.
  6. Mount the Hotel: Hang or secure your bee hotel in place, ensuring its stable.

Choosing the Best Materials for Your Bee Hotel

• Bamboo Canes: Popular because they’re easy to find and have naturally hollow stems, perfect for bees. Bamboo is also a tough and hard-wearing material, making your bee hotel last for longer.
• Wooden Blocks: If using wooden blocks, ensure that the wood is untreated. Drill holes of various sizes into the wood for additional nesting spots.
• Hollow Stems or Reeds: These mimic natural plant stems where bees would nest, they can be foraged from your local area, making it a low cost DIY option.
• Natural Insulation: Use moss, straw, or dried leaves to line the interior for added warmth and shelter. Finding materials from your garden and local area keeps the hotel as natural as possible.
• Avoid Painted or Treated Wood: Avoid using materials that have been chemically treated, as they can harm the bees as the chemicals leech out.

Tips for Maintaining Your Bee Hotel 

• Check for Inactive Sections: At the end of the season, check for sections that haven’t been used or that have been abandoned by bees. If any sections look damaged or have pests, remove and replace them.
• Check Once a Year: Some of your materials may have degraded or been damaged by the weather. Carefully check your hotel and see if it needs more moss or twigs to keep it insulated.
• Provide a Water Source: Ensure there’s a nearby shallow water source, like a birdbath, for bees to drink from – ideally keep the water shallow and have a landing spot on the edge for the bees to sit on.
• Leave Natural Areas for Nesting: Leave some areas of your garden untouched, such as leaf piles or bare soil patches, for ground-nesting solitary bees. Many modern gardens are overly manicured and remove these vital nesting spots.

Find More Bee Friendly DIYs

Bee hotels are a fun and easy project to add to your garden that really make a big difference by providing homes of solitary bees. Building your own bee hotel helps to protect your local pollinators at a time when their habitats and numbers are decreasing. Bee hotels are also a great way to get the kids or grandkids involved in the garden, while teaching them about the importance of bees too.

You can find more information and ideas for garden crafts and DIYs in our articles, as well as information about bee-friendly flowers, plant care, and bee friendly garden design.