As a family travel blogger, I spend a lot of time writing about adventures further afield. There is nothing I love more than exploring a new country with the girls and making memories together. But if there is one thing I have learnt over the years, it is that children really do not care how far you’ve travelled. They care about how much fun they had.
*This is a collaborative post
Some of the girls’ favourite memories are not from a safari in Africa or a beach on the other side of the world – they are from much simpler moments. Camping in the garden, eating dinner and ice creams outside, us letting them stay up far later than they should have done because we were watching the stars come out. Those are the moments they still talk about.
As parents, we can put so much pressure on ourselves to organise amazing days out or expensive holidays, but children often remind us that the best adventures can happen much closer to home. Sometimes all it takes is making your own garden feel a little bit magical.
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The excitement of sleeping somewhere different
There is something about sleeping outside that children absolutely love. Even if it is only a few metres from the back door, it feels like a proper adventure. I still remember the excitement whenever we said, “Who wants to camp in the garden tonight?” There would be squeals of excitement, sleeping bags dragged downstairs and a lot of arguing over who got to sleep where. Obviously!
Of course, the reality of camping is sometimes a little less glamorous for us adults. Tents take time to put up, the weather is unpredictable and, if I’m honest, I love my sleep a bit too much! With three excited girls, there was always at least one last minute trip back into the house for a forgotten teddy, toothbrush or midnight snack. And don’t even get me started on how many times they need a wee!
That is why I love the idea of creating a permanent outdoor space that gives children that same sense of adventure without all the hard work each time. These camping pods offer a cosy timber retreat where families can enjoy sleeping closer to nature, while still having somewhere comfortable and sheltered to spend the night.
A place where imaginations can take over
One thing my three girls have never struggled with is imagination. Give them a cardboard box and within minutes it has become a pirate ship, a palace or a secret den. So I can only imagine how much use they would have made of a little wooden pod in the garden.
One day it would have been a woodland hideaway where they were explorers setting off on an expedition. The next it would have become a café, complete with leaves served as dinner and tiny sticks pretending to be cutlery. They just seem to have the ability to create whole worlds from the simplest spaces, and I love watching them do it.
As they have got older, those games have changed, but the need for their own little space has not. I can easily picture them taking blankets out there, playing card games, chatting for hours or watching films together on a laptop with hot chocolate in hand. It is the sort of place that grows with your family instead of being something children quickly outgrow.
Creating family traditions
One of my favourite things about being a parent has been creating little traditions that the girls look forward to every year. Pizza night on the first day of the school holidays, Christmas Eve hot chocolates, or watching the sunrise on holiday if we can persuade everyone out of bed early enough.
Garden pods open the door to so many more family traditions. You could have the first campout of the summer, complete with toasted marshmallows and stories before bed. You could celebrate birthdays with sleepovers under the stars or have a family film night surrounded by fairy lights and blankets.
Those are the moments children remember. Not because they cost a fortune, but because they felt different and most importantly exciting and special.
Encouraging children outside
Like so many parents, I know how easy it is for children to drift towards screens if you let them. And sometimes it’s easier to just allow it, when we’re trying to finish our work, make packed lunches or prepare dinner. But other times all it takes is making outside just a little bit more exciting and suddenly they are gone for hours.
Having a dedicated outdoor space gives children somewhere that feels like it belongs to them. Somewhere they can read, play games, draw, build Lego, play sport, or simply sit and chat. It encourages independence while keeping them close to home, which is a lovely balance as they get older.
I also love that it gives families another excuse to spend time together. Instead of everyone disappearing into different rooms after dinner, you could all head outside instead. It is amazing how different conversations become when you are sitting together listening to birdsong instead of looking at a TV.
Adventures do not always need a passport
People often assume that because we travel so much, our biggest adventures happen abroad. The truth is, adventure is much more about the people you are with than the destination itself.
Looking back, I know my girls will remember our incredible trips around the world. But I also know they will remember the little moments. Running barefoot around the garden, falling asleep in sleeping bags after talking for hours, or laughing until their tummies hurt over absolutely nothing.
That is why I love the idea of making your own home somewhere that inspires adventure. A space where children can use their imagination, spend more time outdoors and make memories that last far longer than the latest toy or gadget.
Because sometimes the best family adventures are not found on a map at all – sometimes they begin in your garden.
