Last weekend, we did something very grown up. We *gasp* bought some garden furniture! The set we had previously hubby had inherited from a friend and it was very weather beaten and wobbly. It didn’t really match our lovely new garden. We have had in mind we wanted some for a while but they have all been so expensive. On a trip to our local garden centre however we found a lovely set, heavily reduced in the sale and, well, we snapped it up!
It took a couple of trips to get it home in the car, and hubby had to tie the table in on the last leg as it didn’t quite fit, but we managed and it is now set up and looking lovely in the back garden. I’m not sure why, I mean we have a house, a toddler and a baby on the way, but for some weird reason, buying garden furniture feels like a very grown up thing to do. And I really don’t feel like a grown up!
Anyway, immaturity was soon restored!
The furniture was heavily packaged in a looot of cardboard and initially, not knowing what to do with it, it was in a big pile in the middle of the lawn. Then Monkey saw it and decided it looked like fun! My little bro and his girlfriend were round helping us with moving some furniture and Monkey soon corralled Uncle Marky and Daddy into making something for him.
It started off as a very cramped little house with a tunnel to one side.
Monkey was far more interested in the tunnel bit though so it soon evolved in to one huge tunnel!
Monkey, Daddy and Uncle marky were having tonnes of fun running around the tunnel chasing each other with Monkey shouting “chase, chase” every few seconds. They were in out, round and round…
Until this happened!
Monkey was not impressed so it was soon rebuilt and the fun continued until lunchtime.
In fact the tunnel stayed there and was very much in use until the rain set in and we had to put the cardboard in the garage ready for a tip run at some point (or until we think of something else to make with it :))
Cardboard to us adults is just packaging, and a bit annoying as you have to figure out what to do with it. To kids though, there is a whole world of fun imaginative play to be had with it and it is just lovely to see 🙂
You’re so right Caroline – I’m loving the pic of the collapsed tunnel on poor Uncle Marky! Everyone knows that kids always confound us by loving the packaging more than the product sometimes and this looks like a prime example! The furniture looks really nice too – your garden is really coming together. X
Thanks lovely, they had so much fun, love a bit of cardboard playtime! xx
This looks like so much fun!!!! I love that it evolved into the perfect cardboard design 🙂
Also you’re very right, buying garden furniture does seem grown up!!!! Xx
Thank you, I’m glad it’s not just me that thinks that hehe 🙂 They did have a lot of fun with the packaging though 🙂 xx
There really is no limit to the amount of fun children can have with cardboard boxes – That tunnel looks pretty damn awesome to me!
I love how you say you don’t feel grown up and garden furniture feels like such a grown up thing to buy – I can totally relate! I am thirty soon and don’t feel grown up even with two children and a mortgage! I wonder when I’ll feel like a proper grown up, if ever?! x
haha I know what you mean, I am 31 but in my brain I am still a 24 year old (not sure why but that age was when I seemed to stop), I wonder if I will still feel the same when I am 81? We will see I guess! 🙂 xx
Love these spur of the moment creative fun ideas! These are the ordinary moments that make the memories our children will always remember!
You are so right, and they are exactly the moments I hope they do remember! 🙂 xx
Cardboard tunnels are the absolute best. I still remember from when I was little tht i loved this. Z was trying to get into an empty grass trimmer box yesterday 🙂
haha they just love cardboard don’t they? And who can blame them!? x
How very grown up of you! That looks like so much fun, for Monkey and adults alike – my kids would adore that, too!
haha I know! It was so much fun i bet they would have loved it too 🙂 xx
That looks like fantastic fun!!
That garden furniture is gorgeous….
Thank you! It was a lot of fun and we are so chuffed with our bargain garden furniture 🙂
The best sort of garden fun is that which you make yourself. I hope this one will make it to Country Kids too. A great example of DIY garden fun. #MagicMoments
Absolutely! ooh yes will do 🙂 xx
Thanks for linking up and sharing the fun with Country Kids.
That looks great fun. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Pleasure, it really was 🙂 xx
Cardboard boxes opens a whole world of play opportunities. You can’t beat a good cardboard box!
You really can’t can you? So much fun to be had with a cardboard box! xx
This looks like fun! We’re moving house at the moment so will have a good stash of boxes at the end; think I may well create a cardboard castle or something similar (although I’ll probably enjoy it more than my 7-month-old, haha)! #LetKidsbeKids
haha yeah he may possibly be a bit bemused! I do have a picture of Monkey very much enjoying sitting in a cardboard box playing with the flaps at around 6-7 months… although if i remember rightly he then started gumming the cardboard to death and I had to fish some out of his mouth!! 🙂 xx
Lol, I love it! Card board boxes are fab. It looks like everyone had a great time (including the adults)! I have some big boxes I have saved for the kids, but still yet to come up with an idea of what to do with them.
Thanks for linking #LetKidsbeKids
Thanks Karen it was so much fun and there was a lot of laughter in our garden that afternoon! OOh fab, I have another idea actually which I will be sharing next week 😉 xx
I think the big boys are enjoying it more than Little Monkey =P #LetkidsBeKids
haha I think you may be right 🙂 xx
What a brilliant idea!!! Looks like there was loads of fun! 🙂
Thank you, there was lots of proper belly laughs, which I just love 🙂 xx
Caroline this looks like soooo much fun!! i am also loving your new garden set (it does feel rather grown up doesnt it we had a new set last year)
thanks for linking up with #MagicMoments x
Thanks Jaime, it was so much fun and we are really pleased with the set though it’s so daft how grown up it makes me feel lol! xx
You can’t beat empty cardboard boxes, SO much fun! #letkidsbekids
lol, you are so right! 🙂 xx
We love cardboard boxes in our house, they usually end up being boats of beds for all the dollies! #letkidsbekids
haha oh I love that idea too! 🙂 xx
Brilliant fun! How much do children play with cardboard boxes, sometimes they find it more interesting than the present inside. #letkidsbekids
haha I know, who needs expensive presents when you can have hours of fun with cardboard!? xx
It is a universal truth that cardboard boxes are the best toy ever. Love that the grown-ups joined in the play too. #CountryKids
haha you are so right 🙂 xx
I agree-cardboard boxes are simply the best fun ever. I always keep our cardboard-for this very reason. It looks like everyone had a lot of fun!
Definitely a good plan, there is just so much you can do with them! It’s just finding the space to keep them (hubby is moaning at me for clogging up his tidy garage at the mo!) xx
Cardboard is brilliant isn’t it! Can’t beat bunch of boxes for hours of fun and best of all can be recycled when you’re done! Love how much fun this tunnel looks – will have to try one when we next have a big online delivery!
Oh definitely do, it’s fantastic to just let them have fun with it, and like you say, just throw it in the recycling afterwards 🙂 xx
Cardboard is brilliant isn’t it! Can’t beat bunch of boxes for hours of fun and best of all can be recycled when you’re done! Love how much fun this tunnel looks – will have to try one when we next have a big online delivery! #countrykids
A great use of something we’d normally just bung straight in the recycling, and ooh I love the garden furniture very nice 🙂 #countrykids
Thanks, we are dead pleased with it! You’re right, and all Monkey’s idea as we were going to do just that! 🙂 xx
Fun fun fun! We love such cardboard play! Just that we don’t have a backyard in Singapore. Nontheless, we make do wit our space! : )
Aw I bet you do, small cardboard tunnels are just as fun! 🙂 xx
That is some awesome cardboard box play!! Totally love it. Thanks so much for sharing at the Outdoor Play Party 🙂
Thanks and it’s a pleasure 🙂 xx
This is exactly what cardboard boxes are for – the items that come inside them are a clever ruse to get mummy and daddy to buy them, but really they’re for making tunnels and playhouses first and foremost! Looks like lots of fun was had by all (kids big and little!) #CountryKids
Lol you are so right about that! It was great fun 🙂 xx
Who needs toys when you’ve got cardboard boxes – they always provide hours of entertainment at our house as well! The giant tunnel looks like a lot of fun for the grown ups too 😉 One thing my daughter loves is if we flatten a giant box out and then let her sit in the middle and draw/paint on it, great for in the garden on a sunny day! #outdoorplayparty
You are so right, and that was exactly what we did next, too! You can read all about it here! So much fun to be had with cardboard 🙂 xx
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