Since warmer weather has finally swooped down on us, we’ve been spending a lot more time outside. Mackenzie just loves dragging the broom around with her, but it’s a bit big for her to really have fun with. She already has some hand tools like a little hand rake and spade which she got from her Aunt Katie but I thought it might be time to get her something she can use while standing since that’s her favorite pastime right now.
As I was looking around online, I discovered that Gardena has a collection called Play which is super cute. Not only is there a broom and rakes, but you can also get a little shovel and even a mini fruit picker. Unfortunately I don’t think they are available in America although some Gardena stuff is sold there. So if you want some, you’ll have to let me know so I can send them to you. 😉 And if you’re interested to buy them here in Germany, you may find them in a local garden or home improvement store (although I can’t recall ever seeing them) or see them in my Amazon.de store.
Stefan says he had exactly the same garden tools when he was a kid…except maybe the quality was a bit better back then. The problem with these tools is that they are fairly thin plastic. So I have to wonder whether Mack will actually be able to use them to dig a bit in the garden or rake a few leaves with us down at the orchard. Obviously, I know she can’t really do those things much yet anyway…although she does try to sweep some stuff up. But these tools are actually not recommended until the age of 3 and I have to wonder if they might not be a bit small and too flimsily built for older kids. I guess I can tell you how she likes then in 1.5 years if the dog hasn’t eaten them or they aren’t broken by then.
Actually, speaking of the dog, she has not even sniffed most of these garden tools yet so I am very proud of her. She is usually a total sucker for a broom. But she’s grasped very quickly that certain things just don’t belong to her. And if she comes near them with her mouth open, she should expect to be yelled at and punished if she gets a wild hair and takes off across the courtyard with something that isn’t hers. Don’t worry. Ayla still gets plenty of cool treats and toys to play with too. Our two little kids….
Anyway, back to the Gardena Play stuff. Because I bought the entire set for about 8 euros (plus 4 for shipping) I absolutely will not complain about the price. The sturdier metal garden tools for kids are usually €5-10 a piece which is still not so horrible but I honestly don’t think Mackenzie would get much out of them now. These Gardena tools are just the right weight and size for her…and she looks adorable playing with them.
And if her sneaking into the storage room to pull them out so she can play with them is any indication, Mackenzie already loves these tools. She seriously has them in her hands almost the entire time she is outside…and lately that is a lot of time. We even took the broom on a walk with us yesterday because she didn’t want to leave it at home. The stroller ended up carrying it most of the way but there were a few moments while she was pushing the stroller when she decided she needed to carry the broom too. Our little gardening girl. 🙂
