4 Ideal, Kid-Friendly Plants For Outdoor Classrooms

Adding stunning color and texture to your custom outdoor classroom through plants is icing on the cake. Plants add endless educational opportunities for your students and, especially on the front end, are a cost-effective addition to your outdoor learning environment. If you don’t do your research to find kid-safe plants nor have a plan for plant maintenance once they’re in the ground, however, you run the risk of wasting time and money. Learn about four easy-to-grow, non-toxic plants that make great options for your outdoor classroom. 

1. Lamb’s Ear

   The plant is named after its shape and has an incredibly soft, velvety texture that children love to run across their small hands . It’s easy to grow almost anywhere and does well in full sun or partial shade, but it’s important not to over-water Lamb’s Ear or expose it to significant moisture. In the summer months, children will notice pink and purple flowers sprout, adding a nice surprise to the typically grayish-green leaves.
   

2. Butterfly Bush 

   The long, colorful flowers of Butterfly Bushes draw in butterflies, hummingbirds and children. Like Lamb’s Ear, it’s important to plant Butterfly Bush in an area that drains well to avoid root rot. Growing 6 to 12 feet tall and spreading anywhere from 4 to 15 feet, it also needs plenty of room to grow! If you don’t want plants that large, you can opt for smaller cultivars of Butterfly Bush in the 2- to 3-foot range. 
   

3. Honeysuckle

   Honeysuckle fills the air with that unforgettable sweet scent and provides hours of entertainment plucking flowers off the vine and pulling out the thin, sweet nectar at the base of each bloom.  The shrubby and climbing honeysuckles alike do well in moist but well-drained soil. Be aware that honeysuckle does attract bees, so evaluate the pros and cons as you’re deciding whether to include it in your outdoor learning environment.
   

4. Texas Sage

   Texas Sage is a mostly evergreen, hardy shrub that loves the heat but can tolerate cooler temperatures, too. It’s slower to grow, taking up to 2 years to fully grow and bloom, but once established, it doesn’t require much watering or maintenance. The older the plant, the more beautiful the blooms. It won’t take long for you or your students to notice that hummingbirds have an affinity for Texas Sage, too. 

When it comes to outdoor classroom planting, don’t get too focused on species and instead focus on different colors, shapes and textures for a multisensory experience. The plant examples above are non-toxic, and as you explore your own options, be sure to do thorough research on each type of plant to make sure they’re not only non-toxic but are also kid-friendly to touch. 

If you don’t have time to do your own plant research and outdoor classroom landscape planning, we can help. Contact us to start planning (and planting) today.