You've got to check out this mom's enchanted forest playground

It really is true that if you build it, they’ll come.

That’s what RightBrainedMom blogger Brandon Jarvis, an early childhood educator and mother of five from Haliburton County, Ont., had in mind when she slowly began transforming her property from a regular outdoor space to a creative learning area for her kids.

She started with a mud kitchen, but quickly found herself taking trips to local landfills to find pieces to add to the space. What used to be a forest at the edge of her home is now filled with several of her projects that make up what she calls “the Enchanted Forest.”

For Jarvis, the Enchanted Forest is more than a play space, it’s a form of therapy. It combines all the things she loves with the art of play and the outdoors. It also encourages her kids to come up with their own ideas of what can be added next.

Check out these projects Jarvis has on the go!

Make a climbing wall by putting old tires on a hill. All you have to do is add a little spray paint and voila—you’ve got a climb-and-slide area.



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When you stumble upon an industrial safety mirror at the dump, give it a good scrub and turn it into a magic mirror! Jarvis calls this piece the Magic Rocks and Blocks Garden.



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Make your own Weave and Sort Wall using vinyl lattice. Add a basket full of feathers, pom-poms, ribbon, pipe cleaners and bows in a variety of colours. Now have your tot weave items on to the corresponding colour. 



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What do you get when you mix an old door, some used cake pans and discarded instruments from thrift stores? The Music Wall.



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One of the most fun activities along the path of The Enchanted Forest is the Rock Faces. Jarvis took magazine cutouts of eyes, noses and mouths and stuck them on smooth rocks so her kids can rearrange them and make funny faces.



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A definite favourite in the forest is the Sandy Bottom Boat. This junkyard boat-turned-sandbox is proof that someone’s junk can become a true treasure. A spray-painted net and some star fish on the side give it that extra-special touch.



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There’s nothing like finger painting to bring out your inner artist. Ditch the easel and use a clear shower curtain instead.



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The mud kitchen, dubbed The Dirty Diner, is equipped with seating for two, a hostess station and pots and pans for cooking. There’s definitely no shortage of mud cakes on the menu!



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To some, this might just look like a large culvert pipe, but Jarvis saw it as an opportunity to create an amazing playground tunnel. She even put a yoga mat inside to make sure little knees don’t get hurt crawling through.



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Want to accent your bunkie? Jarvis did so just by spray-painting recyclables and scrap metal to create these easy-to-make pop can flowers. She calls it the Garbage Garden.



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When Jarvis’ daughter started singing and dancing in The Enchanted Forest, she knew it was time to build a Stage Under the Stars. The comedy and tragedy masks, along with strings of twinkle lights, give it that theatrical touch.



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Read more: 7 ideas for painting outside 8 fun and easy summer crafts 10 awesome nature crafts for kids