5 Ways to Transform Your Backyard Into a Kid's Paradise

We all know that fresh air is great for you and that spending five to fifteen minutes a day in the sun can help fight off depression. But when you're a parent, having a playscape in your backyard comes with even more added benefits - like making sure your kids are healthy, happy, and that you have a little alone time to collect your sanity and patience! 

Yard Games

Horseshoes (or "Cactoss" if you'd rather), lawn darts, lawn tic-tac-toe, water balloons and so many other great games exist, and they're all for the backyard. When you put a lot of backyard-themed games, it helps to encourage your kids to get outside, get active, and have fun. It also helps to transform a boring or "grownup" backyard into an amazing playscape for your kids. The best part is that with these types of games, you can often just pick them up when the game is over. 

Backyard Exclusives

Much in the same way, you want them to have things to play with and on/in. This can be anything from pools to inflatable bouncers, trampolines to inflatable soccer fields. Using inflatable items or activities that are easy to break down and put away can help keep your backyard looking neat and tidy in between play. If you’re thinking about installing a pool for your kids to swim in make sure to do your research on inground pool prices to find the most affordable option. Adding in any one of these backyard exclusives will keep your kids playing outside for hours!

Fun Furniture

You'll want to make sure that your kids have a fun place to sit down and rest in between their games if they aren't quite ready to come inside. This can be a treehouse, a table with an umbrella for shade, or a simple swing set that they can sit on or swing for a gentle breeze. Building or installing a small swing set with a shaded alcove may be a great way to ultimately save space while still creating a fun and amazing kid-friendly backyard. 

Daily Activities

Pick a few weather and season appropriate activities to share with your children outside. Make it a routine (which has so many benefits, it's crazy!) Whether your kids love glow-in-the-dark capture the flag, running free with a giant bubble wand, or hopping through sprinklers, having a routine that incorporates some fun outdoor activities can definitely make your backyard feel like playland. It also gives you a great opportunity to spend some quality time with your kids away from electronics... although a radio probably wouldn't go amiss!

Snack Stand 

This is a fun way for kids to play, keep up their energy, and stay hydrated. Set up a fun area to look like a store, ice cream truck, or food stand. Provide them with a few drinks and some snacks. To really take it to the next level, you can even provide them with some play money so that they can "purchase" items.  

With the popularity of outdoor mini-fridges, this could be a fun way to make the fridge accessible to your kids, and make sure that it isn't going to waste. It also would ensure that the food is clean, cool, and refreshing! 

While some of these may sound like they're expensive, the truth is that if you're willing to put in the time and effort, you can create the perfect kids' paradise for your little ones pretty cheap.