Getting the Kids Outside: Backyard Fun!
Being outside in the fresh air and sunshine has always been important to our family. When Covid hit, we decided that our backyard needed to be super fun in order to make the best of a terrible situation. As it is my husband already was working from home and I homeschool my 2 kiddos so you would think it wouldn’t be that tough of a transition to be stuck at home all day. Hwoever, we have always had a lot of activities (art class, gymnastics, co ops etc…) and this 24 hr together all the time thing got to be a bit too much even for a family who generally enjoys our time together.
I am often as tempted as any mom to plop my kiddos in front of a screen in order to get anything done, or even just for a few moments to myself to be able to hear myself think. And while I find nothing frong with letting my kiddos enjoy a little screen time, these nice summer days in MN are few and I want my kids to be outdoors as much as possible without me having to bargain and demand they spend x amount of time outside before using a device.
So, here are some fun activities/ideas to get the kids outside and enjoying life in the sunshine.
1.) Obviously a playset is fantastic if it fits in your budget. Thankfuly there was one here when we moved in. Such a blessing! However the swings have been cracking due to being well loved and I recently bought these new swings to replace the old ones. As an adult I don’t climb a playset but I still love to swing. New swings didn’t break the budget and the climbing wall and monkey bars are still in tact. Unfortunatly out slide is looking rough but my kiddos are now 10 and 12 and have outgrown the little slide. I’m pretty sure we will have the swings till they move out.
2.) Our biggest “covid stuck at home” investment was to buy a trampoline. I may have been personally biased on this one as I grew up desperatly wanting a trampoline as a child. One of my neighbor friends owned one but I wasn’t allowed to jump on it unless I was the only one (my parents rules for safety reasons). So guess who never got a turn? This girl. My son is SUPER into gymnastics and his classes were shut down so this was the closest thing I could get him to get all his energy out. We LOVE our trampoline and keep it out all year. We don’t use it in the winter but it’s nice to not have to take it down and put it back up each year. Maybe it would last longer if we did but it seems to be holding up great so far. This was also not so much of a budget breaker because our family had chipped in to get the boy gymnastic lessons and when it all got shut down they said we could put it towards buying the trampoline. I am so thankful for such supportive loving family.
3.) This Spider Swing is super cool! Our neighbors have one and I wish we had a big enough tree to hold one. I have dreams of having a big tire swing tree someday but I’m guessing that wont be happening anytime soon.. maybe if we are blessed with grandkids someday we will look for a house to retire in with a giant tree.
4.) Zipline and/or Ninja Warrior Fun!
5.) The kids love gardening with me. My daughter actually bought her own cherry tomato plant this year at a neighborhood plant sale. When I get the kids involved they are more likely to eat the yummy fruits and veggies I plant. I ususally go with veggies. The old house had strawberries and raspberries and I miss those so this year I bought a couple blueberry bushes to put in pots since I wasn’t as motivated this year and didn’t get another couple raised beds in like I had planned. The blueberries seemed easy. We shall see.
6.) Water fun! We love everything water… sprinklers, water balloons, water guns, water balloon launchers, slip n slides and more! Heck, I just let them use the sprayer on the hose and they have fun for hours.
7.) Outdoor games are the best! We have family night once a week. I love that the kids are still at an age where they look forward to spending time with me and my hubby. I want to cultivate that kind of environment and hope to ride it out as long as we can. We love the following yard games:
*Kubb
*Oh and we LOVE indoor Throw Throw Burrito (best game EVER!) so I’d like to try the outdoor version
*And I really want to try our “Ramp Shot” which looks like a fun more active “Corn Hole”
Now, I know that kiddos just need to use their creativity and can often find things to do on their own but I love making our (outdoor) home a place where they want to be. I want them to have fond memories and enjoy time with family. It doesn’t have to take a ton of money. A simple bonfire can make a family night memorable. These are just some ideas that will hopefully help you if you are trying to be more creative with your outdoor space. I know I’ve enjoyed brainstorming and creating a fun backyard in order to help make outside more appealing than the screens indoors.
Do you have any fun games or ideas for outdoor fun? If so, please leave a comment in the section below.
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