You should encourage kids to spend time outside when they are young and full of energy. If you have your own backyard space, take advantage of it by setting up fun activities and opportunities for adventure. Just make sure that safety is a top priority while you set up an outdoor wonderland. Here are some tips for creating safe and fun play areas.
Play Area Ideas
As parents, you know what it takes to keep your youngsters entertained. Some children like the simple things in life, while others require more stimulation. For kids with more modest tastes, consider traditional backyard activities, like a swing set, a sandbox, or an area for drawing fun pictures with chalk.
Kids with big dreams will likely enjoy the idea of a playhouse or treehouse. With common tools and plywood, you can create a play space for your kids that they’ll treasure for many years. You can add extras like a long slide, a rope ladder, or a zipline. Just be sure to make the treehouse safe by ensuring that it’s no more than 10 feet from the ground and adding a layer of mulch underneath to prevent injuries from falls.
Another fun backyard idea is to work with your kids to create a wild obstacle course. You can turn the backyard into a playground by recycling construction materials like PVC pipes and barrels. You can also put out tires that keep the kids safe from falls and provide opportunities for cardio and fitness.
Find Ways To Enjoy Time Outside as a Family
Just remember that your kids shouldn’t have all the fun. Creating a fun and safe outdoor space allows the whole family to enjoy the yard. Getting outside gives you all a chance to unplug. Some fun things you can do as a family unit include:
Hosting a scavenger hunt;
Flying a kite;
Having a backyard camping trip;
Enjoying an outdoor pool.
If you can’t install a pool, consider a hot tub, which provides many tech-free opportunities for quality family time. While enjoying the warm water, you can all play a game of 20 Questions or find something in the backyard and have the family guess what you’re thinking. The hot tub is also perfect for short boat or rubber duckie races. You can all sit back and count the stars when it gets dark.
Like with all backyard safety, ensure everyone follows hot tub safety rules. Try to keep the water temperature below 104 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid potential heat stroke or drowsiness that could lead to drowning. Parents should never allow their younger kids to be in the hot tub without close supervision.
Whatever You Do, Make It Safe
Before sending your kids into the backyard, find potential dangers and mitigate them before they can have any impact on your family. Be aware of poisonous backyard plants specific to your area. Teach your kids never to eat strange berries and mushrooms. If you have a shed in the backyard, keep it locked and all dangerous chemicals out of reach.
Be cautious of yard tools that pose serious hazards, such as lawnmowers and saws, both of which have sharp blades. Also, don’t cut your yard with the kids around, as the device could spit out stones and sticks that can cause major injuries.
Make sure that all of your stairways have railings that are not so tall that your kids can’t reach them. Also, regularly inspect the woodwork to ensure that there aren’t any nails or splintered wood striking out.
Finally, it’s a great idea to have a first aid kit around at all times so you can act swiftly if you or a child is hurt. You can make a first aid kit by first purchasing all the essentials, including:
Aspirin;
Gauze;
Oral thermometer;
Non-Latex gloves;
Bandages.
Then, add items essential to your family. For example, if one of your children takes medication, put a backup supply in your kit. You should also stock it with first aid supplies for location-specific injuries. That may mean adding tweezers in case your kid gets a sprinter and an ice pack in case someone gets burned.
Conclusion
Providing fun activities in your backyard is a great idea, but ensuring the area is safe is just as critical. Consider these ideas or come up with a few of your own, and you’ll help your children create memories they'll never forget.
