Some of our best summer memories aren’t of the beach, or amusement parks or faraway vacations, but of adventures that happened right in our backyards.
When you’re a kid, your backyard can be its own universe, a place where you and your friends play cherished games, invent new games and make discoveries.
But little did we know that as we were having fun and making memories, we were also making ourselves healthier through backyard play. Here’s how:
- Outdoor play spaces reduce stress and promote peaceful feelings.
- They improve attention functioning and reduce the symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- Backyard/playground games foster positive social interactions among children.
- Certain types of backyard play can help kids develop reason and problem-solving skills.
- Exercise makes children healthier.
What makes for a successful outdoor play space? Here are a few hallmarks:
- They’re situated somewhere children and caregivers can access with ease.
- They contain a mix of natural and manufactured elements and fixed and loose parts.
- Children have an easy time navigating the space but are still secured by a fence or some other border, so caregivers feel secure.
- They should have shady spaces, so children are safe from overheating in the sun and adults have a place to relax.
- They should contain a variety of play elements for children of all abilities.
- Play equipment should be well-designed and support a wide range of play activity to improve upper body strength, balancing, and agility.
- Kids love swings, but they serve a practical purpose as well, helping them develop their balance and awareness of the body through space.
- Good outdoor play spaces have open grassy areas where children can run around.
Beyond all these signifiers, let’s look at some practical steps you can take to encourage backyard play at your home.
1. The Giant Bubble
Blowing bubbles was always a fun summertime activity. This takes the fun of making bubbles it to a new level. You’ll need a wading pull, a hula hoop, and some bubble bath. Fill the pool with water and the bubble bath, then use the hoop to create giant soap bubbles. You can add to the fun by having kids stand inside the pool and pull the hoop over them, thus putting him/her inside the bubble.
2. Life-Size Angry Birds
Help your kids overcome tablet withdrawal by bringing this popular video game outdoors. All you need to do is stack some cardboard boxes and give them some bouncy balls to throw.
3. DIY Sandbox
Kids love sandboxes, and building one is easier than you might suspect. Use low-cost lumber to put the box together, and install some plastic benches in the corners to give kids a place to sit and to add stability. Then fill the box with sand. You can finish the job by painting the box in bright summer shades.
4. Growing A Garden
Sure, it may not seem as fun as blowing soap bubbles or digging in a sandbox, but involving your child in caring for your garden – or letting them tend their own – is an important part of helping them grow. They’ll get an appreciation of where their food comes from and learn to care for the earth. Not a bad lesson to come from something as small as a pea plant.
If you’re looking for other ways to make backyard play more engaging for your children, visit Swingset & Toy Warehouse.
While you’re on our website, be sure to download our Busy Parents’ Guide to Outdoor Games and Play, which features more ideas like the ones we’ve just listed.
Whether it’s online or at one of our four locations, you’ll find plenty of ways to make your backyard a place where your kids won’t mind hanging out this summer.
