If you’re a parent – or you can remember being a kid – this scene will probably sound familiar:
“Mom/Dad, we’re bored.” “Go outside and play.” “But there’s nothing to Do outside.”
It would be nice to remove the “there’s nothing to do argument” from your kids’ arsenal, wouldn’t it? With that in mind, we’ve put together a few tips for making outdoor play more enjoyable.
1. The Mobile Mud Pit
Kids love to play in the mud. You love having an intact lawn. Split the difference by making a mobile mud pit. You’ll need some potting soil, some sandbox sand, and some water. Mix it together, and let your kids dig through the mud, make mud pies, etc.
2. The DIY Water Slide
If you have access to a hose, a camping tarp and some shampoo you can make a do-it-yourself waterslide for your backyard. Just spread the tarp – you can also use a large piece of clear plastic sheeting – along a slope in the yard and spray it with the hose.
Then add the shampoo to keep the tarp slippery. You should choose an inexpensive brand of shampoo because you’ll likely run through the whole bottle.
3. The Penny Toss
This game won’t cost you much: you’ll just need a kiddie pool, some water, an open plastic container that can float on the water…and maybe $1.00 in pennies.
Have each player stand about three feet from the pool, and give each of them the same number of pennies. Players take turns tossing pennies into the floating container. Whoever lands the most pennies inside the container wins.
4. Play Logs
If you’ve cut down a tree – or know someone who has – use the pieces to set up some play logs in your yard. Place them upright, and they can work as makeshift furniture for outdoor tea parties, or just as a place for your kids to climb around.
5. White Board Art
If you have an old white board that’s too marked up for work, move it to your yard. Your kids can turn it into their own canvas, whether they’re painting with crayons or mud or finger paint.
6. Fox and Geese
Most of these games are summertime activities, but this one only works when you’ve had a lot of snow. You’ll need at least four players and a large, open area of unspoiled snow.
Start by stomping a big circular path in the snow, and then make two intersecting paths through the middle of the circle. (The finished product should look like a circle with an X or a + in it.)
Choose one player to be the fox; the others are the geese. It’s the fox’s job to chase the geese and try to tag one. The players must remain on the paths through the snow. The place where the X intersects is a safe zone, where players can’t be tagged. When the fox does tag someone, that player becomes the new fox.
7. Jug Catch
For this game, all you’ll need is a tennis ball or beanbag, and a few one-gallon plastic jugs.
Begin by using a utility knife to cut the jugs in half horizontally. You can recycle the bottom half of the jug, and save the half with the handle. If you’d like, use some duct tape to cover the cut edge of the jug.
From there, your kids can play a new twist on the game of catch, using the jugs to toss the ball – or bean bag – back and forth without touching it with their hands.
Find Your Path To Creative Play With Swingset & Toy Warehouse
If you’re looking for more ways to provide your kids with more creative ways to play, download our new Busy Parents’ Guide to Outdoor Games and Play.
For more than 30 years, Swingset & Toy Warehouse has been providing our customers with quality outdoor play equipment, from swing sets to trampolines to basketball hoops.
Visit us online or at one of our four locations to learn more about how we can help you make your backyard a place your kids will want to spend their time.
