Think outside the box and turn your backyard into an adventure! Obstacle courses, camping, and water play all use imaginative play in your backyard. This summer, more than ever, backyard adventures are a great way to make the most of the season.
Get creative and keep your kiddos busy and engaged with these easy ideas for backyard fun.
4 Ideas for Backyard Adventures
Recycled Toys
My kids have been building an obstacle course using paper plates, jump ropes, balloons, and a fly swatter. Another idea is filling a plastic pool with water balloons and having a contest to see who can hit targets across the yard.
Let your kids turn items you’re ready to donate into toys. Let your kids look through the boxes and see what their imagination creates. Whether they find old plates that they can repurpose into steering wheels for their pirate ship. Maybe they use old sheets as a roof for a fort they create using all the shipping boxes we have received.
Nature Walks
Go exploring and look for treasures your kiddos can use in their imaginative play. Have them look for unique rocks or stones. Challenge them to find 5 different types of leaves or maybe sticks of different shapes and sizes. Kids’ imaginations can run wild with the possibilities of what they can find. When they get home, talk with them about ideas of how to use their treasures. See if they want to have a competition with siblings to see who can create the most unique creature or structure.
Outdoor Forts
Our family loves making forts indoors so we’re going to have a night of fort camping outside this summer. Each kid will get the same supplies of 2 sheets, wooden dowels, zip ties, and anything they find in the donation bin. I will give them a time limit and see what they create! Then we will spend the night by our fire pit playing games and telling stories.
Water Play
My kids love being in the water or playing with water especially to beat the heat in our Iowa summers. I have been searching for new games to play in our backyard and found this DIY Splash Pad. It looks easy to make and most of us already have the pool and slide.
Take sponges that you can find at the dollar store and cut them into strips and attach together with rubber bands. The kids now have homemade water balls that can be used instead of costly water balloons.
Make a DIY slip n slide.
There are many ways to make one using simple items from a hardware store. You just need a tarp or marine boat wrap, tent pegs, and dish soap. Turn the hose on and your kiddos will have hours of fun!
This summer is a summer of intentionality in our family. Being intentional with our time. With our words. And with our actions.
Time goes quickly and the memories will last so I want to make each moment count. Whether with small scavenger hunts or big camping nights. Find all your “stuff” and see what your family can create together to make a memory this summer!
What are your favorite backyard activities?
