Don’t know what to do with the kids during the summer holidays? Are they glued to the TV or the computer for long periods of time? Whether you just want everyone enjoying the outdoors or you’re planning a staycation, arrange family activities that go beyond the backyard barbecue or other things you would normally do as a family. These suggestions to make your backyard summer fun will be sure to totally eliminate boredom and keep kids engaged all season long.
Create an Obstacle Course
You will want to design the course to be age-appropriate. However, if there will be children ranging in age from toddler to tween and older in your backyard this summer, the course can still be challenging for the older children yet manageable for the younger ones.
Use what’s already in the yard. Anything is fair game – a wading pool, sandbox, hula hoops, buckets, swings, or a climbing set. Skipping ropes, pylons that they have to go around with a boiled egg on their noses, and rubber balls make great inexpensive obstacle course activities.
The ideal obstacle course will engage all of the senses. Hang colourful water balloons from a line: the idea is to burst the balloon when someone else is underneath it. All items should be budget-friendly: visit a dollar store for chalk, plastic cones, ribbons, string, and flags.
Host a Different Activity Each Week
Plan a new activity each week and have each child in the family invite their friends over to participate. If you’re new to the area, inviting the kids in the neighbourhood might be the ideal opportunity to introduce your family to the community. Activities everyone might like to join in include:
- Barbecue and a movie night
- Sports or outdoor games day – don’t forget the prizes
- Exploring the backyard – everyone gets a magnifying glass and small notebook with pencil attached
- A treasure hunt
- Arts and crafts – set up at least three different stations for painting a picture, making a sculpture out of recyclables, and a place create a craft from nature items foraged from around the backyard
- Having a pool party
- Painting garden rocks
Backyard Activities just for the Family
Backyard summer fun can be the perfect “excuse” to spend some quality time together as a family. It can also be a great time to reconnect with extended family, including the grandparents, you haven’t seen in a while. Some ideas that include everyone from youngest to oldest are:
- Stargazing – all that’s needed is a telescope
- Making the backyard bird-friendly – install a birdbath, DIY a bird feeder, build a birdhouse
- Learn how to grill like a pro
- Organize a picnic
- DIYing something everyone wants such as a tree house (check local bylaws for height restrictions), a jungle gym, or an outdoor chessboard with oversized game pieces
Turn Your Backyard into a Campsite
Pitch a tent or two or three in your backyard and sleep under the stars. Furnish the tents with sleeping bags, air mattresses, lanterns or flashlights, and storage containers (with lids) for bedtime snacks.
Arrange the types of activities for kids you’d do if you were visiting an actual campsite. Throw a football or kick a soccer ball around. Have a softball game.
Use the fire pit to make s’mores or if you don’t have one, build a bonfire (ensure it follows local bylaws). And of course, you just have to tell scary stories just before going to bed.
