Now through Fall, outdoors is the place to be when the weather is right. Why not create a playful environment in your own yard? There are plenty of ways to transform your back yard into the go-to destination for the neighborhood and have your children begging to go play outside. Of course there's the usual swing set, or basketball hoop, but there are plenty of other ways to keep kids and adults entertained in the yard!
One addition that doesn't take too much work is a horseshoe pit. Playing horseshoes can entertain large or small groups for hours on end, and create a focal point for social occasions. You don't even need a pit, and can play on the lawn if you have just the spikes and horseshoes. Amazon has a kid-friendly rubber set ([amazon B000LHWPJQ inline]) or you could get serious, build a horseshoe pit and get the pro set ([amazon B00007KDV0 inline]).
Then of course there's Croquet, the quintessential lawn game! No custom setup is required, although you may consider cutting the lawn pretty short to make the balls roll easier. Croquet is also an excellent introduction to rule-based games for young inexperienced players. Croquet sets are fairly inexpensive and most of them are portable. We recommend a six player set like this one to accommodate larger groups of kids: [amazon B0029MKES0 inline]. Adult sets are larger, sturdier and more pricey.
Other easy-to-set-up games are badmitton and volley ball. These games are great fro kids because you can adjust the height of the nets to match the age group that will be playing! If you buy the badminton set ([amazon B003U6S620 inline]), you can use the same net to play volley ball ([amazon B0055QE8DO inline])! If you're not into badminton, try this volleyball set to get you started ( [amazon B00C87VSFO inline]). Want to play at night? Try a [amazon B00006JK2L inline]!
If you're into DIY, This Old House has put together a great compilation of 'How Tos' for projects that are great for fun times the yard:
- A lemonade stand
- Ideas and instructions for a mini golf course
- A soccer goal
- DIY Shiskaball
- A pipe ball game
- A cool little sandbox
- DIY ladder golf
- A bean bag toss
- A water rocket
- A simple outdoor fort
Need more ideas for outdoor fun? Why not explore the world of Instructables. You'll find plenty of unique and engaging projects that will bring fun and good times to your back yard.
