Creating the Perfect Backyard Play Area for Kids
With Summer approaching now is the time to spruce up the backyard and get the kids playing outside.
Getting kids outside is important for their well-being, and there’s plenty you can do to help make the backyard a fun space to play. The right play area will help you make the most of the space you have and can even improve the value of your home.
Whether you have a large space or small, whether you’re looking to build permanent structures or make a general use area that you can add to with portable equipment – creating the perfect backyard kid’s play area is easier than you think.
Assess Your Space
The first step is to take the space you have into consideration. Pay attention to how you actually use the space – if your children prefer soccer over sandpits, you’ll want to leave an area to support their interests.
Take into account any household features that you can take advantage of while planning your outdoor area. A section of raised garden bed could be set aside for the kids to dig and plant, and if you’d like a water play area, make sure it’s not too far away from the tap. Shade is absolutely invaluable, so make the most of it.
A quick sketch will help you get your ideas in order. You can plan out rough dimensions, and even measure them out in your space to make sure the sizing will work. That means when it comes time to install your play features, it will all fit nicely and look cohesive.
Child First Planning
There’s no point creating a beautiful space if it doesn’t get used. There are some features that are fairly universal for most younger children – there’s almost always some variation of sand pit, water play, and cubby houses that will be played with time and again.
Many experts encourage introduce some element of age-appropriate risk into your child’s play – that could be a fort, a balance beam, a climbing wall, or just room to explore and create their own games.
As well as providing structures and equipment, think about other sensory and inspiring materials you can bring in: stones, leaves, shovels, paint brushes, chalk, or as many other options as you can imagine. You’ll be helping your children to create their own fun, exercising their creativity and giving them endless ways to play.
Built-in vs Removable
Whether you choose to build permanent structures or use portable options will depend on where you live and what your child enjoys. Generally, it’s a good idea to make the more universal options into permanent structures – cubby houses, sandpits and water play should be in use for many years, so it’s worth investing. Other equipment can be swapped out as your child outgrows it or you feel like a change.
There are always different options for the features in your backyard play area. Installing a pool is a major financial decision and will be highly dependant on your space, whereas a blow-up play pool is cheap and versatile, but you’ll need to look up your local laws on safety. A sandpit can have a similar range of options, from a built-in structure to a smaller solution such as a removable sandpit or even using a small tent to keep the sand in. Stores such as k-mart offer impressive wooden cubby houses, or many children play for hours in a cloth tent.
Inspire Creativity
Around the larger structures, keep your children entertained with creative options that will encourage their self-directed play. Water tables, chalk boards, outdoor kitchens, sensory gardens – the advantage of smaller activities is that they can be changed and upgraded to support your children’s interests.
You can look for smaller ways to delight your children with their play space – creating whimsical fairy gardens, hanging blankets to create bat cave retreats, or burying treasure in the sand pit all make use of existing structures but keep things fresh and interesting.
Make your backyard a retreat for your kids, with countless ways to make a space that looks great and has a range of creative options. The right planning will improve the look and function of your home, and make your yard an enticing space for your kids to spend countless hours taking advantage of the fresh air.