Category Archives: Backyard Fun

Backyard Fun

Sandboxes Are a Never-Ending Classic

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Experts agree that the simpler the plaything, the more effectively kids are able to create and imagine.  Nothing is simpler than sand, and nothing gets a kid’s creativity and imagination going quite like an old-fashioned sandbox.

Kids of all ages flock to sandboxes in parks and at schools, and who can resist that ultimate sandbox — the beach.   It doesn’t matter whether children have elaborate sand tools, cups and spoons from the kitchen, or nothing but their hands and feet, there seems no limit to the fun they can have with sand.

Put a sandbox in the backyard and your kids will spend hours building, pretending, creating, and experiencing the best kind of play, active play that engages the mind and the body.  They may even forget about the TV and the computer games that so easily lull them into a zombie-like stupor.  It’s amazing how such a simple substance as sand can offer so many possibilities and bring so much enjoyment.

Backyard Fun, Healthy Ideas

Wooden Swing Sets Are Great Entertainment

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 Wooden Swing Set

My three year old daughter loves nothing more than being outside on a nice summer day. It is always a struggle finding new and exciting things to keep her entertained. We recently decided to purchase a wooden swing set to try to add some variety to her outdoor activities. It has been such a great addition to our home! It provides endless hours of entertainment and keeps her challenged in a positive way with all the features that it has.

Creating a custom swing set is easy with a purchased kit and some sturdy wood. You simply build the frame, with easy to follow instructions, and attach the accessories of you choice. No swing set would be complete without a slide, and there are many options to choose from. From straight and simple to a spiral tube, you are sure to find the slide that fits your ideal vision. There are also a variety of swings in different colors and designs that can add variety for children of different ages. You can add a bucket swing for your littlest ones. A glider provides great fun for older kids or siblings. A sandbox, monkey bars, rock wall, or rope ladder can also add various degrees of fun for different ages. Finally, add telescope or steering wheel, and the swing set that your kids have always dreamed of will be a reality in your front yard!

We used to spend a lot of time at the park. Now, my daughter has her own park in our front yard. It provides her with entertainment, but also helps keep her active and challenged in outdoor play.

Backyard Fun, Outdoor Entertaining

Unique Outdoor Games Encourage More Family Time Together

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One of my favorite things to do when the weather is pleasant is to herd the family outside for some fun outdoor games.  My preferences, though, are more unusual outdoor games.  I certainly love kicking the soccer ball around and tapping the croquet balls with a mallet, but it’s those less than common outdoor games that really get my family’s attention and keep us together having fun for longer amounts of time.  Like chess, for example.

What’s so unusual about chess?  The chess I’m thinking of has thigh-high sized weatherproof pieces and an enormous chess board that can be easily set up in the backyard or on the patio.   At this size, you can have a truly unique experience with a classic game of strategy.  Outdoor chess is fun to play one on one or in teams, and all family members will get a kick out of working together to defeat the opponents.  With enough people — and some fun costumes — you could even substitute real people for playing pieces.  Now, that’s a unique outdoor game.

Backyard Fun, Environmentally Friendly Ideas, Outdoor Lighting Ideas

Outdoor Solar Lighting Can Light Up Your Spring Nights

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With Spring in full swing, my family and I are spending longer hours enjoying our backyard. The warm, clear nights provide a fantastic setting for family relaxation and fun. What better way to enjoy Spring nights than with outdoor solar lights. They provide the convenience of bright nights without adding cost to your electric bill! They are by far the easiest and most inexpensive way to light your outdoor activities.

Solar lights are perfect for your backyard because they use the sun’s direct energy to charge all day and then release that stored energy at night. No expensive wiring or outside electrical outlets are required! They are weather resistant and require no maintenance. Your family will be able to enjoy countless nights frolicking outside with their every step lit by solar power. Can’t you just picture it now? Chasing fireflys and watching the stars appear in the Spring sky? That sounds like something my family and I will be doing tonight!

 

Backyard Fun

Wood Swing Set Kits Make It Easy To Do It Yourself

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Have your kids successfully talked you into buying a backyard wooden swing set, but you dread the thought of visiting a showroom and being talked into dropping thousands of dollars on mediocre equipment (and even more on the installation of that mediocre equipment)?  Consider the following three words: do it yourself. The good news is that even a novice do-it-yourself enthusiast can purchase high quality, and reasonably priced wooden swing set kits on the internet and assemble one as soon as it arrives at your door.  Even better news is that do-it-yourself wooden swing set kits are available for purchase without wood included or with wood included. Deciding which swing set kit to choose depends only on how involved you wish the do-it-yourself aspect of the construction to be.

Do-it-yourself swing set kits, whether they come with wood or without, should always offer free shipping and come with complete step-by-step instructions for construction — all necessary hardware and basic accessories (such as swings, monkey bars, canopy top, etc.) should be included.  Many additional accessories are almost always available for purchase, but any wooden swing set kit that requires separate purchase of necessary hardware should be avoided. Every nut, bolt, bracket, and spring clip needed to complete the project should always be included with the kit.

Here’s the big question.  How does a do-it-yourself enthusiast make the choice between wooden swing sets that come without the wood versus swing sets that come with the wood? Consider the following. Kits that do not come with wood allow you the luxury of hand selecting the type of wood, and even each specific piece of wood, that will be used in the construction. More time and tools are needed for these kits, though, because each piece must be searched for, transported to the home, cut to exactly the right size, and sanded, and then holes must be drilled for each piece of hardware. Do-it-yourself enthusiasts who are truly enthusiastic about home construction projects may prefer this approach.

On the other hand, wooden swing set kits that come with the wood included may sometimes be a better choice for the do-it-yourself enthusiast who does not have the time to select and sand the wood. The wood that comes with these kits is usually high quality and intended to last for many years with proper care. An advantage to swing set kits that include the wood is that all the wood is pre-cut, pre-sanded, and pre-drilled. With these major steps already completed, you can construct the wooden swing set in a fraction of the time.

Whether you choose a wooden swing set kit that includes wood or not, you can significantly reduce your costs by shopping wisely and constructing the equipment yourself. Either choice gives your kids a fun, safe, and long-lasting place to play and provides you with a feeling of pride and accomplishment.  So, go ahead and do it yourself!