Category Archives: Backyard Fun

Backyard Fun, Healthy Ideas

Big Time Twist on Classic Outdoor Games

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Outdoor Golf Chip Challenge

 

Only a few more days of winter are left, according to the calendar, and the promise of warmer days makes many families itch to get outdoors and enjoy the gradually rising temperatures.  Now is the perfect time to add a new outdoor game to your standard favorites, and classic games with a super-sized twist are the most popular choices among outdoor game-loving families.

Breathe a little extra fun and fresh air into your soccer or basketball games by playing Monster Soccer or Monster Basketball.  Monster equipment makes these traditional favorites enormously fun for everyone in the family.  Alternatively, golf lovers will jump for the outdoor golf chip game.  Intended for outdoor use and constructed from a heavy duty plastic material the golf chip game comes complete with stakes, mark off ribbon, and balls.

After a long winter that probably consisted of way too much indoor time, getting your family outdoors in the warmer spring temperatures probably won’t be a problem.  When you liven up your current collection of outdoor games with these larger than life classics, you may have a harder time getting your family to come back inside.

Monster Basketball Game  Monster Soccer Game

Backyard Fun, Outdoor Safety Tips

4 Tips for Choosing the Safest Swing Set Location

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Swing Sets

Before constructing your new backyard swing set this spring, make sure to think carefully about where the best and safest location will be for the playground equipment.  Use the following 4 guidelines to help you choose just the right spot:

  1. Consider the ground — Level ground is the ideal place to situate a backyard swing set.  Equipment placed on ground that is uneven or sloping can cause a swing set to tip when in use.
  2. Check the surroundings — Avoid placing swing set equipment near obstacles or hazards like trees and tree stumps, low tree limbs, exposed roots, wires, fences, large rocks, bricks, and concrete.
  3. Create a safety zone — Ensure that there will be at least 6 feet of space around all swing set equipment.  Increase that number for the area in front of and behind swings.
  4. Keep it cool — Metal and dark-colored slides and surfaces get extraordinarily hot and can burn skin if they are placed in direct sunlight.  Position the backyard swing set equipment so that slides and any dark surfaces will be out of direct sunlight for most of the day.

Planning ahead and carefully choosing the safest and most suitable location for your backyard swing set is the first significant contribution you make when it comes to playground safety.  Once your swing set is in place, it’s hard to go back and move it to a better location, so take some time to be sure that it’s right from day one.

Backyard Fun, Outdoor Safety Tips

7 Steps for Safe Swing Sets

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Safe Swing Sets

Before you know it, your kids will be clamoring to get outside and play on their backyard swing set.  So, now is the time to check the swing set and equipment to be sure that it’s ready for another year of heavy use.  Follow these 7 steps to ensure a safe start to the season:

  1. Check the overall condition of the swing set — signs of wear and tear include broken or missing parts, bent tubing or pipes, splintering or decaying wood surfaces, and rusted metal surfaces.  Replace worn or damaged parts and repair surfaces as needed.
  2. Examine the condition of swing seats, chains, ropes, cables, and other swing set equipment and accessories for wear.  Replace worn or damaged equipment.
  3. Check and tighten all the nuts and bolts on your swing set.
  4. Make sure the protective caps on the ends of bolts are still in place.
  5. Oil all the moving metal parts with a squirt or two of WD40.
  6. If your swing set includes a sandbox, replace old sand with new, or ensure that existing sand is free from debris before allowing kids to play in it.
  7. Replace the protective surface beneath the swing set with new material or replenish what is already there.

Ideally, you should check your backyard swing set for safety every month, especially if your kids subject it to heavy use.  Doing so takes only a few minutes and goes a long way toward preventing common swing set injuries and accidents.

Backyard Fun, Holidays & Gift Ideas, Outdoor Entertaining

Birthday Gifts for Your Favorite Guy!

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Birthday Party

Today is my husband’s birthday (happy birthday, Jeremy!), and I have been considering the ideal gifts for men. Options abound for choosing the perfect gift for the man in your life, young or old. Below are two great options that are sure to please every husband, boyfriend, brother, and dad around!Grill

Grilling is a passion for most men. Give them a kitchen, and they might not produce, but give them a a grill and the great outdoors and you will have a delicious meal in no time! Even if your guy already has an outdoor grill, it might be time to upgrade! There are so many options in outdoor cooking available today. Electric, propane/gas, charcoal, and smokers ensure that there is something for everyone. You could even get him a portable grill that is perfect for family vacations, tailgating, and outdoor hobbies, like fishing or hunting.

Outdoor TV Outdoor tvs are a dream for many men! They can only imagine being about to watch their favorite  sporting events or movies live while cooking lunch on the new grill or lounging in the pool. Outdoor tvs make this luxury idea into a reality. Designed for permanent outdoor installation, you can safely watch tv in all kinds of weather. They are perfect for patios and decks, barbecues, pool side, and outdoor kitchens. Rain, dirt, insects, scratches, sun, and extreme temperatures are not an issue because of the water tight enclosure and rugged, but crystal clear, screen.

No matter which gift you choose for your favorite man, be sure to make it special and give them a gift that they will never forget!

Backyard Fun

Swings with Zing: Keeping Swing Sets Updated and Cool

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Tire Swing

 

As kids grow older, their needs and abilities change.  Keeping your backyard swing set updated with accessories that meets your kids’ current needs and interests will ensure that the swing set continues to be used and enjoyed over the course of many years.   There’s no need to completely overhaul your swing set at one time, though.  Start with one improvement and see how that goes before adding or changing anything else.  Swings are a good place to start.

How old were your kids when you first purchased their backyard swing set?  Were they young enough to need a bucket swing or half-bucket swing for safety?  Updating the swings on your swing set is an easy and inexpensive way to keep the kids coming back out to play.  Instead of buying a new standard belt swing, though, choose a swing with somePine Wood Chair Swing zing.

Some popular alternative choices for traditional swings include tire swings and glider swings, both of which can support at least two people at a time.  A disc swing is another fun option that, like the tire swing, is not limited to just a back and forth movement.  For older kids and even adults, a wooden chair swing is an appealing spot for swinging gently while chatting with a friend or reading a book.

Getting the most use out of your backyard swing set means that a little updating of the accessories now and then is necessary.  Keep up with your kids’ interests as they grow and change, and you’ll keep them coming back to play.