Backyard Playground Designs – There are many studies that show that spending time outdoors benefits both children and adults. Getting outside and into nature helps us think more clearly, reduces stress and can even heal faster. But we don’t need research to tell us that being outside makes us feel better; we experience it every time we have the opportunity to enjoy outdoor living spaces, play with the kids in the yard, or explore one of Southern California’s many hiking trails.
Creating a kid-friendly yard is a great way to encourage your kids to spend more time outside in the fresh air and sunshine. A fun play area with lots of options will help them be active and have fun while enjoying the wonderful weather we are lucky to have year round in and around San Diego County.
Backyard Playground Designs
Try some of these kid-friendly backyard ideas to turn your backyard into the perfect place for your kids to play, relax, create, and grow.
Outdoor Playset Ideas You’ll Love
Incorporating one or more age-appropriate play structures is a good way to encourage physical activity while having fun. Children and their friends will surely love spending hours climbing, swinging, sliding and playing right in your yard. If possible, choose a play structure that will grow with your children so that you can benefit from your investment for many years.
Two of the best options for providing a smooth, level, cushioned playing surface are rubber playground tiles and artificial grass. Interlocking playground tiles are available in a variety of colors and can be used around play structures or on playing surfaces. If your yard only has a steep landscape, you can also cover part of the concrete or paved patio with rubber tiles to create a softer area for your children to play or relax.
Another option is to choose artificial grass that can be used under play structures, in play areas and acts as a grassy surface for children, pets and adults to enjoy. Lawns are great for active play and lounging when all you need is relaxation. While natural grass will work for this, there are several benefits of artificial turf to consider. Properly installed lawns provide a flat surface for running and playing. They are also easier to clean if they share space with pets that use the area as a toilet. While natural grass can hold bacteria more easily, the porous base on artificial grass makes it easy to clean pet toilets with a hose. You can also use a product like Urine Zero to kill bacteria and stop the bad smell.
Synthetic turf requires no mowing, weeding, aeration, edging or irrigation. Aside from occasional blowing, leaf removal and dusting, little maintenance is required to keep artificial grass looking its best and ready to enjoy. The created grass also drains well, which means that your children can enjoy it even after it rains, and you won’t have to worry about mud or wet grass coming into the house.
Backyard Playground Ideas For Children With Disabilities: Making Play Accessible And Fun
Many of us have fond memories of spending hours and hours in a playhouse or treehouse as children. It was a place to play, a secret clubhouse, and a place to spend time as kids in whatever way suited us best. As adults, we know how important it is to have our own spaces – like man caves and sheds – but sometimes we forget that this is important for children too. It is also important for them to have safe spaces where they can relax, read, play board games with friends or just spend some time in peace.
Unless you are particularly skilled and have construction experience, it is best to hire a professional to ensure the safety of the structure. You can also buy prefabricated playhouses that are easy to assemble.
If your kids love soccer, basketball, golf, or rock climbing, you can customize their play area to encourage them to continue enjoying these healthy activities. An artificial turf field is ideal for practicing their short game without the maintenance of natural grass. If they prefer basketball, you can build a full or half basketball court for them to enjoy. A single soccer goal on the artificial grass lawn allows them to practice soccer at home before the next game, while the climbing wall is a unique addition with a small footprint, so it’s even an option for a small backyard.
Those of us who live near the beach know how much kids love to play in the sand and that they never seem to tire of it. Since we can’t take them to the beach every day, one way we can allow them to play with sand at home is by incorporating a sandbox into their play area. If you don’t have a lot of space or would prefer to avoid a permanent installation, there are many affordable portable options available, such as sand play tables and small sandpits with covers.
How To Build An Easy + Inexpensive Diy Playground Border: Tutorial
For a more durable sand play area, consider an attractive wooden sandbox with benches and a cover to protect your little ones from the sun while they play creatively.
Whiteboards are great for encouraging creativity and providing a space where your children can express themselves through words and pictures. You can add a chalkboard to the wall of a play structure, paint one on your fence and add trim as a frame, or place it on a covered patio. Buying a whiteboard for outdoor use is the simplest and most convenient option. If you decide to paint it on a wall or fence yourself, remember that standard chalkboard paint from your local craft store will not hold up to the weather when used outside. Don’t forget to buy chalkboard paint designed for outdoor use.
Install shade sails or put up a canopy to provide shade for the playground. This will protect your little ones from the sun, while their play area will be more pleasant on hot days.
Small portable splash pads can be purchased online and are a good choice for people with a smaller yard or a tight budget. These are so affordable that you can pick them up for less than $10 and set them up in minutes. These small splash pads are usually best for small children and need to be put away when in use, but they are cheap and easy to install, so this may be a good choice for you.
How To Elevate The Design Of Your Backyard With Artificial Turf
If your budget allows and you have the space, consider installing a children’s paver splash pad. This can be incorporated into your patio or installed as a separate play area. Pavers provide a non-slip surface, so they are great for water playgrounds. It is also an attractive option that can be used as a seating area or for other purposes when your children are not enjoying it on a hot day.
If the kids might be playing in your yard while the adults gather around the fire pit in the evening, get good lighting to keep everyone safer and make your playgrounds easier to enjoy at night. Perhaps the best way to light up the space is with cafe lights strung over play structures or with fairy lights wrapped around them. It may include path lights leading to the court or marking the edge. Or it can even include task lighting that illuminates certain features or an arts and crafts space.
Save money and find a new use for things you no longer need by moving them to an outdoor play area. For example, if you’ve lost the lids on some of your plastic food storage containers, use those lidless containers to stock your outdoor play kitchen. If you have old hats or jewelry that you don’t need anymore, add them to the dress-up area in the casino or on the covered patio.
Add a little adventure to your backyard by adding a zip line. Zip line kits for kids are available online and come with instructions that describe how to install them between two trees in your yard. If you have a large yard with large trees, there are also zip line kits for adults.
Playground Set For Sale
Spending time in nature is good for our health and well-being. While we may not be able to spend much time hiking, skiing, or camping, we can create natural spaces in our outdoor living spaces. At least we can incorporate natural elements into our yards. Use felled tree trunks as stools for craft tables, add natural stepping stones that lead to play areas, use logs as balance beams, or find tree branches that are sturdy enough to support a rope swing.
If you have a small yard or just a small space to use as a play area, it’s important to maximize the space you have. one