Outdoor Features for Kids

With spring and summer right around the corner, many people are beginning to think about what outdoor yard projects they need to put on the “to-do” list. My husband and I are included in this group of people as we have a pretty bare yard that needs a lot of TLC in order to fulfill our family’s needs and dreams.

As many of you know, we built our house just a couple of years ago and having the yard sodded was not an option as our front yard is roughly 10,000 sq. feet with the back yard about three-fourths the size of the front. Therefore, the past two springs and summer we have focused on killing the weeds while improving the grass. We also completed a landscaping project last fall as we put in our own stone-lined flower beds in the front.

While we are still looking for ways to improve the overall appearance of our yard, we are more focused on finding some fun outdoor features for the kids this year. Having a few outdoor activities for the kids will encourage them to find things to do outside during the warm weather instead of sitting inside watching the television. Below are a few outdoor features we are considering for our kiddos. Maybe they will give you some fresh ideas for what you can add to your backyard for the kids to enjoy this year!

• Jungle Gym/Monkey Bars: As a child I can remember spending hours outside playing on the monkey bars that my parents had for us in our backyard. While I thought I was having a blast swinging from bar to bar, I was also getting some much needed exercise in. A jungle gym/monkey bar set is a great thing to add to your backyard as kids can swing, climb, flip on it all spring/summer long!
• ATV: I understand this is not something everyone wants to have for the kiddos to play with, but we are strongly considering one for our oldest son (6) as we have 2.5 acres of land and most of the neighbor kids have one. Of course, we will be purchasing one that has a speed control and the automatic off option if the child falls off and he will be wearing a helmet. My husband grew up with four wheelers so this is something he feels like our boys will thoroughly enjoy. If you have the space available, it may be something your kids will enjoy too. 
• Tetherball and Basketball: For some reason kids of all ages enjoy playing tetherball and basketball, making these two very easy outdoor activities to add for your kids, especially if there are other kids in the area. They are both outdoor features that your kids will enjoy for years to come!

So, what are some of the outdoor activities that your children enjoy? Are you going to be adding any outdoor features this spring/summer? If so, what will you be adding?