Have Fun Without Leaving the Yard
With the soaring gas prices this year why travel? Spending time at home during the summer does not have to be boring. The backyard can be the perfect place for lots of family fun. All you have to do is be a little bit imaginative and before you know it the backyard will be the favorite place to be.
Splishing and Splashing
Turn your backyard into a miniature water park. Get a kiddie pool for the little one and let the splashing begin. Blow up pools that fit the whole family can now be bought for under $100.00 at most discount stores.
Turn on the hose and run the sprinkler. Let preschoolers play with an umbrella in the sprinkler. Don’t settle for just an ordinary sprinkler. Wham-O has some great water toys for the backyard including a twisty, slinky snake sprinkler.
Slip N’ Slides are another fun product by Wham-O. Hook up the hose to the Slip N’ Slides and you can race a friend with or go through a watery obstacle course. There are several great options from Wham-O.
Have Some Friends Over
Invite some friends over for an old fashion barbecue. Turn up the grill and get festive. Have a theme such as a luau or hillbilly days. Add realistic touches such as grass skirts for the kids or hay bails to sit on. Set up a screened in patio area to keep the food safe and provide shade. QVC offers a really nice one at a reasonable cost.
Go Camping
Pull out the pup tents, get the marshmallows and chocolate bars ready for Smores and your all set for a camping trip. It will not matter to the kids that you are only in the backyard. Spend time looking for constellations in the sky or catching fireflies at dusk. And besides think how much closer the bathroom is to your tent.
Make a Haven at Home
Great a peaceful hide-away from the world. Set out a porch spring with colorful pillows. Plant some flowers to add beauty and wonderful odors. Brew some ice tea, grab a good book and relax!
Keep the kids entertained while your relaxing with old fashion fun like bubbles or a Slinky. Play checkers or fly a wind up airplane. The kind of old fashioned fun that kids long ago used to do. You can find wonderful old time toys at any Crackerbarrel Restaurant and they are even making a come back in discount stores like Wal-Mart.
Plan a Scavenger Hunt
Plan a scavenger hunt with the kids. Hide things throughout the yard, make a list and send the kids on their way. You can also leave a series of notes, each one leading to the next clue. At the end have a big surprise such as a piñata in a tree waiting for the whole group.
Your whole family can have all kinds of fun and never have to leave the backyard. Get everyone involved. Have a summer planning night where kids and adults make a list of things to do or plan an event for the yard. You might be surprised at what everyone comes up with.
