How Can I Make My Backyard Fun for Kids?
Summer can be a challenging time for parents and kids alike. With so many options for entertainment that rely on screens, it can be difficult to get your kids up and out of the house. The last thing you want as a parent is for your kids to miss out on a beautiful sunny day just because they are glued to a screen watching videos or television.
So now is a great time to start planning just how you’re going to unglue your kids from those video screens, get them up, and enjoying the great outdoors. Sandboxes, tire swings, and play structures are all great sources of fun. However, adding a few additional features could up the fun factor even more! A nice area to run and play, some shade for cover, water, and hydration options might even inspire you to get in on the action.
Here are some ideas on how you can make your backyard a fun, safe, and enjoyable place for kids to play and enjoy.
Providing Sufficient Shade
As a parent, you already know kids have a lot of energy. But sometimes when it gets too hot the kids, and even the dog may be a little more reluctant to venture outside and play. This is especially true if there is no shade available. Really hot summer days with no shade are not much fun for anyone.
One way to cool things down and keep your backyard a fun place to party is to create some shade areas where the kids and pets can get out of the sun. Adding a few small trees or even a manmade structure like a fort, treehouse, gazebo or pergola can make a huge difference. These types of outdoor shelters provide kids with cooler play area options when the temperatures start rising. Having a nice spot to cool down will even make the dog happier, and more likely to stay outside.
Just Add Water
It’s amazing how even a relatively small amount of water can improve the prospects for fun during warm weather days. Great memories can be made by just adding water to your kid’s backyard experience. Whether it’s a small wading pool, slip n slide made from the plastic liner, or an old fashion sprinkler, kids, water, and warm weather is a recipe for fun! Kids can find hours of enjoyment just splashing around the backyard in a small pool or running through a sprinkler. It’s a great way for kids to stay cool and it sure beats sitting inside watching a video screen. So, if you don’t have one already, think about adding some type of water activity to your kid’s backyard experience this summer, then sit back, smile, and take in the fun.
Stay Hydrate – Stay Happy
Staying hydrated is one of the most important things to keep in mind during hot weather. Dehydration can cause headaches—even in children—and is a leading cause of lethargy during warmer months, which could lead to more time indoors in front of those video screens. But when kids are running around and playing outdoors, staying hydrated is the last thing they think about. Fortunately, this problem can be easily addressed. This solution will also provide a great opportunity to teach children about the importance and many benefits of drinking water.
Placing a cold-water dispenser in your backyard for everyone to enjoy will go a long way to ensure the outdoor fun continues—even during hot, sunny days. Encouraging your kids to drink water regularly and explaining the benefits will help them understand why hydration is so important during outdoor activities. This is also a great time to teach kids about their responsibility to keep pets hydrated too. Proper hydration will help keep their energy up and them outside having fun.
Get Rid of Bug Bites
Mosquitoes are a major source of aggravation for everyone, especially when the warm summer months roll around. No one wants to be outside if they’re going to end up on the menu as a snack for hungry mosquitoes. That’s why keeping your backyard bug-free is a great way to encourage the kids to enjoy outside activities.
Minimizing the number of areas that attract mosquitos and other insects can help reduce their overall numbers. So make sure all plants and trees are trimmed back proportionally—but not to a point where all the shade is eliminated. It’s also important to address any standing water—notorious hiding places for mosquitoes. If you do have a small pool or other areas where water sits, cover it, clear the water away, or empty the water out and refill it the next time you want to use it. Another way to ensure backyard activities stay bug-free is to call your local professionals at Mosquito Joe. They are the bug-free backyard experts who know how to keep bugs from spoiling your good times.
Taking these positive steps to make your backyard a fun place to be this summer is a great way to ensure a healthy, happy summer for you and your children. Now that you are creating a fun backyard environment, you can start planning some fun backyard activities for the kids to enjoy.
