Backyard Activities for Restless Kids

When your kids are home from school, you need creative ways to keep them entertained. Get a little peace and quiet without resorting to an afternoon of TV by sending the kids outside to play. The trick is to think of exciting backyard activities for kids of all ages. Whether you have toddlers or preschoolers, or you want to have fun as a family, these ideas are a great place to start.

Backyard Activities for Toddlers

Energetic toddlers thrive on certain outdoor activities. Give some of these ideas a try:

• Blow bubbles.
• Kick a ball around. Add a stick to turn it into hockey.
• “Fix” things with play tools.
• Fill a large bin or plastic kiddie pool with water, sand, or gravel along with sensory items such as toys, shovels, plastic bowls, and safe kitchen utensils.
• Build a DIY busy board that you can set outside.
• Build a mud kitchen and let your toddler get messy.
• Look for bugs. Turn the game into a science lesson by studying the attributes of different insects.
• Collect rocks and pine cones. Then, encourage your kids to dump them out and examine what they found.

Backyard Activities for Preschoolers

Preschool-age children enjoy opportunities to create. Give them an outlet with these backyard activities:

• Give your kids some sidewalk chalk. Let them color on the patio, fence, and rocks. The rain will wash their artwork away, but if you prefer, you can give your kids a squirt bottle so they can erase the chalk when they’re done.
• Make art. One idea is to tape a big sheet of paper to the fence, fill a muffin tin with finger paints, and let your preschoolers get artistic. Taking this project outside makes clean-up a breeze.
• Ride balance bikes around the yard. These are great for developing gross motor skills and getting energy out.
• Spread out a blanket and encourage your child to read a book or play with toys under a shady tree.
• Make a birdfeeder with your preschooler’s help. Hang it from a tree branch, and then keep an eye out for hungry birds that come to feed.
• Build a fairy garden or place fairy doors throughout the yard to create a magical setting for your child to enjoy.
• Set up a playhouse or plastic slides to encourage imaginative play.
• Build a rock drop by taping empty paper towel tubes or wrapping paper rolls to the fence at different angles.

Backyard Activities for Families

Sometimes, outdoor fun is about occupying your kids so you can get some work done. Other times, it’s nice to be out in the backyard as a family. Get adults and kids of all ages involved with these activities:

• Have a picnic lunch.
• Organize a scavenger hunt.
• Play freeze tag or follow the leader.
• Have an outdoor movie night.
• Assemble a new swing set.
• Set up a backyard chicken coop. Check your local city ordinances first.
• Become a gardener. Build a raised garden bed with your kids.

Does your backyard need a little TLC before you send your kids out to play? The Grounds Guys® offers lawn and bed maintenance to keep your grass and flowers looking their best.

Consider our lawn care programs: organic, hybrid, and traditional. Choose which program is best for you and your family to control pests and weeds, while ensuring your lawn is healthy and green year-round. Contact us today for a free job estimate.

Did you know? The Grounds Guys is a Neighborly company. Learn more about Neighborly’s community of home service experts at Neighborly.com.