Easy and Affordable Kid-Friendly Backyard Ideas

Life-Size Angry Birds Game

This game can be dismantled and reassembled over and over again, so it’s ideal for limited-space backyards. Use old boxes to create the structure and place stuffed animals on top and inside the boxes. Bouncy balls can be thrown to knock the structure down. Whoever knocks down the most boxes and animals wins.

Outdoor Chalkboard

Paint a piece of large plywood with chalkboard paint and attach to a wall or fence. Keep a bucket filled with chalk nearby.

Backyard Clubhouses

You don’t have to spend a fortune to create a clubhouse for your kid. Instead, you can use old sheets and blankets to create tepees. Additionally, you can designate out-of-the-way places–such as beneath a hammock or between some trees–as a “secret hideaway.” You can even create a backyard clubhouse out of sunflowers if you plant them in a circular shape and leave a small space for an entryway.

Multi-Level Play Environments

Using your backyard’s natural topography, you can create multi-level play environments. Place recycled items, such as pallets and tires, along hills and receding walls to create safe environments children can climb.

Music Wall

Music is very enriching, and it provides endless opportunities for creative play. A music wall can be achieved by mounting musical items to a fence or otherwise solid structure. Use pots and pans, wind chimes, xylophones and more to create a musical oasis for kids to enjoy.

Vegetable and Herb Gardens for Kids

Children learn through play, so why not teach them a valuable skill such as growing their own food or flowers? Designate a portion or your garden to your kids and allow them to grow the foods and flowers they like best.

Outdoor Bowling

Encourage children to go bowling in the backyard by setting up a backyard bowling alley. All you need are some glow sticks, a ball and some water bottles. Break open the glow sticks and dump their contents into the water bottles. Line up the bottles and have children knock them over.

DIY Splash Pad

You can save yourself megabucks on a store-bought splash pad by making your own. Simply lay out a tarp and use a hose or sprinkler to get it wet. Make sure kids are being safe, as it may hurt to fall.

These budget-friendly backyard ideas are simple to execute and will provide your children with plenty of outdoor fun, ensuring your kid’s mind, body and spirit is nourished with the benefits only nature can provide.