Backyard play ideas: Easy ways to have fun with kids! How to make use of your garden
When your child is little or a family member isn’t feeling well, it can be hard to get out to the park or go on outings.
That’s why I recommend playing in the yard.
Since the yard is on your property, it’s easy to play there, you can keep an eye on your child with peace of mind, and it’s great that you don’t have to worry about finding a restroom or drinks.
In this article, I’ll introduce simple yard games and toys, beginner-friendly DIY play equipment, and nature play ideas.
Find activities that suit your yard and enjoy fun time at home!
- [Active Outdoors!] A roundup of garden games you can enjoy with your kids
- Recommended outdoor games you can enjoy without any equipment
- [Make with Kids] Handmade Outdoor Play Toy Special
- Play ideas kids can enjoy from 1st to 6th grade [indoors & outdoors]
- [For Kids] Outdoor Recreation Games: Fun Outdoor Play
- Kids Will Love It! Fun Games for Your Barbecue
- Outdoor games and recreational activities recommended for children
- Play equipment that makes the park more fun. Popular outdoor play toys.
- Easy DIY! Introducing educational toys that can be easily made with 100-yen shop items and things around the house.
- [For Kids] Today’s Handmade Craft Ideas
- [For Kids] Today's Recommended Recreation Idea Collection
- Enjoy traditional games with your kids! A collection of DIY stilts (made from bamboo) ideas
- At home! Outdoors! Treasure Hunt Game Idea Collection
Backyard play ideas. Easy fun with kids! Ways to use your yard (1–10)
horizontal bar
They say NBA players often have a half-sized basketball court in the yards of their mansions.
A spacious yard is something to admire, isn’t it? Even if it’s not that big, with a yard about the size of three tatami mats, you can install a kids-only horizontal bar.
With your own private bar, your child can secretly practice the backward hip circle they’re not good at! They can stay active even on days off, which is great for health and building stamina.
Maybe it’s a luxury unique to homes with yards? Horizontal bars are sold at specialty stores for large toys, so if you’re interested, be sure to check them out!
jump rope
Jump rope is a classic way to have fun while getting your body moving.
As long as you have enough space to swing the rope, you can enjoy it anywhere.
Because it involves rotating your arms while hopping lightly, it’s a great way to train your whole body efficiently.
Another big appeal is the variety of tricks—if simply jumping feels too easy, you can always challenge yourself with something new.
Since you end up using your entire body without thinking about it, it’s easy to get tired when you’re really into it, so knowing when to take a break is important too.
Picnic
When you hear the word “picnic,” you probably picture going out somewhere, but with the right setup you can enjoy a picnic vibe right in your own yard.
Simply eating on a picnic blanket is fun, but adding various items will boost the picnic mood even more.
Using gear that creates shade like a tent lets you enjoy the fresh air comfortably, which is highly recommended.
The key point is how well you can stage your home garden to feel like an outing.
Backyard play ideas. Easy fun with kids! How to use your garden (11–20)
soccer goal
It’s a simple, easy-to-understand game where kids can enjoy kicking the ball into a soccer goal.
If the child is interested in soccer, just having a goal at home will probably get them excited.
You could also use it as an opportunity to introduce soccer by explaining that it’s a sport where you control the ball with your feet instead of using your hands.
Without getting too particular, you can focus on the fun of aiming at a target and getting the ball in.
It might also be enjoyable sometimes to let them freely use their hands or other tools.
Treasure Hunt
It’s a game where treasures are hidden in the garden and participants search for them.
You can hide them in the shadows of placed objects, or make it a dig-from-the-soil activity, which sounds fun too.
If digging is involved, participants can also experience using tools and the sensation of touching the soil.
The most important thing is to get people excited when they find the treasure, so choosing the treasures themselves sounds enjoyable as well.
If you put the treasures in capsules or something similar to keep them clean, you can add the joy of finding them and the joy of opening them.
Color water play with flowers
Apparently, a pond is essential for a so-called English garden.
Bridges and the like, too.
It’s a bit different from the Japanese style of gardening, which focuses on planting and enjoying flowers and grasses.
How about trying “color water play” using flowers blooming in your garden? Put the picked flowers into a plastic bag and add plenty of water.
Then the water will take on a faint tint.
Rapeseed flowers make yellow, morning glories make purple, and so on, creating a color unique to each flower.
The hues feel different from paint, which will surely fascinate children.
It’s probably suitable from around age three, when kids can pick the flowers themselves.
camp
This article is about enjoying camping in your backyard, which is often seen as something that requires a long trip.
By using proper camping gear, you can get the camping vibe without going anywhere, and it’s easier to deal with any issues with your equipment—that’s a key advantage.
It’s also perfect as a rehearsal for camping, giving you a chance to learn how to use your gear and what actions are needed when you actually go camping.
While it’s important to create a camping atmosphere, I think imagination—convincing yourself that you’re really on a camping trip—is also a key tip for enjoying backyard camping.