8 Tips for Making Your Backyard More Family Friendly
Posted on: 2020-07-15
One of the most wonderful things about the Edmonton area is the pride homeowners take in the exterior of their homes.
When the weather is beautiful, there is nothing more relaxing and enjoyable than taking advantage of a home’s outdoor space.
While aesthetics certainly play a large part in the design of a backyard, many families are seeking ways to make the area more family friendly. If you are fortunate enough to have a yard for your children to play in, you want to maximize not only the space but the functionality as well.
Here are some tips to make your backyard a kid-heaven by providing a fun and safe play for your children to play and take advantage of the outdoors:
1. Create a Seamless Flow Between the Inside of your Home and the Backyard
Children are active and curious creatures and often shift their attention on a moment’s notice.
If you want to encourage your children to spend more time outdoors, and less time on computers and screens, make your backyard easily accessible from the inside of your home.
This could mean ensuring that you have a door, such as a sliding door, that your children can easily open to go outside.
Also, give them a space in the doorway to wipe feet and ditch flip-flops, making it easier for them to scurry inside and out to use the washroom, fetch a toy or grab a popsicle.
2. Keep Your Kids in Your Line of Sight
Safety is always a priority when it comes to letting your children play outside. Make sure you can easily keep an eye on them at all times.
A sliding glass door is a great way to expand your view to the backyard, as well as windows that overlook the space.
Or, you can set up a seating area or deck with comfortable outdoor chairs that face your child’s play area. This way, you can relax and enjoy the outdoors while giving your kids the freedom to explore the backyard.
3. Incorporate Soft Lighting
Although the days may be longer in the summertime, you can certainly encourage prolonged outdoor play by installing lighting in your backyard.
To create the perfect atmosphere for evening enjoyment, try to choose lighting that simulates the light provided by a full moon.
Twinkle lights are a great choice and add a whimsy to your outdoor space.
You can also explore other options such as LED light ropes and post lights for your deck.
4. Take Advantage of Nature
You don’t have to build and install complicated play structures if you have branches to hang swings from and lush grass for your kids to tumble on.
If you have the trees for it, you can even build a treehouse. This gives your children a place to play and socialize with friends.
Even if your backyard doesn’t have trees, you can create natural playscapes by using rocks to create sandpits or sawed-off tree stumps and logs for seating or obstacle courses.
5. Create a Shaded Area
Kids tend to be impervious to the effects of the sun’s heat, but you still want to make sure they have a shaded area to cool off in.
Again, trees are the perfect material for creating the shade and you can take advantage of this by placing little seating areas under large trees.
You can also build or install small, roofed structures to provide shade over sandboxes or seating areas.
6. Start a Garden
Starting a garden will not only lend beautifully to the look of your backyard, it is also beneficial to your child’s development.
Through gardening, children have an opportunity to work together with family members to plant and tend flowers and vegetables.
It is also a great way to teach them responsibility.
7. Get Creative
Creating a family friendly backyard is the perfect way to stretch your creativity. While swingsets and kiddie pools are fun activities that children enjoy, you can create unique areas of endless fun.
Consider using sod and concrete pavers to create a life-sized checker board in your backyard! You can also install a huge chalkboard to your fence or build a climbing wall.
The possibilities are certainly endless when it comes to encouraging your children to be outside and have fun.
8. Create a Secret Cozy Nook
You may have a corner of your yard where you can tuck away a little seating area.
Your kids will love hiding away in their own secret little nook. Decorate the space with twinkle lights, outdoor cushions and teepees.
Have Fun This Summer!
When you have a backyard space, there’s no reason why you and your family can’t enjoy it!
So whether you are looking to upgrade your outdoor space, or any areas of your home, feel free to contact Parabola Developments. We offer competitive pricing with quality and peace in mind.
