We are two weeks into Summer Break, and my kids are logging most of their time outdoors! Playing in our backyard until after dark is their "thing" all Summer long. Spending the days outside with friends and family is what Summer is all about!
During the school year, basketball, dance, storytime, chorus, and band are the things that keep us overly busy. Although Dylan, Lexie, Lily and Liam love their activities, it's so nice to let go of our favorite things for a few months, and enjoy the longer, lazier days of Summer.
Before school even lets out for the Summer, we spend a weekend cleaning up our yard, and getting it ready for hours of play. We make sure the fun outdoor toys are easily accessible, we fill our kitchen with lots of snacks, and we stock the fridge with kid-friendly drinks (
THESE are our favorite).
Although just playing outside can be fun and encourage kids to be creative, it definitely helps that we have a backyard full of things to keep our kids busy and active! Saying "I'm bored" is not allowed in our home, because there are at least 20 things in our backyard to pass the time!
It was difficult to narrow down our backyard essentials list to just ten items, but with the help of my kids, we came up with the ten things that they love to have in their backyard. In no particular order, we're going to share our top ten backyard must haves!
The Top Ten Backyard Essentials To Rock The Summer With Kids
SLIP AND SLIDE
When I was a child, we put tarps on a hill, and made our own slip and slides! Now they come in convenient little boxes in all shapes and sizes. Once, we wowed our kids with an extra large tarp as a slip and slide, and although it was fun, it's definitely easier to use the ready-made kind with the hose attachment! (Now that's progress!)
SPRINKLER
In my almost 13 years of parenting, we have gone through a lot of sprinklers. It doesn't matter what kind they are...kids just love running through them!
SMALL POOL
Real pools are, by far, much better, but having an inexpensive pool to use in your backyard can provide hours of fun. I try to take the kids swimming once or twice a week, but it's nice to have a small pool that the kids can sit in on the days when we can't go.
Inflatable pools don't usually last long for us, but they get us through a Summer and then we replace them. The truth is, a tiny plastic baby pool that is 10 years old, gets the most use during the Summer! (It's really fun to use for sensory play, too!)
TRAMPOLINE
Some people love them, some people hate them. My family definitely loves them! We have a small enclosed trampoline, and it gets used almost every single day by all four of my kids. They often run out to jump on it after dinner, and they keep jumping until it gets dark!
SWINGSET
If you have a kid, this is pretty much a must have! We bought ours when Dylan and Lexie were really little and it still gets so much use. After nearly 10 years of almost daily use in our backyard, we're going to have to replace it next year. My kids love to swing and slide all day long!
RIDE ON TOYS
Our hand-me-down Power Wheels Barbie Jeep is one of the most used toys in our backyard. Lexie loves to drive it in laps around our house every afternoon, and Lily and Liam often fight over who gets to be her passenger! It's often a very crowded car!
Coming in at a close second to Power Wheels, is the Cozy Coupe. Lily and Liam each have one and they love to zoom them through the yard! (These also have been known to come inside our house on rainy days!)
SANDBOX
Most kids love to dig in sand, so this is a childhood staple! My only suggestion is to get one with a lid, and make sure it gets covered every night. Then again, wet sand can be a lot of fun!
If sand isn't your kids thing, try a construction pit filled with small stones!
PICNIC BLANKET
This one is very random, but my kids LOVE to have picnics in our backyard. A waterproof picnic blanket is a must! (We keep one in our car, too, for all of our picnics at the park!)
PLAYHOUSE
My little kids love hanging out in their playhouse! Dylan and Lexie have moved on to bigger and better things, such as building forts, but the playhouse is still Lily and Liam's favorite place to hang out. They just love having their own small space that they can escape to!
WATER TABLE
We actually have a water table AND a water and sand table in our backyard. Our original water table, which Dylan got almost 12 years ago, is perfect for sensory play. Liam, however, loves his sand and water table, and I love the attached umbrella that protects his fair skin from the sun!
Honorable Mentions:
- Push Toys (Bubble Mower)
- Basketball Hoop
- Sidewalk Chalk
- Water Balloons and a water balloon refill pump
- Squirt guns
- Balls (all sizes)
- Hula Hoops
- Jump Rope
- Bowling Set
- Bubbles
Spending all that time in our backyard can make my kids REALLY thirsty. Staying hydrated is key! I keep the fridge stocked with kid-friendly drinks, and they always get so excited when they spot Fruit Shoot inside!
I've mentioned before just how much I love
Fruit Shoot, too. The convenient, on the go bottle with the resealable sports cap is far superior to the pouch drinks that constantly get squeezed out. As a mom, I'm thankful for less messes to clean up, and for a drink that I'm not afraid to let my kids take in the car!
Fruit Shoot is a very popular brand in the U.K. and has been for over a century, but is new to the United States. Since I was first introduced to the brand, it has grown in popularity. Before, it was hard to find, but now, more stores in our area are carrying the product. My kids are so happy! Although they have favorite flavors, they loved trying the new Fruit Punch flavor, and gave it two thumbs up (or 8 if you add all those thumbs)!
Do you want to try Fruit Shoot, too? Use
THIS STORE LOCATOR to find a retailer near you!
Summer Break JUST began for us and we are thoroughly enjoying it. I know just how quickly time passes, so we are soaking up every single minute of it! If you need us, we'll be hanging out and having fun in our backyard!
What are your favorite things to do in the Summer?
