Kid Friendly Backyard Design Ideas on a Budget

Every parent nowadays struggles with the idea that their children may be too dependent on the internet, television and cell phones, while neglecting the joys of exercise and physical activity. Parents who are raising their kids in urban landscapes and metropolitan centers are especially vulnerable to this growing sense of detachment from fitness and outdoor exploration, simply because there aren’t many open spaces left. If you have a backyard that goes unvisited even on sunny days, there are many options available to you if you would like to transform the area into a kid friendly refuge. The backyard used to be the center of a young child’s daily life, from running around the grass playing cops and robbers to tossing the ball around with the gang. Today, the expanded role of video games, high definition TV and smart phones has increasingly given rise to an increasingly distracted and detached generation of young people. With some simple renovations based on kid friendly backyard design ideas, you can create a fun filled play area for your children while sticking to a reasonable budget.


A few gallons of colorful paint can go a long way in turning a drab backyard into a vibrant, imaginative center for your childrens daily activities. A few well placed cartoon characters, cowboys or clowns painted on your backyard fence can provide your kids with an outlet into another world, one similar to the virtual reality of websites but one that is tangible and stimulating. If your children have expressed an interest in a particular sport, a weekend of do-it-yourself improvements can create a stadium experience for them and their friends from the neighborhood. A scattering of white lines etched across the grass or strategically located cones can create a miniature football field or baseball diamond. Encouraging your kids to play sports outside fosters a healthy competitive spirit, builds stamina and physical fitness and helps them meet teammates that may become best friends in the future.

Every child’s favorite memories from their early schoolyard days come during the glorious few minutes known as recess. Playing with friends on the jungle gym, heading over for a session on the swing set and finishing off with a rousing ride down the slide are classic experiences of youth which shouldn’t be restrained to school days. You can find affordable pieces of playground equipment to place in your backyard at local school district auctions or through online sales websites. Your kids will light up with delight the morning they discover a personal playground sitting in their previously boring backyard. You can also use a bit of resourcefulness and craft an impromptu playground by arranging some tires on the ground and hanging swings from strong tree limbs. As long as your kids look outside and see an opportunity for fun and enjoyment, you have done your job as a responsible parent in the digital age. Technology will always have its place, but children playing outside until they fall down laughing should never become outdated.