What are your best backyard toys or equipment that keep your kids busy?

[Kari C in SC]

We just moved from a very teeny, tiny Florida backyard to a much, much larger (to us) South Carolina backyard. My brother-in-law lives next door. They have a inground pool, basketball court area and a trampoline (that my dd broke her ankle on!). I am thinking about playsets. I am wondering if the wooden ones that cost a bunch of $$$ really get a lot of use. Or if a cheaper swing set will do the trick. Sand box, maybe? My younger kids are 3 and 9. I also have nieces and nephews living next door from 9 to 13. Any great suggestions to keep them busy - especially my 3 year old? Thanks!

[abbeyej]

We have a big wooden play structure, but the only portion of it that my kids and their friends actually use is the slide... What they really use -- a lot! -- is the looong rope hanging from a very tall tree in the yard. Every time kids are in the yard, they all gravitate toward the rope. I honestly don't think they'd even notice if the fort thing disappeared, lol, but ds worried when we talked about moving that there might not be a place for a rope swing at the new house. :)

[Johanna]

Our step 2 sand table has been the BIGGEST HIT!!!

for the olders: its the play structure, for sure

We cant wait to get our trampoline this spring!!!

[Tap]

We have a huge tote full of different sizes of playground balls, Nerf footballs, traffic cones, Frisbees, rubber band/foam darts, bandannas (for flag football type games), jump ropes, basket balls, blankets for the grass, and Super Soaker squirt guns. There are more things in there too, but I can't think of any more. I try to buy miscellaneous things and toss it in. The majority of the summer, the neighborhood kids are in our yard, and are not on the expensive equipment that their parents bought. They hang out in our yard, playing games and having fun entertaining themselves. If they get board I set up an obstacle course and they have races or they make up a game. I often just have to get them started on something new and then they change it into something they enjoy :0)

[Tutor]

Tire swing, kickballs, frisbee, whiffle ball, bubble stuff, sticks and shovels

[Unicorn.]

Well, the biggest thing here is the rope we have hanging from a tree, with a big knot on the end that they can sit on. They love swinging from the trees! One dd even took other pieces of rope and tied them to trees, and then tied on extra fence pickets to make her own swings. Those are also favorites. We also have a trampoline, and when they were younger we had a huge sandbox! They like treehouses too. We also have an assortment like tap, tap, tap, of balls, ropes, frisbees, etc.

[LNC]

Here are the plans:

 

http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/feature/sandbox1/

 

http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/feature/sandbox1/sandbox2.html

 

http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/feature/sandbox1/sandbox4.html

 

http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/feature/sandbox1/sandbox12.html

 

http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/feature/sandbox1/sandbox13.html

[jmgconner]

We have a large wooden play structure that gets LOTS of use. It's quite simple with 4 swings, slide, climbing wall, and fort on top. We've found it to be one of our best investments. Our children love to swing!

 

As much as I hate it, our sandbox is popular, too. It's a mess. The kids are always covered in sand, the sand gets wet and muddy, BLECH! But, they love it.

[nuthouse]

after summer by providing garden shovels, a water hose, and various "Tonka" trucks ect. She had to give up the idea of gardening in her backyard. One year the kids had five waist deep holes. Everyday she sent the neighborhood kids home covered head to toe in mud. She didn't mind. Everyone was busy in creative play. Her kids were home and she knew who their friends were and how they played together. I'd say her giving up on laundry, clothes and a decent backyard paid off. Her teenage sons still bring friends over to the house, and they know much about their kids' social interactions.

 

For my under six crowd, we couldn't be as daring. We were renting at the time. We had a sandbox on the porch and a large playground ball. Luckily we went to the nearby park everyday. The park was so close to the house that most of the neighbors used it as an extension of their backyard and saved the cost of expensive playground equipment.

 

I'd suggest something for sand play, plenty of balls, and some sort of free play items, like appliance boxes.

[GreenKitty]

ourdoor play stuff: large wooden play set, swings, slide, rockwall, sand box, large plastic play set, chalk, a variety of balls, bats, bubbles, basketball net, bat/gloves/balls, nets, cones, jump rope, frizbee, pool, squirtguns, etc etc...

[Tracey in TX]

Fort, swings, rock climbing wall (our kids climbed by 2nd bday-it's small), basketball. The fort was a huge hit! We also had a plastic house, but that gets pretty beat up in the weather. Also doesn't fare well with kiddos jumping off its roof.:eek:

 

We have soccer nets in back yard. Used to have trampoline, but it didn't survive a storm. That was a favorite when the kiddos became school age.

 

Hoola hoops, jump rope, etc. Sand boxes are fun, but a lid is necessary, if you choose one (mosquito infestation, kitty litter box, etc)

 

Have fun and sounds like a nice area!!

[Ottakee]

One of the best things was a big pile of DIRT that my dh had delievered. It has been used for anything and everything. Yes, it will disappear over time, it will make the kids dirty but they will be oh, so happy.

 

We have a big wooden play structure as well. That is a hit too. I would, though, make sure you get one that is rated for bigger kids. Ours is up to 500 pounds per person per item. Some though are only 70 pounds per swing, slide, etc. That would cut out the older kids. Ours was a kit from Menards and took twice as long to make as they said but it is super sturdy and lots of fun, even for the teen boys to run around on.

[stephanie]

We have a big wooden play structure, but the only portion of it that my kids and their friends actually use is the slide... What they really use -- a lot! -- is the looong rope hanging from a very tall tree in the yard. Every time kids are in the yard, they all gravitate toward the rope. I honestly don't think they'd even notice if the fort thing disappeared, lol, but ds worried when we talked about moving that there might not be a place for a rope swing at the new house. :)

 

This is so funny b/c it sounds just like my house! We have all kinds of swing-sets, wooden play sets, teeter-totter, rock box, but the fave of the kids is the long rope with a disc swing attached to our huge tallow tree. The kids climb up the wooden play set and swing from it- of course, scaring everyone who sees it! I'm used to it,but other parents freak out! I have found that the simplest toys occupy mine the most. One hit over here when they were smaller was a water fun box. I got a rubbermaid container and filled it with jugs, ice trays, basters, cups and spoons and let them loose with the hose. I know it may be wasting water, but sometimes you just really need the break. Mine would play with it forever. Then I would give them a bottle of shaving cream to "make cakes" with it.

[Karenciavo]

We have a big wooden play structure, but the only portion of it that my kids and their friends actually use is the slide... What they really use -- a lot! -- is the looong rope hanging from a very tall tree in the yard. Every time kids are in the yard, they all gravitate toward the rope. I honestly don't think they'd even notice if the fort thing disappeared, lol, but ds worried when we talked about moving that there might not be a place for a rope swing at the new house. :)

 

 

We got the ladder and tire horse from Magic Cabin and they are definitely used the most by my ds5 (his expensive Pottery Barn sandbox not so much :() For my older guys we have a volleyball net, horse shoes, and airsoft guns.

[abbeyej]

We got the ladder and tire horse from Magic Cabin and they are definitely used the most by my ds5 (his expensive Pottery Barn sandbox not so much :() For my older guys we have a volleyball net, horse shoes, and airsoft guns.

 

Lol about the tire horse... Would you believe, that's what was on the end of the rope before the last family moved?!? ;) They just cut it off before they left, and we *meant* to replace it, but the rope alone (with just a knot on the end) has been so well-loved, it didn't seem necessary!

[JudoMom]

on their wooden play set. We also have a trampoline, but they aren't allowed on it without direct supervision, so it only gets used when dh or I can watch them. Swords, lightsabers, and footballs also get a lot of use. So does the sandbox (um, actually it's not a box, but the entire area under the playset is sand) and shovels and trucks.

 

At our old house we had a little metal playset and a tree house, and those got lived in/on. But here we have no trees suitable for a treehouse, so we got them the wooden set w/a fort.

[MomofSeven]

since it was our first summer in our new house.

 

Anyway, as I was debating whether or not to purchase a wooden swingset, I started to take note of all the houses around that have one. And there are alot! However, another thing I noticed was that I never, ever see children playing on them! Seriously, there is one street nearby where every house has a play yard and there is never a child swinging, climbing or sliding.

 

So, based on my not-so-scientific research, dh and I decided not to waste our money. Plus, we learned, that these play yards really don't service children well beyond the preschool years, at least the swings don't because of their size.

 

Luckily for us we have a creek and woods in our back yard which keeps our children more occupied than any play yard.

 

Honestly, I would spend money on bubbles, balls and jump ropes before spending thousands on a wooden play yard.

 

JMHO. -Amy

[Karenciavo]

Lol about the tire horse... Would you believe, that's what was on the end of the rope before the last family moved?!? ;) They just cut it off before they left, and we *meant* to replace it, but the rope alone (with just a knot on the end) has been so well-loved, it didn't seem necessary!

 

What! What a shame, well, at least the rope was well loved. Ethan just told me we have a dragon, not a horse. :rolleyes:

[MomofSeven]

Oh my goodness, the kids LOVE this thing!

[Karenciavo]

I also think this seesaw looks pretty cool, especially if you have a couple of younger kids.

[Karenciavo]

Oh my goodness, the kids LOVE this thing!

 

I would love to get one of these. How is your's set up, tree to tree?

[Robin Hood]

Dirt, water, little plastic animals and total freedom in that realm.

[KristineIN]

Well this really doesn't fall into backyard, but last summer we moved into a subdivision and all three of my children learned to ride bikes and now that's what they love to do. We have the perfect area for it. Also, our property has a small gully. They love playing in it. They have a "small" sled hill when we have snow, an area to just dig and play in the summer, lots of shade. The boys were digging for worms last summer. We used to have a swing set where we lived before, and that was all, but now our children can use their imagination more. We also have one tree on the other side of the house that the kids can climb in. For having a small yard, we really make the most of it.

 

Kristine

 

Sledding hill & gully They have to watch out for the small tree.

Climbing tree

[battlemaiden]

When we lived in Georgia our wooden play/fort structure had a problem with spiders- we had a large pine tree wooded lot. Our Little Tykes Barn was uninhabitable because of the pests.

 

Our favored activities for ages 2 to 7 were the zip line and digging with shovels.

 

In Virginia my dh built a simple, large sand box for the deck. It had two sides, one for sand and one for rocks. The imaginative play was endless! We put a tarp over it when not in use or if it was raining.

 

I'll keep thinking.

 

Jo

[GaJeannie]

We have a hammock in the backyard...it's one of those camping kinds that stands up to weather well and fastens to trees...I can' rem the name brand. But the kids love it. Their fave swing is the rope with disk. I see you moved to SC...I don't know how the fire ants are up there, but here in GA we had to finally get rid of our sand box bc of them!

 

Blessings....

[Janet in WA]

Our sons had a large wooden play structure, and their favorite part was the platform. We positioned the structure so that the platform was "up in the trees (nestled in the lower limbs of a tree) so that it was like a treehouse.

[lynn]

trampoline(I know this is controversial however, we have never had a broken bone or head injury in the 8 years we have had this. W had fractured ankle and foot unrelated to the trampoline), all sorts of balls, sand box lots of scoops, army men, dinosaurs etc., bubbles, jump rope, orange cones, play hut pop up tents, basic swing set works for us

[WTMCassandra]

I haven't had time to read all of the responses, but the biggest hit here is the dirt pit. Together, we built a large, cool, big-kid wooden playset when we moved here since we already had a pea-gravel area. However, there was also a nasty shed that we pulled down, leaving a huge square of dirt. We *were* planning to do some landscaping there, but in the meantime they started playing in it. Later in the season, I just gave up and framed out the thing with beams so it wouldn't keep getting larger ; ).

 

Dirt pit + water hose + buckets + wood scraps for bridges and such = hours of filthy, engineering bliss

[Jenstet]

We had a dump truck come and dump a load of sand. Not the fine stuff like you get by the bag at home depot. Had lots of rocks in it. They love it. We did build a frame around it. We use a sun canopy for shade and rainy days. One year we had a bug tent over it but that didn't work so well.

 

We also have a 100 foot zip line. FUN!!

 

Last year we splurged and bought a frame pool for 300 dollars at wal-mart. The best money spent so far.

 

Each kid has their own little fenced in garden. They can grow whatever they want. They like to make garden ornaments or buy cheap stuff for their gardens at the dollar store. That way they aren't always digging up my flowers.

 

I have seen people dig holes for their trampolines so they are flush with the grass. Not that you can't break anything but you don't have the distance to the ground. Our homeowners insurance doesn't cover trampolines.

[Mamagistra]

We have a large play set from our suburban days and a nice (roofed) sandbox. The best things for keeping my dc busy, however, are 10 acres of woods and a bunch of chickens and dogs. :D

[AKshanmar]

When my kids were little they would spend hours and hours and hours in the sandbox. DH built a really big one 10X10 and it made them very happy. As they got older the magic item was the trampoline. Even as teens they love that one. Ours just blew away though, so we might have to get a new one.

 

Bikes, scooters, slippery slides.

 

When I was a kid, we used to have a teether ball. I don't know if those even exist anymore, but we spent a lot of time batting that around.

[Vida Winter]

to have done much outside. But I can tell you what I am planning. We have 5 acres on a mountainside. I want to get a tire swing and a zip line. I also want to get a bona-fide teepee. When the kids have sleepovers (my teenager lives for these) I would love for them to be just outside our front porch in a teepee. I could have the security of having them nearby without any of the noise!

[Kari C in SC]

Thanks for all the replies! I think for right now we are going to skip the bigger wooden play structures and go with some tire swings, digging stuff, balls, etc. Thanks again!

[rafiki]

.