You send your kids out back, what would they most likely be doing?

[rafiki]

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[sassenach]

We just moved into a new home this weekend that has chickens. This is a novelty for my kids, so my mantra has been,"Stop chasing the chickens!"

[JFSinIL]

We had a warm day this past weekend, and hubby chased all the kids outside. At which time I realized that at ages almost 12 - 16, they are too old to have a fun in our small backyard riding Big Wheels, or playing on our small suburban street where all the other kids are much MUCH younger. There is NOTHING for a teen to do outside here unless we send them on a bike ride or drive them somewhere. Sigh. It was just a few years ago that our backyard seemed so big, and so much fun.

[Amy in NY]

complete with a (pretend) fire, salad, and pasta (softened wood chips).

 

They are too funny.

[Jenny in Florida]

. . . my son would likely be either building something with PVC piping (left over from a project last summer) or practicing the choreography for the big fight sequence in the production of Pirates of Penzance he's rehearsing.

 

Or, he might be singing the score from Turandot at the top of his lungs (lucky neighbors).

 

Or "watering the lawn" while getting himself wetter than he gets the grass.

[Linda in NM]

Shooting things. Seriously, he takes a pellet gun out (we live in the woods) and sets up targets (no living things allowed) and shoots at stuff...or builds stuff...or walks the giant German shepherd puppy...or rides his bike...or shoots pucks at his net on the deck...or shoots hoops. Got to get the hot tub filled this week (it's been forever to get it hooked up), so I think I know where he'll be next week...

[Alice]

4 yr old----tying things together with his jump ropes to "make machines", or building something out of scraps of wood to "make a machine", or playing in the sandbox with "the machines" (Do you detect a pattern here?)

 

17 month old---trying to do whatever the 4 yr old is doing :)

[Adrianne]

They take their weapons of choice for that day and pick "history guys" and pretend to be fighting or defending their kingdoms (or empires depending on the "history guy") One day it was Marco Polo vs the pirates.

 

I love SOTW and the imagination.........

[RoughCollie]

My kids would definitely be playing baseball or hide-and-go-seek.

[Crissy]

If they're not in the batting cage, one can usually be found in the front yard and the other in the back. They play catch with a football or softball *over* the roof.

 

Last week they each had a stack of post-it notes and a pen. One boy would write a note, stick it to the football and toss it over the roof. The other would reply on his own post-it and send it back. They had quite a lengthy conversation with their low-tech version of instant messaging! :D

[Rich with Kids]

My ds9 has Nut Village. Only nuts may dwell there. They have shelter, a pond and lots of activities. Today it's a nut war. :001_huh:

 

Edit: The war is over and they are now celebrating the return of their founding father, The Silver Surfer from The Fantastic Four. All is well in Nut Village!

[j.griff]

Catching flies; grinding pieces of chalk into powder to paint themselves with; playing with sprigs of rosemary; collecting pebbles, sticks, tiny bits of chalk, etc. into a small container.

Those are things they do frequently, on our tiny little patio. We don't have a real "yard".

[LizzyBee]

My kids once built the hanging gardens of Babylon. :lol:

[Just Me]

Ours are usually out in the treehouse, or down by the creek "tracking deer" :D

[Elisabeth in IL]

Climbing the tree and swinging (sticks) Lightsabers.

[Old Dominion Heather]

They would be furthering the mayhem that is known as "the construction site." This involved massive areas of mud and about 1000 toy construction vehicles. It also involves my new rule about wearing boots in the backyard. And the one about washing off before you come inside.

[tlcmom]

still young enough for the pretend world. The most excitement we get is my daughter sitting in the barn with her goats reading. But with 21 rabbits right now all she is doing is cleaning cages with her free time.

[OnTheBrink]

Either drawing with sidewalk chalk, kicking her soccer ball around, finding rocks/flowers/bugs or coming in whining about how she doesn't have a swing and her life is ruined.

[Pajama Mama]

Well, they had better not be on the grass:tongue_smilie: I had to plant more grass seed because the lawn looks a little anemic. They can use the trampoline but they have to go an indirect route so they don't incur my wrath:glare: It's supposed to rain this week so hopefully the lawn will be in bounds by next week. I need to get the yard ship shape this month. By early May, I start opening the pool. I am so not looking forward to that. We also have a empty parking lot directly across the street. It's perfect for bikes, scooters, etc

[Krista in LA]

My 12dd and 10ds would likely be acting out a play that they were making up as they went. It would probably include the plastic swords and them being pirates or knights or ninjas, and them dancing around and doing karate moves on the Rainbow playset.

[Twinmom]

My big ones were out there playing "school" with the little ones just now! A few days ago, they were making a creekbed under the playset, complete with a rock lining and a dam. Wanted to check on how water flowed, I guess.

[JudoMom]

They might be in Jedi training or in a battle (Jedi, knights, or pirates). They might be playing a game of football or hitting golf balls. Or they might be using the scrap wood to build something, or digging in the huge sandbox under the monkey bars. They might simply be swinging or climbing on the fort. All of these are entertaining enough to watch from the house, but dh just told me on Sunday that their favorite new game is:

 

Monkey family.

 

They pick one to be the Monkey Dad.

They run around the yard, climbing things, and hollering at each other.

The funny part is they add a "oohh-ooohh" monkey sound to the end of everything they say. Even the 2 year old.

 

I think we might scare our neighbors ;).

[5knights3maidens]

We don't have a big back yard but, my dc usually go out and start digging in the one corner where there is just dirt. Today they were excited about watching ants.

[RegularMom]

Mine would be raking leaves, or building fairy houses, or pretending the swingset was the Dawn Treader, and taking it out on an adventure or two.

 

Or they might be sneaking off into the side yard to pick the flowers I've specifically ordered them NOT TO PICK. :)

 

Hmmm...I'd better go check.

[Sunkirst]

The 2 yo is constantly finding water (and mud). I change her clothing 3 times daily (tho she doesn't seem to notice she's soaking wet).

 

The 4 yo is building bird nests (of grass) and bird houses (of scrap lumber) and sprinkling bird food (Sand) everywhere.

 

The 10 yo has been putting in a sand pit. He dug everything, and joyously used our hatchet to chop out tree roots (from the long dead tree next door). He even hauled the 50# bags of sand (on his skateboard). I only had to help put in the boards (which he salvaged), and some plastic lining.

 

Unfortunately, its been so wet that our neighbors haven't been permitted to play over (their mother likes Clean Children). Last week they were all making keepsake handprints (next door kids go to school) out of a mud/grass mixture known as "Jumba."

 

It's better than TV :lol:.

[Harriet Vane]

My ds almost always digs. We have an official Digging Spot in the yard. He had a different digging spot for a while, until he started going deep enough to cause concern, and we learned that he was actually digging right over our gas line.:eek:

 

My dd is generally in the tree, or the swing, or all over the yard making up stories and narrating them to herself as she acts them out. It makes my heart melt every time (she does this in the shower too)--I used to play that way too. :)

[Jenny in Atl]

Turning a pale greenish yellow color from all the pine pollen floating about today.

[Chris in VA]

Just the littlest--she chased the dog, who was chasing the tennis ball I was throwing--

She built a museum in a tree/log hole. (Ants came--I said,"Oh look, visitors!" She was not amused. Apparently, no ants allowed.)

She rode her scooter up the driveway.

She made a hopscotch-sort of thing and used it.

 

Now she's inside reading.

Gotta love it when they can entertain themselves.

[LisaKinVA]

They'd strip down to their underwear and run the hose to the top of the slide to create their mud slide...

 

speaking from experience, that is.

[momofkhm]

Probably building a dam.

[my2kidsmom]

Yesterday,

DD and a few neighborhood kid took the boom box out to the carport and made a video. It was cute.

[asher]

:lol: My youngest was talking to bubbles this afternoon.

[kristavws]

Catching bugs, pretending to be jedi knights, playing in their hide-out, shooting basketball, or digging in the dirt. One day my 4-year old spent an hour trying to dig out a visible root from a large tree, claiming it was a dinosaur bone. He wants to be a paleontologist.......

 

Krista

[Remudamom]

In our back yard you hunt lizards, horned toads, scorpions and snakes. You hike far enough away that you frequently get in trouble. You step in cow poop. You could be burning trash, or grinding grain.

[3lilreds in NC]

Mine like to play on their swing set, and it has a little play house up on a platform so that's their "club house." Often they will find sticks and take play silks out and make flags and such. We have feather boas out there as "doors" to keep out the boys, LOL.

 

They also like to make jumps for the dogs. They also make tack for him and tell him to trot and such. Emma told me she made him a martingale - I don't really know what that is except that it's part of his "tack." They have made it out of string, yarn, and that lanyard plastic stuff.

 

They have scooters and bikes to ride, but our driveway is a steep hill and riding just on our little short sidewalk isn't fun for very long. They do like to ride them when we go on walks and stuff.

 

They love to pick flowers and leaves when things are blooming. I have a couple of beauty berry bushes and the bright pink berries are irresistible to little girls. I worry less about it now that they are old enough not to eat them!

 

They like to draw with sidewalk chalk and paint with water. I read about painting with water in a book of toddler activities, and they still love it. They crack me up.

[1bassoon]

their favorite new game is:

 

Monkey family.

 

They pick one to be the Monkey Dad.

They run around the yard, climbing things, and hollering at each other.

The funny part is they add a "oohh-ooohh" monkey sound to the end of everything they say. Even the 2 year old.

 

I think we might scare our neighbors ;).

 

They should come over to my house. My kids have been known to play monkey missionaries - they convert alligators! :D

[inquirer]

I'm jealous ... my backyard is too small. If we went out there today we would be stepping in dog do do.

 

So instead we were in the front yard playing baseball.

[lollie010]

This is the spring time obsession for my 4 yo. The two year old is into rollypollys. We are feeling very Charlotte Mason this week.

 

Laurel T.

[lottie j.y6s4ly]

riding bikes or scooters, drawing on driveway or wooden playset with chalk, jumping rope or tying each other up with jump rope

[fenni]

it depends on the weather, but whatever it is, they usually have me shaking my head. I think they are brilliant with all their imaginary games and inventions. This has been a fun thread!

[Strawberry Queen]

Well,

 

Our yard is small and skinny. It has one old bush in the corner, a sandbox, and a little strip of dirt. Today they were so excited that they could dig in the sand. It has finally become warm enough that it isn't frozen solid (although there are still chunks of ice in said sandbox).

 

Dd #1 is almost always doing the pretend thing, wandering around the yard making up adventures. Lately it's been related to good queens and bad ones(no one wants to be Bloody Mary:001_smile:).

Dd#2 is the digger in the family. She loves to discover and hold bugs and worms.

 

Whatever else they do, they end up keeping themselves amused for a while, which leaves the house nice and quiet. This is especially true right now as it's too cold to have the windows open like you do in summer.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Ds10 - playing some kind of "army game" in the front yard or playing some kind of complicated game with his matchbox cars.

 

Dd6 - training the dogs to do tricks.

 

If they are together - riding bikes or scooters in our cul-de-sac.

[Plucky]

They play capture the flag, soccer, play catch with baseballs or footballs, play in the fort, jump on the trampoline, swing, poke around in the bare garden, climb trees, watch the pheasants, hawks, or other birds, pretend to be horses, pretend to be in the army, read on a blanket or hammock, take pictures, burn grass or ants with a magnifier glass.... it's a never-ending list.

[rafiki]

.

[DIY-DY]

You send your kids out back, what would they most likely be doing?

 

Regardless of the weather, the 7yo and the 4yo will. be. shirtless. They're usually using the 7yo's pocket knives to fashion swords or spears. Lately it's been boats (which they float in the creek). Climbing trees, or digging holes. Love those holes! :001_huh:

 

The 9yo is constantly trying to devise some new method of propelling himself (or others) down the meadow hills - he recently tied the poorly-trained dog to a tricycle and had the 4yo do the test run (it didn't work, btw). The wagon, the bikes, felled logs... it's all fair game. Writes messages in leaves w/ a magnifying glass, finds worms for the compost bin, wanders around talking to himself...

 

The 2yo forages for food in the house and takes it out back to feed the dog. Doesn't matter what it is, she'll feed it to him. And he'll eat it. They have a good relationship.

 

When they play together, they all have a "store" at the edge of the drive. They make jewelry there. I've got a lovely rock pendant collection now. :) They play on the dirt pile we have for building up the driveway. And archery - now that we've cleared enough ground cover so that you can find the arrows if you miss the target, they spend a good hour or two each day shooting.

 

Dy

[Free Indeed]

My 11yods is usually practicing his tomahawk throwing or lassoing. Yesterday he cut a slit in a long stick and tied a throwing knife in there of a throwing spear. He is my little Daniel Boone. :D

 

My 9 and 7yog are usually making things with sticks and rocks or in a tree, or building "houses" in the woods. We had baby goats recently as well as baby chicks so they are loving on the babies. They like the trampoline when mommy asks them to stay clean. :tongue_smilie:

 

The 4yo- looking for frogs and toads to catch! :hurray: No doubt about it she is always looking for toads, frogs, caterpillars, doodlebugs, etc....

[DIY-DY]

My ds almost always digs. We have an official Digging Spot in the yard. He had a different digging spot for a while, until he started going deep enough to cause concern, and we learned that he was actually digging right over our gas line.:eek:

 

I live in fear that our diggers are going to find the septic tank or the lines one day... :blink:

[Ravin]

Today DD and the kids I babysit went outside for all of 10 min, then came in complaining it was cold. I'm thinking, "It's less than 80 outside, you should be ENJOYING IT while it lasts." But last week, they build nests out of dirt, modeled after an actual fallen birds' nest they found. DD also enjoys target practice with her little cork-shooter crossbow, but she's lost all her corks.

 

Hunting for golf balls is also a popular pastime in our backyard, thanks to backing onto a golf course.