How To Build a Playground in Your Back Yard

If you are looking to increase the ways that you can enjoy great times with your family, a great thing to consider is the addition of a home playground to your back garden. If you have enough room in your backyard, there is almost no limit to the things that you can do.  Swings, slides, tunnels, and more can all be installed right in your yard so that your family always has access to excitement and activity.

One thing that doctors are telling parents more and more these days is that kids simply need to spend more time outside.  Television and video games are fine in moderation, but your younger family members need to explore, imagine, and play.  Their brains develop much better with the stimulation that outdoor play provides, and their bodies reap immense physical benefit from play and activity as well.  Building a playground that your family can use will help keep children healthier and happier.

If you choose to build a playground, the most important part to begin with is the flooring.  If you have a concrete patio, you will need to resurface the area of your yard beneath any swings, slides etc that you install to protect your child.  If your child suffers a fall, grass, wood-chippings or even a simple thick rubber mat will protect their heads.  Even a short fall onto bare concrete can cause a trip to the hospital at best, permanent brain damage at worst.  Bear this in mind when working out the cost of installing your chosen children’s play equipment.

Of course, building a family playground doesn’t have to cost a fortune.  A swing set can be found at a pretty reasonable cost these days (consider buying a used set, which you can get for very little through your local Classifieds paper), and even installing a sprinkler for the kids to play in or painting up an area where they can play basketball can be easy and cheap. 

The idea isn’t to rival the neighbor or the local park, but to offer family activities that will get your kids excited about going outside when they get home from school rather than just flopping in front of the TV. 

There are plenty of great playground ideas, and you can even let your children help you decide what would be the most fun.  Family fun is essential for health, and your backyard can be the perfect place for it.