Front Yard Family Room
blogger at http://playborhood.com, Neighborhood play zealot, crazy dad, 5-time Internet/software entrepreneur
blogger at http://playborhood.com, Neighborhood play zealot, crazy dad,... More »
We've converted our front yard into a "front yard family room" that acts like a suburban neighborhood "Cheers" - a place where kids and adults can hang out and have fun.
Kids hardly play outside anymore. Compared to decades ago, they have far more attractive alternatives to devote their free time - they can play lifelike video games, surf the web, choose among hundreds of TV channels, or participate in myriad organized activities (sports, arts, etc.).
I've renovated my front yard to level the playing field and make neighborhood play at least as attractive as all those alternatives. It seems to be working - my kids and my neighbors' kids play out there every day for multiple hours! It's become much "cooler" than staying inside.
Kids hardly play outside anymore. Compared to decades ago, they have far more attractive alternatives to devote their free time - they can play lifelike video games, surf the web, choose among hundreds of TV channels, or participate in myriad organized activities (sports, arts, etc.).
I've renovated my front yard to level the playing field and make neighborhood play at least as attractive as all those alternatives. It seems to be working - my kids and my neighbors' kids play out there every day for multiple hours! It's become much "cooler" than staying inside.
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| It's built from the ground up to promote neighborhood kids' play. |
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| it's totally visible and accessible from the street, so neighborhood kids wander over and use it all the time |
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| This is right on the sidewalk, so neighborhood toddlers can't resist splashing it on their walk by. |
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| kids can do arts and crafts or grab a snack right in front, under the redwood tree, and passers by can join in |
Kids have fun and learn at the same time at this driveway maze. The gridlines are permanent, but the maze itself is tape, so maze designs can be changed easily.
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| It's visible to all passers-by in the neighborhood, and the neighborhood kids made all tiles that make up the building. The houses are our houses, so this is really about our neighborhood! Kids are very proud. |
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| All neighborhood kids and adults can express themselves here. It goes for 30 feet along a fence on one of our borders. |
These stone-like chairs - "Livingstones" - are very, very cool. The kids love them!
Ideabook updated on Sept. 6, 2009.
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Thank you for reminding us about community and neighborhood.
I love all your ideas!
Here's an approximate breakdown:
1) new landscaping w/ underground irrigation: ~$32K
2) remove driveway pavers and add smooth concrete driveway w/ sealer: ~$15K
3) redwood picnic table with storage benches (to store munchies, board games, computer, projector, speaker, etc.): ~$3K (see http://foreverredwood.com)
4) redwood sandbox w/ cover: $650
5) fountain including installation: ~$2.5K (see http://www.prosperityfountain.com/namiougrwafo.html)
6) white board including installation: ~$3K (see http://dryeraseplus.com)
7) mosaic including installation: ~$1K
8) basketball hoop including installation: ~$500
Feel free to ask me more! BTW, I also did a major super-kid friendly back yard renovation, too!
6) white board:
Did you do the mosaic yourself? I would love to incorporate something like that into my yard...
The quote is from a great children's book by Daniel Pinkwater of NPR fame called "The Big Orange Splot": "Our street is us and we are it. Our street is where we like to be and it looks like all our dreams."
Kids who participated in making it frequently drop over to show their tile to their parents. It's a great neighborhood artifact...
May I ask where did you get the beautiful stone-like chairs?
Just sold our house on Stockbridge - moved to Florida so the kids could enjoy outdoor living finally. None of their friends did much outside. We lived in at Stalsaft in the summer, swinging, walking the pipes, catching frogs - kids can't go there alone anymore.
I think you are doing an incredibly wonderful service. If you ever do get sued and lose, just ask all of us parents who realize kids need to get off screen time to have a childhood and we'll help out!