Get the Kids Outside With Family-Friendly Backyard Ideas

1. Give everyone their own zone. Kids and adults often want to use outdoor spaces in different ways — kids may want to explore, play sports and have fun, while adults may want to relax or entertain friends. Since these different uses don’t necessarily complement each other, it can be helpful to create different zones in a landscape design.

One way to think about this separation is to design a garden in concentric rings radiating from the house. In a long, skinny garden, break the garden up into multiple bands that run parallel to the home. Keep the area closest to the house as a shared-use area, with spots for adults to sit and relax and easily keep an eye on young kids. Further out in the yard could be a natural place for ornamental planting beds and veggies.

Keep swings, slides or sports equipment away from the house, where they can be easily screened from view. See how the in-ground trampoline in this London backyard nearly disappears with clever screening?

See backyard play equipment

2. Put the building blocks in place to inspire creative play. Hidden spaces in the garden with places to discover, and a few kid-oriented elements, offer more potential for adventure than a smooth lawn might. Leave some areas a little wild and allow room for kids to build a fort out of fallen branches or create their own secret hideaway. Plenty of natural elements can be repurposed for creative play — such as stumps lined up as a natural obstacle course — and age more attractively in the landscape than plastic toys.

3. Get the whole family involved in growing food. Whether you have space for a full kitchen garden or room for a few pots in a sunny spot on the patio, growing tasty things to eat can be a great way to get family members outside and involved in the garden. Younger kids can help with harvesting easy-to-pick crops like strawberries or cherry tomatoes. Even picky eaters are often more inclined to eat veggies if they’ve had a hand in helping them grow. Older kids can take on responsibilities like watering pots twice a week or helping with weeding.

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4. Invest in a multipurpose playhouse. Well-designed outbuildings can serve multiple functions: as play spaces for kids, future hangout spots for teens and home offices, art studios or guest rooms for adults.

While the interior of this playhouse in Grand Junction, Colorado, is oriented toward kids, the rooftop is a more adult-friendly space, offering a great spot to have a drink with friends and enjoy the view while kids play below.

See more of this Dr. Seuss-inspired playhouse | Find an architect near you

7. Add a secret hideaway. Seating areas tucked out of sight are inviting both to kids looking for a hideout and adults looking for a quiet spot to relax. You can use a bench, a couple of lounge chairs, a hammock or even a nest-like seating nook.

Placement is key for getting that secret removed-from-the-world feeling. Look for areas that are out of view from your main outdoor living area, such as spots tucked under a tree canopy or ones partially obscured by plants.

8. Spark wonder. Inviting birds, frogs, butterflies and beneficial insects into the garden is a great way to inspire kids to be more connected with the natural world. Watch caterpillars morph into butterflies with an at-home monarch kit, hang a bird feeder outside the living room window or plant pollinator-friendly host plants and nectar flowers and watch to see who stops by the garden.

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10. Mount a chalkboard. Another inexpensive way to encourage creativity is to mount a kid-height chalkboard on a fence in the backyard or side yard and keep a tub of chalks close by. Even cheaper: Paint a piece of plywood with chalkboard paint.

If you have a fire pit, bust out the s’more materials for dessert or try “campfire banana splits.” To make the banana splits, cut a groove lengthwise down each unpeeled banana and have kids stuff toppings of their choosing, like chocolate chips, marshmallows or nut butter, into the groove. Wrap with foil and place around the edges of a campfire for about 5 to 10 minutes (long enough to melt chocolate). You can also make campfire banana splits in the oven by baking them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about five to 10 minutes.

Safety considerations. There are a handful of precautions to take to set up your garden to be safe for play, depending on the age of your kids.

• Use containment strategies to put up barriers between areas of the garden that are safe for children and those where parents should be there to supervise.
• For families with toddler-aged children, avoid any water features — even shallow ones can present a risk to unsupervised kids — or keep them in fenced-off areas.
• Make soft landings (like grass) for areas around trampolines or under play equipment.
• Check for plants that can be toxic or present hazards (like rose thorns or prickly cactus) and avoid planting them in areas where kids play. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has a searchable database to check if plants are safe for both humans and pets.