Backyard Play sets Make GREAT Gifts for the Kids

The Value of Backyard Play for Children

Need a good birthday gift idea for your child? Or perhaps you’re looking to get an early jump on your holiday gift planning for the kids? Either way, here’s an idea for something other than just another video game, screen, or battery-operated toy – a backyard play set! Even though it’s still plenty warm outside right now, a play set is something your kids can enjoy practically year-round.

It’s not that screen time is necessarily a bad thing, in and of itself. Technologies like computers, tablets, and even some video games can be used to engage children and stimulate their minds in some positive ways. But one downside of screen time is the fact that it really does very little to improve your children’s physical health, and screens don’t really encourage active outdoor play, either. Ready to help your kids reap more of the benefits of getting outdoors? Then give them the gift of a backyard play set!

Backyard Playset Ideas

But what kind of outdoor play set or play feature? That’s a good question, and the answer will depend in part on the specifics of your children’s ages, physical abilities, and personal interests.

Ø  Swing Set

Swing sets are popular with kids of all ages, for good reason. The thrill of sailing through the air is intoxicating, plus swinging is something that’s just as fun to do on your own (as long as your legs are long enough to generate your own momentum!) as it is with a friend. There are any number of backyard Swing Sets and play set combinations you can purchase and install yourself. Just remember that you’re not done once the swing set is put up; you also need to make sure to put as much effort in getting the swing set or playset properly anchored, too.

Ø  Tire Swing

Got a sturdy tree in your backyard with a limb low enough for you to be able to throw a rope over? If you do, then you’ve got the makings for another fun swinging play area. Tire swings require very little in the way of necessary equipment, and are totally doable as DIY projects. Just make sure your ropes and rigging are secure and capable of supporting a fair amount of weight. And if you go with a bigger tire and/or a longer rope, it’s also best to have an adult present whenever the kids want to climb aboard. Safety first!

Ø  Backyard Play Fort

You can purchase a prefab play fort, or you can also choose to pull one together from some materials you may already have on hand like plywood, canvas, tarps, PVC pipe, branches, etc. And play forts are nice because they really encourage a lot of creativity and imagination with your children’s outdoor play time. No two play fort experiences are ever necessarily the same, and that’s a good thing when it comes to children’s mental development.

Ø  Sandbox & Kiddie Pool

If you have young children, then you really can’t go wrong with a sandbox, kiddie pool, or both! While full-body water play is necessarily limited to the warmer months, there are other ways for children to enjoy kiddie pools that don’t involve climbing inside and getting soaking wet. For example, you can turn a kiddie pool into your own make-believe lake for playing with boats and other floating toys! And sandboxes are something that children can enjoy practically any time of year, as long as it isn’t raining or snowing. But then again, if there’s enough snow on the ground, your kids can just use their sand toys to dig around in the snow instead!

Ø  Basketball Goal or Soccer Goal

If you’ve got any paved space in close proximity to your backyard, then putting in a basketball goal makes a lot of sense. For that matter, basketball goals work pretty well on any hard, level ground. And a soccer goal is a great idea for a grassy area. And another advantage of choosing a sports feature is that you can go outside and play WITH your kids, too.

Ø  Backyard Art Space

Perhaps your kids aren’t necessarily sports-oriented, or perhaps they just like to express themselves artistically. It’s not hard (or even expensive) to create some space for your children to be able to flex their creative muscles. For starters, you can just purchase a supply of sidewalk chalk and let your kids go to town on the pavement. Want to create a vertical chalk art surface? Apply a coat of weather-resistant outdoor chalk paint to any wall or other smooth, hard surface, and you’ve got a reusable chalk art station!

The Many Benefits of Outdoor Playsets

What are the benefits of gifting your children with their own backyard playset? Honestly, there are several! Here’s a short list of the good things that come along with putting in an outdoor playset for your child or children:

Ø  Teaches how to get along with others

Many play features on sets like these can accommodate more than one child at a time, and some are even specifically designed to be used with a partner (like a seesaw, for example). For these reasons, getting your kids out on the playset can actually help teach them some important social skills like communication, cooperation, teamwork, and patience.

Ø  Provides some health benefits

Research shows that kids who get regular outdoor exercise are more fit, have stronger muscles and bones, and also have less chance of developing a chronic health condition like diabetes. Backyard playsets also help with agility, hand-eye coordination, and motor skills development.

Ø  Playsets are more creative gifts

Sure, you could buy your kids another electronic toy or screen-based device, but why not give them something more creative? Being able to navigate and manipulate a playset in person will engage your children in a whole new way, and might encourage them to give a little less time to their ever-present screens.

Ø  Convenience and proximity

A backyard playset can help keep your kids closer to home, while still offering them the many benefits of an outdoor play environment. And what’s more convenient than giving your kids the opportunity to enjoy hours of fun playing right in their own backyard?

Ø  Relieve stress and burn off some steam

School experiences, home stresses, and life in general can sometimes be something of a pressure cooker for today’s children. And one of the best ways for children to alleviate stress and ease any feelings of anxiety or depression is to get outside and spend some time on their own backyard playset!

Ø  A gift that keeps on giving!

Playsets don’t just make your kids happy; it’s also like giving yourself a gift, too. While the kids are out enjoying their playset, that may also give you a little breathing room to be able to focus on some other things you might need to take care of. And while some toys and technologies may trend in or out, a playset never really goes out of style. The right playset is really something that your children can enjoy for years to come.

Looking for More Good Outdoor Play Opportunities? Take Your Kids to the Playground!

At some point, your children may start to get tired of playing on the same backyard play set all the time. Whenever that happens, it might just be time for a little field trip. Load up in the car, and take those kids to the playground at a local park, school, church, or community center. But what if there isn’t a good selection of local playgrounds that are convenient to you? Encourage your local park, school, faith center, or HOA group to reach out to the pros at Carolina Recreation & Design about installing the perfect commercial playground facility! They can install whatever custom play solution you’re looking for, and they can take care of all the site planning and site preparation details, too.

Author Bio

Diane Carter

Diane writes for Home Improvement, Playgrounds, Lifestyle, travel-related topics additionally; he has a passion for the recreation and design industry for more than ten years, Diane has become an experienced Redesign in this industry. His goal is to help people with his vast knowledge to assist them with his best suggestions about different activities: Playground Equipment at Club, Hills – Shade Structures, Picnic Shelter.