When it comes to your kids, you only want the best. And yet, an economy in recession hardly provides for the type of atmosphere in which you want to throw your money away on brand names and luxury items that your kids can probably do without. In truth, all they really need is a roof over their heads, food on the table, and proper protective wear to keep them safe from the elements. Of course, children require more than just food and shelter to flourish; they also need physical, mental, and emotional stimulation. And by designing a kid-friendly backyard, you can provide for all three. But how do you create an amazing outdoor playroom on a budget? Here are a few tips to help you get started.
You’ll want to begin with safety, which means checking your backyard for potential hazards. Is the ground dangerously sloped? Has previous construction left behind piles of building waste? Are there outbuildings in disrepair? And is there proper fencing to keep kids in and animals and intruders out? These are all issues that you will need to address before you can even think about making cosmetic changes to your space. Luckily, there’s a lot you can do on your own to cut costs.
While you may not be able to completely eliminate a steep hill without professional (and pricy) help, you might be able to do some terracing on your own and install small retaining walls in order to create a series of flat spaces for kids to play on. Also, you can easily remove building waste (bricks, nails, etc.) with a trip to the dump, and demolishing a rickety storage shed on the property could also be fun. As for installing fencing, there are all kinds of building guides (both books and websites) that can help you DIY, which will save you a ton.
Now that you’ve got a safe space, you’ll want to make it appealing to your kids, and this is where you can have some fun. Start by laying sod or seeding any dead areas so that you have lush, springy turf to protect tumbling toddlers. From there, start planting a variety of saplings, bushes, and flowering plants so that within a couple of seasons your yard will be a riot of color and life (with plenty of shade for those hot summer days). Think about installing vegetation that is non-poisonous to humans and attractive to certain animals and insects (hummingbirds, butterflies, and so on) so that you can also bring some wildlife to the yard. Look for plants that reseed on their own. You might even have older kids help to create a fruit and veggie garden for fresh produce (and a useful teaching tool).
Now it’s time to add some fun, and you don’t necessarily have to spring for expensive playground equipment. Instead, see if you can find a sporting goods store that sells used items so you can stock up on balls, bats, and whatnot. Then think about setting up some kind of tent or even a tree-house for them to hide out in. Kids come pre-equipped with the best toy of all: imagination. So as long as you provide them with some variety in their space, they’ll do the rest of the work on their own.
Evan Fischer is a freelance writer and part-time student at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.
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