Summer brings many opportunties to move outdoors and soak up some sun and fresh air. Make your backyard a fun place for gathering and spending time with the family with these fun backyard activities!

1. Have an outdoor family game night-  Family game nights are fun no matter what but in the summer months you can put the board games back on the shelf for a bit and move to more active games like croquet, bad mitten, lawn bowling, water balloon toss, and for a really fun evening try backyard twister!
2. Plant a garden-  Gardening a great activity for the entire family that will not only help you eat healthy but will also teach kids about where their food comes from!
3. Fence painting- This has become a tradition in our house over the last few years. Grab a large roll of paper and tape it all along the perimeter of your fence. Put the kiddies in their swimsuits and hand them each a paintbrush and some washable paints. Set them free to create their masterpiece! The best part is cleanup. Just hose the kids off and they are good as new! What to do with the large painting? Cut it up into smaller pieces and use it for wrapping paper or frame a few pieces for quick and easy wall art.
4. Outside crafting- Why limit yourself to crafting indoors? Move your craft supplies outside and soak up some vitamin D while you create! Nature will often give you a creative spark that you just can’t  get sitting at the kitchen table.
5. Become astronomers for the evening and stargaze!  Grab some blankets and fun snacks and head out for a relaxing evening looking at the stars.  You can print maps of constellations and even make a game out of seeing who can spot each constellation or the most falling stars first.
6. Have a picnic- Who says you have to travel to the park to have a nice picnic. Grab a blanket and a healthy snack, and head outside for a lazy dining experience!
7. Create a backyard water park- Set up the kiddie pool, water balloons, sprinkler and slip and slide. Add a few water guns, and a hose strung up from the tree and you have just created a great place to cool off and hours of fun for the kids!
8. Pudding painting- This is a fun and messy activity perfect for the backyard. Make one bowl of pudding for each child (according to the box directions). Put the kids in their swimsuits and hand them a bowl of pudding and a paintbrush or spoon. They can use the pudding to paint themselves or each other. My only rule is that they can not put pudding on the house, furniture, or fence. This activity usually ends in them eating half of the pudding, painting a bit on themselves, and then throwing the rest at each other.  Nothing that a good spray with the hose can’t clean up and they love the freedom of being incredibly messy even for a bit!
9. Set up an obstacle course- Use items you have around the house such as plastic cups, hula hoops, balls, jump ropes, etc. and create a course for the kids to follow. Have the kids take turns running the course and keep track of the time it takes them to finish. Have them try to beat their best scores!
10. Have space to explore- Kids like to climb, dig, and explore the space around them. Make it safe for them to do so!   If you don’t want them digging up your garden then designate a space where they can dig. If you don’t have the space (or funds) for a swing set,  set up a a tire or saucer swing in a tree (even better if it is attached to a climbing tree)!
11. Backyard camp-out- Pitch a tent and sleep outside! The best part is that if you can’t make it through the night then your nice warm bed is just a few feet away!
12. Create a reading nook-My oldest son loves to read! Unfortunately his little brother does not give him too many opportunities for quiet reading time. If this sounds like your house then why not set up a quiet reading nook in the backyard? String a rope or clothes line between two fence posts or from a tree. Hang a sheet or a tarp from the line to make a tent. Add a sleeping bag and a few pillows and you have a quiet reading nook or play area for the kids!
13. Movie screening-  Turn your backyard into an outdoor movie theater!  Hang a white sheet on the side of the house (or use a pop up screen) and rent a projector to show movies.  Make it an event by inviting friends and neighbors to join in the fun.
14. Nature hunt- There are some amazing things to find and see right outside your door.  Create a list of items for your kids to find and turn it into a scavenger hunt. Items such as a pine cone, features, catapillar, four leaf clover, etc. make great items for a scavenger hunt.  Extend the fun by making a nature pouch to store all of your found treasures!
15. Create a habitat for birds.  Make pine cone bird feeders, or paint bird houses and hang them around your yard.  Your kids will enjoy watching their friends come to visit.
16. Have a cookout!  A classic backyard activity!  Gather up your closest friends and neighbors and fire up the grill.  Keep things simple by asking everyone to bring a dish to share.  You can even get the kids involved by having them plan the menu, activities, and assist with setup!
17. Move your toys outside! On nice days we will often move our toys outside and somehow they all become fresh and exciting again.  Race car tracks, a plastic basketball hoop, and dolls or action figures can take on a whole new life when played with in a different environmnet.
18. Add a hammock.  It seems so simple but for you it will become a relaxing break while your kids play, and to them it is a great place to curl up with mom or dad for a nap or book.  It is also a great addition for creative play as a hammock can quickly become a boat sailing across the open sea or rocket ship to take you to the moon!
19. Make a time capsule-What an amazing thing to do as a family.  Have each person gather up one or two special momentos to add to the time capsule.  Ideas for what to add include a photo, list of favorites (i.e. tv shows, songs, books, and activities) a handprint, copy of your local newspaper.  Pick a location in your yard to bury the time capsule and aft
20. Have a bike wash!  Kids love to help mom and dad wash their cars so let them take control of the chore this day with a bike wash!  Gather up some big sponges, put on the bathing suits, and watch as the fun unfolds!