Have you run out of ideas to keep the family busy, learning and having fun? Quick! Pick an item from the list below before they realize it!
If you’ve suddenly been surprised by having your kids full time at home it can be difficult to think up new and unique activities to keep them busy while they are out of school. Unfortunately, kids get bored pretty easily so having a good list of activities is always a big help.
Or, maybe it’s just you and your partner who are preparing to spend a lot of time alone together at the house. Staying home may seem like a blessing but it can also really shake things up if you aren’t used to it. Once again, having a list of fun backyard activities is a big help.
So take a look at these super fun backyard activities and try something new.
1. Lawn Games
Let the lawn games begin! These aren’t just any ordinary games though. These are supersized games!
Turn your favorite games like Jenga into sizes more appropriate for your big backyard. This is an easy DIY project that will have you and your friends hanging outside the whole afternoon. The kids will love this one too.
2. Gossip and Swing
If you have ever been to Tulum in Mexico then you have probably fallen in love with the bohemian vibes and the trendy decor. One thing that seems to be everywhere is macrame!
Create your own macrame swings on your patio and enjoy a sunny morning gossiping with your girlfriend and taking cute pictures.
3. Set Up a Hot Tub
A dreamy twinkle light lit backyard paradise with a steamy hot tub awaits you! Create your own homemade hot tub out of a stock tank and let the soaking begin.
Pour yourself a well-deserved glass of wine and steam your troubles away under a sky full of stars.
4. Bubble Wrap Twister
A backyard twister game could be just the fun you are looking for. Add a special element by covering the mat in bubble wrap. This makes the game even more fun than ever.
Twister is a great game for kids but have you ever played as an adult? It’s the perfect test to see if your yoga classes are actually working. Give it a try!
5. Tiki Bar
Make a tiki bar in your backyard and host a luau. This can be a really fun way to pass the afternoon that involves a lot of creativity from your part.
Design and make the food, the drink and the decoration with a happy Hawaiin theme in mind. Then, put on some tropical music and let the breeze take your imagination to a hot sandy beach.
6. Cornhole
A friendly game of cornhole is a wonderful way to spend a sunny afternoon in your backyard with the family. Or maybe you are like my family and want to bring some competition in! Bets anyone?
However you choose to play, have fun, laugh and enjoy the sun on your skin.
7. Sketch Birds
Are the birds chirping their delightful songs in your backyard? Get out your notepad and pencils and sketch the different kinds of birds.
Do this activity with your children to teach them the names of the very birds that they have been sharing a backyard with.
8. Have a BBQ
Do your cooking outside for a change and get some fresh air. Having a BBQ is a nice way to get the whole family outside to play, cook and of course eat!
Make a day of it and put out some balloons, party cups and bring out the board games to play at the picnic table.
9. Lawn Dominos
As we saw from the giant Jenga lawn game earlier, sometimes bigger is better! That’s why we love these giant dominos tiles.
You can make them out of scrap wood you have around the house. They recommend using 2×6 boards but if all you’ve got are 2×4’s it will surely do the trick.
10. Backyard Chalkboard
Bring the backyard fun all the way up to the fence line! You can make every aspect of your backyard a good time.
Build a giant chalkboard on the fence, set up some buckets with chalk and let the imagination run wild.
11. Piñatas
Is there anyone out there who wouldn’t love taking out their daily frustrations on a giant paper mache cocktail only to receive candy and presents in return?
I know I would! This giant piñata DIY is so much fun and will make for the best Instagram pictures.
12. Smores Station
Set up a Smores station in your backyard, have a bonfire and make an ooey-gooey mess chomping down on some marshmallow goodness.
Make it a special night by putting out tiki lamps, telling ghost stories and sipping on hot cocoa.
13. Bird Watching
Are you ready to get some serious bird watching on? Well, you might not see many birds if you don’t entice them into your yard.
Set up delicious bird feeders out back and watch how birds of many colors flock to your home.
14. Set-Up Camp
Set up camp right in your backyard by making a canvas teepee. Decorate it with twinkle lights, bright out some cozy blankets and pillows and don’t forget the hot cocoa!
What a nice way to have a romantic backyard date night with your partner.
15. Lawn Matching Game
Put your memory to the test with a giant matching game for your lawn. This is some serious fun.
Creating the squares is a whole afternoon of fun just to begin with. Then, when you finally have the tiles ready it’s time to play!
16. Bug Hunt
Send your kids on a bug hunt while you get some much-needed housework done. This will definitely keep them busy for a while.
Make up a list of bugs that you’ve seen in the backyard and send them off with a net and pencil to check the bugs off the list. Just make sure they set the bugs free after or you might have a house filled with unwelcome visitors.
17. Have a Picnic
Have a picnic in your own backyard. Put out the picnic blanket, fill up the picnic basket with tiny sandwiches, grapes, and sparkling water and call your family outside.
Make sure everyone has their sun hats on and plenty of sunblock if it’s a hot day.
18. Natural Dying
Collect beautiful flowers from your backyard in your favorite colors and set them aside. We are going to use them for a unique art project.
The colors from these flowers can be transferred onto a delicate silk material that can be used for all sorts of things. You could turn it into a piece of clothing, display it as a table runner or hang it up on the wall.
19. Upgrade the Tree House
Upgrade that old tree house you have in your backyard! Don’t have a treehouse yet? We got you covered! Check out these DIY tree house plans.
If you do have a treehouse, however, consider adding some upgrades to it. Such as this cool pully system so you can send your kids an afternoon snack.
20. Pick Up Sticks
Here we have the lawn version of a family classic – Pickup Sticks. It’s easy enough to make and can be stored simply by tying the sticks together with a pretty ribbon or piece of yarn.
It’s probably been a while since you have played Pickup Sticks but let me remind you how fun it is! Especially in supersize.
21. Hula Hoop
Skip the aerobics you do on your floor in front of the television and bring your exercise outside. Get the whole family involved in this backyard activity. Hula hooping is a surprisingly great workout!
Put some music on, get those hips moving and come up with competitions to have against your little ones. For example, who can hula hoop the longest!
22. Decorate your Fence
Decorate your boring old wooden fence with brightly colored marbles to add some much-needed shine to your life!
If you are like me you probably have a lot of random marbles hidden in old drawers. Put them to better use by displaying them in the sunshine.
23. Plant a Fence Garden
Paint some old cans and place them along the fence. Plant your favorite pretty flowers and watch how that bit of extra color really makes your backyard come to life.
Teach your kids the importance of weeding, deadheading and watering the flowers through this great backyard activity.
24. Photoshoot
Bring out some interesting props and do a family photoshoot.
If it’s a beautiful day it may just be the perfect time to take some new family photos. An antique couch or some pretty lanterns could make interesting props in your photoshoot. Get creative with what you already have.
25. Connect Four
Continuing on with the giant yard games we bring to you giant connect four!
This is a DIY project that takes some basic woodworking knowledge and some power tools but you will have many years of fun with this awesome mind-twisting game.
26. Tin Can Bowling
Get your bowl on with a homemade bowling game made out of recycled tin cans. A very clever idea on how to reuse your recycling.
Paint the tin cans pretty colors, stack them up and start throwing. A great activity to do with the whole family.
27. Outdoor Movie Theatre
Create a movie theatre outside! What a fun and unique idea that will get the whole family excited. Hopefully, everyone can decide on a movie or you might just have to do the picking yourself.
What you are going to need is a projector, a homemade screen (try using PVC pipes), some seating and most importantly, a lot of popcorn!
28. Water Blasters
How about a good old fashioned water fight? Pool noodles make for the most perfect water blasters.
Create a sprinkler system with PVC piping and add on the colorful pool noodles for extra soaking.
29. Obstacle Course
Keep everyone healthy and in shape by creating an energy-burning obstacle course that everyone can take part in. Yes! That includes you too.
What better way to get the kids to actually go to sleep at night by getting them to run around outside all day.
30. Backyard Scrabble
A patio floor that doubles as a scrabble board. Where are my Scrabble fans at? Have you ever seen such a unique and cool idea?
You can make your own scrabble board and tiles and then let the tournament begin.
31. Create a Protected Sand Pit
Heidi over at Stately Kitsch came up with this cute idea using an Anna White design. If you are or have a handyman, Anna White has so many cute ideas for families!
Not only can this sandpit be closed with a lid, but the lid doubles as benches. I can just see myself sitting there with a good book, wriggling my toes in the sand and imagining I’m on the beach…
Try this fun outdoor activityThere are so many fun ways to pass your time outdoors with the family, with your roommates or with your partner. If you aren’t feeling creative to think up something yourself, then hopefully you have been inspired by something on our list!
Whether it’s playing games in giant form, organizing a photoshoot or having a water fight, I’m positive there is something here that you will enjoy.
