As we gear up for warmer months, our family is looking forward to more time outdoors. While it’s fun to adventure, I have found that our little people actually prefer hanging out home a lot of the time. With this in mind, here are a few ideas for creating an outdoor space your entire family can love.
Let me start by saying, I realize that not everyone has a naturally great outdoor space, whether that is due to size constraints or not having a yard at all. However, any space, even a small one, has something wonderful to offer. Instead of thinking of all the amenities you wish your space had, start with what it does have.
For example, if you have a small patio space, measure it out so you know what can fit. Can you use available wall space as well? If so, factor that great vertical space in! (Vertical space can hold planters or baskets). If you are lucky enough to have a large outdoor space, start by deciding what activities you think your family will get the most use out of.
Once you have your outdoor space figured out, set your budget.
Don’t be too disappointed if your budget is smaller than you would like; that happens to most of us 😉 Just be willing to get creative and put in that “sweatquity” as my husband refers to it. Try to be realistic with time and budget constraints. If you are working as a spouse team or family on this, sit down and decide which projects matter to each of you. Then get started!
A seating area is a must.
Opt for Adirondack chairs around a firepit, a swing on the patio, a picnic table in the backyard, or even just a large, comfy picnic blanket if your space doesn’t allow for the other options. Goodness, I think I would love all of these at once, but the key is to have an area where you can preferably share a meal.
Next up, set the scene with outdoor lighting.
For my birthday a number of years back, I asked for the string of Edison bulbs that comes out at Costco each year. They are durable and gorgeous. Right now, ours are strung from the house to the garage, which spans over our outdoor dining table. The kids feel like it is a fun magical touch. I feel like it is, and also that it adds a special something to date nights “in.” Sometimes, the only time we get sans kids is escaping for a backyard date.
Add in a yard game or two.
This sweet little project was a surprise for our girls. We have just a few paver stepping stones as a walkway to our hose. On one of the stones, I painted a large white tic-tac-toe board, filling the entire stone. Then, I selected some rocks from outside and painted five with flowers and five with leaves. Ladybugs and bumblebees would be adorable as well. Another variation of this if you don’t have a rock space would be to use a wood slice as your board base. If you have a large outdoor space, consider games like cornhole or even a basketball hoop. (Someday, I would like to add those into our space). We also purchased a large checkers game so we can play it at the table without the pieces blowing away. Keeping chalk and bubbles accessible for kids is a great idea, too.
Consider a garden or at least some plants.
Kids enjoy growing their own veggies and flowers. We built our own little raised garden boxes this year. They are the perfect height for the girls, functional and handsome, plus as an added bonus, we can move them when we relocate in a few years. (This might be something only military families tend to think about.) Give the kids jobs to do, like helping pick and plant seeds, and water their plants as they begin to sprout.
I hope your family enjoys getting ready to spend time in your new spaces together. Our kids have enjoyed climbing the neighborhood trees and running under our lights while their dad grills dinner. And I adore everything about our outdoor space. One last thing, don’t forget to stock your bug spray and sunscreen basket! Happy outdooring!
