Tag Archives: backyard

Make Your Own Backyard Swing

Forget those expensive play-sets that cost thousands of dollars. With a few simple instructions, you can build your own. My husband and I have been seriously thinking about saving up for one of those wooden play sets. You know the ones? They come with everything from towers and rock walls to traditional swings and slides. The kids have been spending more time outdoors since we moved to a house with a large backyard, so a play set made sense. Those sets are big investments to make, so our decision would not be made lightly. We do have a couple of … Continue reading →

Decorating Your Outdoor Space with Found Objects

Want to create a great outdoor space for free? Why not use found objects to create a backyard or garden that is truly unique. One of our Families.com members, misskitty is an expert at using found objects to their full advantage. I have see her creativity in action first hand. In this blog, I’ve asked her to share her experience and advice. Get ready for some creative and practical ideas for using found objects to create a backyard oasis for ourselves and our families. Question: How can you improve your backyard with found objects? “Found objects can improve the backyard … Continue reading →

The Backyard: Another Guest Room?

In warmer months, a backyard can serve as another room for both guests and family members. At other times of the year with the help of accented lighting, a yard can provide pretty views. The outdoors is seen by lighting designers as a room exposed to the elements. The hedges are walls and the trees are ceilings while all of their inhabitants, birds, insects and other fauna, are guests and pests, two entities often synonymous with rooms. An attractive feature, such as a colorful flowerbed, is usually highlighted in whatever lighting design is chosen. Night lighting has its advantages. Unlike … Continue reading →

Go On A Bug Hunt

No need to travel to Africa to go on a safari. There are plenty of wild animals in your backyard – of the bug variety. Although on this hunt you won’t need to worry about being eaten by a lion you might need some bug spray to keep off the mosquitoes. To prepare for your bug hunt gather the following items: Magnifying glass – to see bugs in detail Insect net – to catch flying insects Clear plastic container – to hold insects on the ground Water – for you to drink Now that you have your gear ready it’s … Continue reading →

Having Fun When Plans Go Awry

Our 4th of July did not go exactly as planned, but we still had a great day. It’s amazing how even though plans don’t always work out as long as you are together as a family you can have a good time. We started by having a picnic at a local park with my brother, sister-in-law, and their one-year-old daughter. They are in Boise for the summer doing an internship before my brother goes back east to law school. It’s nice to have family close to celebrate holidays with (the rest of our family lives five hours away). My kids … Continue reading →

Backyard Vacation

Skyrocketing fuel prices have many families re-evaluating their summer road trip plans. If soaring gas prices have caused you to put the brakes on a long-distance family getaway, consider other vacation destinations closer to home… really close… like your own backyard. With a little creativity (and little or no expense) you can set up the ideal vacation spot for the entire family. Here’s how: “Camp Fill-in-Your-Last-Name-Here.” Pitch a tent. No tent? No problem. Drape a large tarp over a clothesline. Stock it with sleeping bags, blankets, pillows, an inflatable mattress, and your child’s favorite furry friends. Create A Safe Campfire. … Continue reading →

Backyard Neighborhood Summer Camp For Kids!

Last year, my kids and I got it into our heads that we ought to create summer camp right here in our own back yard. This is a fun, inexpensive way to encourage kids from the neighborhood to pay a visit and stay for awhile and a great way for kids to enjoy a summer camp experience without spending the money, doing the car-pool thing or spending days away from your favorite buddies. Step One: Create a time frame that you will hold camp. This might be every day for a week or one day a week for the whole … Continue reading →