Fun and Safe Backyard Design Tips for Kids

 If your home has a backyard, chances are your family spends a great deal of time out there. Spring is for planting gardens and reclaiming your property from the damaging winter, summer is for yard games and running under sprinklers and autumn is for playing in leaf piles and harvesting delicious root vegetables.

Regardless of the weather, you'll always want your backyard to be a place where the kids can have a great time, and you can rest easy knowing they are safe and secure.

It takes a bit of work to design a backyard that fits all of those needs, but if you do that work now, you'll be able to enjoy the yard for years to come with just a small amount of regular upkeep.

Here are a few fun and safe backyard design tips for kids that you can start in on right away.

If you want to be able to allow your kids to run around the yard without your constant supervision, you'll probably want to fence it in. It doesn't have to be an incredibly high fence or some serious looking metal prison. But as long as your kids can't squeeze through the gaps any style will work. The fence will guarantee that your kids can play unsupervised without issue, even if your home is right near a busy road.

Other backyard safety issues are fairly straightforward. You'll want to regularly check the yard for sharp rocks or other dangers hiding in the grass, and if you also have a pool or hot tub, make sure you utilize a hardcover that is locked in place, so the kids can't possibly get beneath it. Remember, children can drown in as little as a couple of inches of water, so spend on the higher end safety gear to buy yourself peace of mind.

Once the safety is taken care of, it's time to turn your attention to the fun. There are several ways to go about your backyard design, depending on personal preferences.

If you have a large yard and the financial ability to deck it out, set aside a true play area for the kids. That could involve a swing set, jungle gym, wooden fort or even a tree house. Each one has its pros and cons, and you'll need to adjust based on the age of your children. The kids will love any of the above. Just make sure you talk out any safety concerns before allowing the kids to play and do whatever you must to make sure they take it seriously.

Outside of those dedicated play areas, make sure you leave a nice section of open lawn. There are times that kids just want to run around, and the more space they have to tire themselves out, the less of a battle you'll get from them come bedtime. Talk to an expert about the type of grass you have to make sure you don't over-water, and your kids will enjoy the yard all year round. If you keep some lawn games set aside, such as horseshoes, bocce ball or corn hole you can pull those out if the kids are ever bored. And you may find you'll have as much fun playing those games as your kids do.

Finally, make sure you have at least one shady spot for the family to enjoy. If that shade exists naturally thanks to a beautiful old tree, set up your outdoor furniture underneath. If the whole backyard is in the sun, set up either an umbrella or a covered patio. That way you'll be fine sitting outside for hours watching the kids play, with a comfortable spot to eat as well. After a day of running around in the yard, playing in a sandbox or rolling about with the dog, you'll save your carpets by sitting the kids down for lunch outside before hosing them down!