What can you do in your backyard in the summer?
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Oh, Summer! It is like a happy pill for many people because there are a lot of things to do during summer – inside or outside our homes.
The beach is also waiting, and vacations, bonfires, camping, and a lot more!
There are even a lot of things you can do in your backyard.
You can also make some happy summer memories without leaving your home. Here are some activities that you can do in your own backyard.
Paint away
You can finally beautify your backyard, now that it is summer. The picnic table that you’ve been wanting to paint for months can now be realized. You can also paint the fence or other wooden furniture that is in your backyard, and you can try different colors.
Painting furniture, changing the color of your fence, and beautifying your picnic table is one way to welcome summer and many other activities up ahead.
Plant the flowers you wanted to see in your backyard for the longest time.
Since you want to have a standout backyard garden, this is the time to do it. You can finally have a garden that is overflowing with gorgeous flowers. Some flowers that you can try planting include yarrow. It is a dainty flower that is very elegant when it blooms, and it is also easy to care for as long as there are enough sunlight and water.
Foxgloves are another flower that blooms mostly in the summer, there are varying colors that range from lightest pink, darkest to white blooms.
Carnations are distinctly beautiful flowers that have a slew of colors, such as red, pink, white, and purple.
Another alluring flower is the Oriental Lilies that you can try planting in your backyard. It is not just low maintenance, but also requires less watering.
Other flowers you can choose from that are not high maintenance are Begonias, Spider Flowers, Lily of the Nile, Garden Cosmos, California Poppies, and many more.
Host a fun party.
Now that you have readied your backyard for enjoyable activities, you can also try hosting a party. A simple get-together like welcoming summer is acceptable. You can invite a few friends and prepare some tea, sandwiches, cupcakes, and some drinks.
All of you can also dress up in a summer getup with floral dresses, and men can wear shorts and their favorite summer shirts.
Schedule a picnic.
Preparing your backyard by placing a big picnic blanket that can accommodate a few people is fun. Place some pillows as well, and food depends on what most of your visitors will prefer. You can lay out different types of cheese, some fruit squares, ham sandwich, marinated mushrooms, and different flavored drinks.
Do not forget the music as it completes the picnic preparation. If your visitors are not keen on listening to music and would rather have a storytelling spree, then take it off your list.
Movie night
Prepare your backyard for a fun night of watching old movies or blockbusters. Make a quilt that can cover the grass and place many pillows to make it more relaxing for your visitors or even for the entire family.
Score some snacks that your visitors can nibble on while watching a movie, don’t forget the drinks to go with the snacks, plus make sure you have a nicely done screen paired with a good speaker set-up for the sound.
Host a game night with booze.
Invite friends over for a night of playing different board games or a deck of cards. There are numerous games available that can make it a fun summer night to remember. Not to mention lots of laughter is waiting for everyone.
Having just the right choices of drinks can also make the night a glorious one for the adults.
Install a hammock.
Why not ask for someone to help you put up the hammock you’ve been dreaming of for years? Where you can lazily just read novels for hours. Just make sure that you have it installed correctly and should have all the straps secure.
These are just examples of activities and projects you can focus on in the summer from your own backyard, there are still plenty on the list for you to enjoy.
What games can you play in the backyard in the summer?
Games are not just for kids, but adults as well. Where adults can get quirky and childlike in finding how fun it is to experience different games in their backyard. Let us discuss what games there are that will give hours of enjoyment.
Beer Pong
Only this time, instead of small cups, you can use large cans or containers of the same size. You should also get an oversized ball such as a volleyball or plastic balls that are available in the market.
Giant Jenga
This will double the fun at the same time it’s super-sized version will keep the game spectacular with the adults. However, if there are kids who will play the game, you can just get them the normal-sized Jenga instead of the oversized wood that the adults will use.
Pop the balloons
Prepare the balloons filled with water, then line it all up on a piece of board. Install it in an area with just the right distance and space so many adults and even kids can play. You can also use the water balloons to play the game, dodgeball.
Giant Ring Toss
A splendid game that both kids and adults can enjoy. This will give hours of entertainment and always have a price ready for those who will win.
You can also have a few foods ready for ,consumption, so that the energy spent on playing the game can be replaced with the sumptuous foods available.
Bowling
This may take a little planning since you need to make sure the pins will all stand up. Getting bigger pins is another option as there are available giant bowling pins you can purchase.
Another twist to bowling is by using glow sticks inside water bottles and is played at nighttime. It doesn’t matter what time of the day you play it, as long as you get the most fun out of it.
A game of relay
It can be a sack relay where the entire family can play, plus neighbors that you are close with. You can also invite your friends along or some relatives.
There is also water relay, drop the penny, balloon relay, crab walk or three-legged race, egg and spoon race, among others.
Blanket Run
Many can play this game as long as they are in pairs. It is either a parent plus a child or a couple where the man will pull the woman who’s sitting on the blanket. This may test the strength of the one who’s pulling the blankets, though.
Fastest Drinker
It can be a soda, it can be beer (for adults), orange juice is another option or juice that has a sour taste.
The idea is to line it up where a person can drink a bottle of it, and there will be a few people who will do the same. The first one to finish drinking what’s in front of him will win the game.
There can be a bottle or 2-bottles depending on what the group will agree upon.
Fastest Eater
It can be a sandwich or burgers. A family can play this game in their backyard or a large group of adults. The idea is that whoever finishes eating the food that’s in front of him will win the game.
Memory Game
The person who should play this game must have a sharp memory cause the idea of the game is to pair the board with the same drawing or design with each other.
There will be many boards on the ground, and you will only have a few minutes to check what’s on the other side before you place it back on the floor.
They will give you a few minutes to pair each board with each other.
Other games that are also popular to be played in the backyard for summer are Yard Dominoes, Bean Bag Ladder Toss, Giant Scrabble, Outdoor Obstacle Course, Giant Outdoor Chess, Pool Noodle Games, and so much more.
You and your visitors can also add a twist to the game and make it more exciting.
What sports can you do in the backyard?
If you are lucky to have a backyard where you can do different activities, whether it is just your family or your number of friends, you should put it to good use. Summer is the best time of the year to have various activities in the backyard, and it is not just to have a barbecue party, but a backyard can be used to play sports as well. Some sports that you can play are
Volleyball – As long as you have space and there are enough players, volleyball is the game you can enjoy while you are enjoying the summer heat. This game can be played on grass, cemented floor, or sand. However, if you have grass, this is more ideal for slight trips and falls during the game.
Badminton – This may need 20 feet in width and 44 feet in length of space to serve as your court. If there is not enough space, you can just lessen the area that you use. If you are not to use a court and you feel that you don’t need to, it is also doable to just have a game of who hits the shuttlecock ball more.
Backyard Football – A small backyard will still do for this game. You just need to have a foldable Kipsta Cage as the goal post. Even kids and adults can play this game in the backyard, and the thing is, it doesn’t need a bigger space.
Table Tennis – This is another sport that is easy to set up in the backyard. The good news is, you need not spend too much just to have a game of table tennis to use cause you can turn any table you have in your home into a table for this sport. You only need a roll-net that you can attach to the table and you’re all set.
Also, as long as you have enough tables in your home, many people can play these sports at the same time.
Basketball – Shooting hoops are a favorite past-time of many people, even women are into this game to see how good they are at scoring. A small basketball that you can buy can be used for a limited set-up in your backyard, and you need not spend too much just to have the full-sized basketball court. But if you have enough space and budget for this one, it is still up to you.
Hitting the Target with Archery
So, if you are good at hitting the bullseye, then this is another sport that you can add to the list. You can have a few people in line waiting to take turns. The one who hit the bullseye for many times will win.
There is a twist that you can do with this sport, such as covering one eye while you all try to hit the target, some would even let the hitter take 3-full turns before letting them hit the target. This is funny cause when the person is quite dizzy after turning, the floor becomes the target.
Darts
Many people can play darts throwing. Like with archery, there can be people who will take turns. This can be played in teams as well. There is an electronic dartboard that can automatically score the game, so there is no need for anyone to list the scores manually.
Trampoline
Although this is very much enjoyed by the kids, adults can also add this to their list of sports. There are trampolines made durable and can take in numerous people at the same time. But it will depend on how many people will be inside all at one time.
Swimming
This is the easiest sport to enjoy if you have a pool in your backyard, plus you can also schedule a pool party anytime.
You can invite friends over to have a competitive swim or bring in some relatives for fun. There is plenty of competition that you can do with a swimming pool, plus the excitement is just endless.
Softball
When you and your family just don’t know what else to play in your backyard, good softball can be your go-to sports. It doesn’t need a larger field, as long as there are enough players, then you are ready.
Invite your neighbors over, invite your friends or call the teen next door, and for sure they are just as willing to play.
How can you keep your children busy in the backyard in the summer?
It’s a good thing that there are projects or activities that your children can get busy with and not just them, but your next-door neighbor kids and the kids from a few streets away. But be sure to have the following activities ready for them.
Get a trampoline
Jumping up and down are children’s dream come through. Plus, the screams of laughter and everyone talking at the same time will surely give your children hours and hours of activity. Make sure you have a safe trampoline kit in your backyard, so you will not be fearing that there will be a kid screaming if the trampoline topples over.
Sandpit with seating area for your kids
You can have this ready for your children. This will surely get them busy with shoveling sand for hours, and when they want to take a rest, they can just sit on the seats provided. You should provide them some snacks after, though, to still keep them busy with eating.
Have a swing set ready for your children
Another activity for busybodies like your kids. As long as they are doing something fun, they will not bother you for a while.
Build a swimming pool for them
If you don’t have a ready pool in your backyard, building one for your kids will surely make it worthwhile. It need not be the type of pool that is fixed, but a DIY pool in your garden will do. You can also invite over some of their friends so they will be busy for a long time, and, at the same time, they are gaining happy memories.
Water Slide
This is no biggie as long as you have a tarp, sprinkler, and just the right size area for the activity and, of course, a few kids over. Your kids will be able to enjoy this for a full day as long as there is a sprinkler to keep the tarp wet the whole time.
Prepare the Tire Swing
The ever-reliable tire swings. They are better than regular swings in more ways than one. Did I mention, tough? This will surely kill time, but will give your children so many exciting hours.
Such a fantastic way to experience being a kid. Having their own treehouse is something that they will remember for the rest of their lives, and not just this summer.
If you have many children, you may opt to build a bigger treehouse to accommodate each one of them, but if you only have two, well it is up to you, unless your two kids have a whole village full of friends, you may still opt to build the biggest possible treehouse.
Let them enjoy a water fight.
Since you want this to be a summer to remember, you may need to purchase some water guns for your children. They may also just use water balloons instead of water guns to save some money. Using a water hose is fine as long as you have a steady supply of water.
Backyard Camping
What a fun time to be kids? Backyard camping is something that is just so memorable for the kids, there is a constant supply of snacks, drinks, and ghost stories. You can also prepare some board games for them if they want to play first before doing their rounds of outdoing one another with the most chilling horror stories.
Give them time to also stargaze, or they can each take turns in singing some camping songs. The options are endless, what is sure, though, is that they will have plenty of things to tell you the morning after.
DIY Bubbles
Which kid wouldn’t like some bubble blowing in the backyard? This is something that is also a way for them to relax and appreciate the day with bubbles around them. Your children will surely appreciate your effort to make it a very memorable day for them.
Get them a painting set
If you have a beautiful garden in your backyard, you can also purchase a painting set for each of your kids. They can draw whatever they prefer, though it can be the garden, the sky, the house, or whatever they imagine. You should have a price at the ready though, so they can get motivated to make their masterpiece. Who knows, you may have a Picasso in the making.
Schedule a Disney Movie Night
A projection screen is best for this activity. Of course, you may need to have a few movie options where they can take their pick since one would like another movie while the other kids would like another. Make them choose which and pick the one with more votes.
The backyard must have comfy seats so they won’t get uncomfortable while watching.
Prepare some popcorn and drinks as well, so it will be like a movie theater theme.
The list could go on and on, but the above can add to the many ideas that you may already have.
Games for the whole family?
Well, now that everyone is at home, why not prepare some games for the entire family to enjoy? This is a rare occurrence since almost everyone has places to go and things to complete, and this is the best time to have a fun time with them.
Check out some fun games for the whole family to enjoy.
Water Balloon Toss
You only require some balloons, fill it with water, tie the end of the balloon, and you are good to go. There should be enough members to play this game, so each one of you would have a partner. You can add whoever you wish as long as it levels the pairing.
Every time the balloon is thrown, the other member should be able to catch the balloon. Another step backward after every balloon tossing is a must. The one who will catch all the balloons will be the winning pair.
It is not bad to make this more exciting with a reward at the end of each game.
Who’s got talent?
A talent show can also be your option for a family activity, and, at the same time, you get to know your family more and how they are improving with their talents. Each of the members can take their pick on what they want to perform. They can dance, play an instrument, sing, and even act.
It may surprise you to learn that your daughter has a magnificent singing voice while the others can act.
Scavenger Hunt
If you have a big backyard and a nice-sized home, a scavenger hunt can be another activity that will surprise you with how fun it is.
It is up to the family members on what they decide on the category of items they should scavenge, and you can take it from there.
Make sure that the items won’t take a few days to find, it should have just the right challenge, but not overly too hard for each team.
Get some clues ready for everyone to discover or a riddle to solve for them to find the item faster.
A game of charades
There are game sets that can be purchased, but you can also make your own listings. You can also involve each family member to write the things they want for someone to act out and can either be a name of a famous person, a popular place to go to, a name of a book, type of work, or even a movie. There is an endless list to choose from.
Trivia Game
You can form a team, and then there should be enough information and trivia that each one will guess. The question will be about sports, art, and history, favorites, year of marriage, who courted who, who proposed first, so forth, and so on.
Ball games
Some ball games you can play include volleyball, softball, also soccer.
Tossing the ball and making sure that it will not fall to the ground is another way to enjoy the ball.
The perfect barbecue in the backyard.
Now that summer has finally arrived, there is nothing to stop you from having a barbecue in your backyard. This is the best time to impress your guests, but make sure that you have everything ready on the said day.
So, how do you prepare your backyard for a perfect barbecue party?
Clean your backyard first before anything else
Since you have an upcoming barbecue party, this is the best time to clean your backyard, to remove all the clutter and junk you have there somewhere. This is also the right time to repair whatever needs fixing, such as the fence. If there is a nail that needs to get replaced and some painting job. If there is another noticeable maintenance, you should include that to your to-do list.
Beautifying your garden, trimming your plants
Weeds, twigs, and fallen leaves make your backyard, and your garden looks unclean. You can, however, remove these from your backyard and also trim the shrubs, remove dead leaves and trash. You can water your plants at the same time, so that on the day of the party, your plants won’t look dry, and there will be some color variation.
Prepare the area for your guests.
Select where are the main seatings for your guests and plan ahead. Placing some tables and chairs where your guests will sit and eat barbecues should be your priority. Make sure that there is enough sitting, or if there are few seats available, arrange DIY floor cushions so it will still be comfortable with other guests while enjoying the party.
Determine whether you need some lightings and outdoor music
If the party will start late in the afternoon and continue till nighttime, you may need to arrange some lightings in your backyard. The place should be well illuminated so that your guest can conveniently see each other and see what they are eating.
The ambiance improves with the right lighting, and of course, some soft background music will also add to the party mood.
Decide the best date to hold your barbecue party.
You can ask your friends or your other guests for some advice on the best time to hold the party, most of them will probably prefer the weekend most especially where there won’t be work the next day. You can send your invites, or if it is just an informal party, texting them or just calling them will do.
Determine how much food you need to prepare
It is better to prepare everything before your guests arrive, this will save you a lot of headaches later on. Check how many guests will be attending, and from there, you can estimate how much food you need to make. Also, it is better to have extra food than to run out of it during the party. You may need to do an estimation of how many kilos of meat and vegetables you need to purchase.
Finish preparation before the guests arrive.
Make sure you have the meat marinated and are just ready to barbecue, you have all the side dishes prepared or cooled, burgers are formed, and there is enough lettuce, tomatoes, and condiments are all available.
Do not get caught with not enough gas or charcoal for the barbecue.
Again, here you have to check that you have prepared everything. You cannot leave the guest hanging waiting for the food to cook just because you are away buying charcoal or propane tank. This is a no-no.
Request your guest to bring whatever they like to add to the menu
Even if you have everything that you need, there is no harm in letting your guests bring what they think they can add to the sumptuous menu. That way, when you find out that there is not enough food to go around and everything that you have prepared was all gone, you can have the foods that your guest brought to depend on.
Also, some guests may not like some food such as appetizer, snacks for so many reasons, and this is just their way of bringing what they think they can enjoy – and maybe others, will too.
You should have snacks on the ready.
If your guests are entertaining themselves while you are waiting for the barbecue to finish cooking, make sure you have enough snacks to go around. This is ideal to keep your guests from starving, and this will also make sure that the guest will not standby beside the barbecue pit, waiting for the barbecue to cook.
Some snacks include nachos and dip, beach bread, tomato tartine with feta, cheesy squares, grilled shrimps, vegan tofus, vegetable skewers, cheesy stuffed potatoes, potato chips, pickled asparagus, and many more.
Point where the drinks are to your guest and other essentials.
Upon their arrival, you should point where the drinks are, plus the ice and the snacks and how your guest can help themselves. There should be water, juice boxes, and fruit drinks. If the guest is more on adults, the cooler should be filled with wine, beer, and any other preferred drinks.
Have a ready-entertainment.
Ready your playing cards, or other board games just in case your guests would like something else to do. Ready entertainment is a sure-fire way to keep your guests in the mood to party and will not get them bored. There will also be others who would join the game cause what else would they do at a party but have fun.
Another idea is to have some movie ready where it can be played on a projection screen, or if you have a rental screen to use, there are high definition movies to rent. Include the sound system if you have such a plan for your barbecue entertainment, and you will have a party that is the best around town.
Cook different types of meat per batch
Do not just cook a hundred burgers in one go and let your guest have their fill of burgers and will have no more appetite for other barbecues that you will prepare. So do not feel constrained and add some pork chops there, slabs of beef, or even lamb to complete the mix.
You can also prepare chicken and other types of barbecue for those who are not more into pork.
There should be enough plates and utensils for everyone.
If you are not keen on using party plates with forks, knives, and such, make sure that you have dining wares ready for your guest to use. Plates should be lined up beside glasses, knives, forks, and spoon. Don’t be caught without anything for your guests to use. Have a checklist before the party and check each one out as you complete them.
What can you prepare for barbecuing?
- Chicken
- Hotdogs
- Hamburgers
- Lamb
- Steak
- Vegetables
Drinks should be combined wine, beer, sparkling water, sodas, juice box, other flavored juice.
Side dishes may include; potato salad, corn, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, salad, coleslaw, pasta salad, watermelon, berries, and other cut vegetables with dips.
Desserts may carry cupcakes, cookies, s’ mores, or even ice cream.
Make sure that you also have barbecue condiments available such as salt and pepper, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, cheese, spicy sauce, barbecue sauce, and many more.
What else to consider?
You may think you have checked everything on your list, but there is still the safety checklist.
This is as equally important as the other preparation that you have to make cause if there are untoward incidents during your barbecue party, it is going to be the worst party every guest will remember.
Checking your grill
This is crucial when you open your gas tank if you are using one. Make sure that everything is where it should be, and there are no gas leaks. All your tools for cooking should be beside you or near you for your convenience.
For any untimely bursting of flames, there is a fire extinguisher that you can use instantly.
Sunscreen
This is required for the convenience and comfort of your guests if you are to do your barbecue party during day time. Make sure that it is ready, and they can have access to a bottle of sunscreen if they need it.
Bug or Insect Sprays
Even if you are to hold your party during the daytime, there are hordes of insects that can ruin your party. There are mosquitoes, bugs, and even cockroaches that can gatecrash your party, so it is best to be ready.
Also, this is the reason you need to do the first thing on this list, cause when you have a clean backyard, you can rest easy.
There are just so many ways to have a barbecue party, and it will depend on what you consider will make your guests happy. You can also enlist the help of family members if you want to have a blast of a party.
But the point is to enjoy it with friends and family, that way you are sure to have something to add to your vault of pleasant memories.
