5.02.2014

{Quad Squad} Backyard Improv

Before we ever moved into our current home, we knew the backyard would eventually need to be leveled and a new retaining wall installed. This must occur for various reasons, including future security of our foundation, but in the meantime that massive project is on a waiting list. And funding list. Yet our four babies ain't waiting for extra space to play, they're demanding it! Some days it's simply not enough to hang out in the play room and other days I'm simply to tired to cart all four on an outing somewhere. So we came up with a plan.

My amazing husband can literally build or fix just about anything—love having an electrical engineer around 24/7!—so he immediately went to work creating a frame for the play ground area we wanted to install. His brother and I joined him when it came time to unload a truck load's worth of dirt and then another truck load of mulch to fill it all in. Granted, we had to ask our nanny to come over for a few hours one morning so that this could happen! But, hey, you do what you gotta do.


There's a day that opens directly off the play room and comes out into the area we'd selected for their play ground, so it'll be the perfect entry and exit point! Especially since we'll be fencing off the entire play area in the next couple weeks to keep the kids in and dogs out.





The results were great! We had a few small play area pieces to put in there for now, but will be adding much more soon! I hear my parents are planning to introduce the sandbox for their upcoming birthday....




I also added some dirt to a sectioned off area where I hope to plant some hardy flowers and bushes to make things look nicer in that corner. 


We have windows that run along the back of the house (which you can sort of get a feel for in the photo below) and so it's a beautiful view of the wooded, tree-laden area behind us much of the year. Plus everything's blooming new, including our backyard roses!







It's definitely been a success already!


Have any great kid-centric outdoor play items or games? I'm all ears, leave me details in the comments section! And let the outdoor season begin!
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5 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 02, 2014

    Beware...SAND IS EVIL! Which is why kids love it so much!

    The play area looks awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMay 02, 2014

    Beware! SAND IS EVIL, which is why kids love it so much!
    The play area looks awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMay 04, 2014

    I'm from hot and sunny perth, western australia which probably has a similar climate to Texas. My daughter's number one summer toy is our water table. Cannot recommend it enough. Was most used between 18 months and 3.5. Such a good investment! We've added dinosaurs, little floating g and sinking objects, dollies etc and and she has played for hours.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Looks so nice! You are going to love having a safe outdoor area for the kids. I have 3 boys and outdoor space is a MUST. We all go crazy in the winter. My suggestion is to get good sturdy toys. Even trucks are best when made of thick plastic or metal. We slowly collected John Derre items and they hold up so well. Also Tonka makes sturdy large plastic trucks similiar to the metal ones we had as kids. My other suggestion is to watch yard sales. These types of items last so well that getting them used is no big deal. On Little Tikes items I have found that using a power washer makes them look brand new. Also a Magic Eraser will take off any crayon marks on this type of plastic.
    I think that a sand box would be fun but your kids will just use the mulch most of the time. I might go for a water table instead or use the sand box to put water in. We were able to make a raised bed area and put soft potting soil and mulch. I had planned on using it for flowers but for the last 4 summers it has been the "dirt box". So many hours spent in there.
    I also might just recommend lots of play clothes. I have tons of friends who go on and on about how calm I am when the boys have their "adventures" which generally involve water, dirt, etc... I always comment that the reason I can stay calm is play clothes and a huge bathtub.
    I hope you enjoy! I truly can relax more in the summer when my kids are outside than any other point. The amount of imaginative play that takes place is AMAZING! I also crave the smell of dirty, sticky from sunscreen, exhausted children.
    Kara

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  5. The play area is great. I'm sure the kids love it.

    ReplyDelete

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