10 Things Every Child Needs in Their Outdoor Play Space

Even though it was -18 today in Michigan, I’m already planning things to add to my daughter’s outdoor play area. Don’t get me wrong, we’re loving our time outside this winter, but I can’t help but dream of the muddy days to come.

Designing a children’s outdoor play space doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, I’m trying to make a real effort on the blog to include easier, natural activities.

Also, if you live in an urban environment with no backyard, a lot of these can be found/done at your local park or community garden! Here are ten things that can make a child’s outdoor play space all that more special:

1. A Secret Place

Kids need somewhere they can breath, be alone and feel free. What makes a place secret? Make it their size, construct “walls” and have it in a slightly obscured location. Whether it’s a clubhouse or just a sheet draped over some some tree limbs, the main idea is to prompt them to create a world of their own.

More Great Ideas:

• The Five Minute Fort via My Crafty Spot
• Make a Live Willow Den | We are buying our willow whips here
• Giant Nest (ambitious, but had to include because it is amazing!)

2. A Water Feature

Where there is water, there is fun. Enough said.

More Great Ideas:

• Nature Soup via Meri Cherry
• 10 DIY Sprinklers (I couldn’t pick just one) via Fantastic Fun and Learning
• How to Make a Giant Outdoor Water Bed via My Frugal Adventures

3. Mud Glorious Mud

Whether it’s mud pies or just digging for rocks, kids need to get dirty! I know that our mud kitchen was my daughter’s favorite part of our outdoor play area this past summer. And if you really want to pair this activity down just give the kids some dirt and a bowl – trust me they will find their own wild materials.

More Muddy Ideas:

• Make Mud Paint! via Learn Play Imagine
• The Great Dinosaur Stomp via My Small Potatoes
• 30+ Ideas for Kids to Play in the Dirt via Hands On As We Grow
• Mud Kitchen Essentials (this is a wonderful, comprehensive post) via abc does

4. Something to Climb On

As parents of all young children know, climbing is a natural instinct. Trees, stumps, rocks – they all present an opportunity for our kids to test their limits and go higher!

More Great Ideas:

• Don’t feel like installing, cutting or building anything? Have them go climb a tree!
• Tire Climbing Tower via Blessings Overflowing
• DIY Slackline via Pail and Pipe
• Triple Wide Climbing Ladder (Buy it here)

5. Something to Grow

For us, gardening is one of the fundamentals, and plays a unique role in our daughter’s outdoor space! It may seem daunting, but there are some really easy ways to set up a growing area. 

More Great Ideas:

• You Grow Girl (My favorite resource for container gardening!)
• Make a Fairy With Your Kids  via See Jamie Blog
• Designing a Sensory Garden via Gardening Know How
• Make a Raised Bed in a Kiddie Pool via Southern Plate (with this one, I would put down a liner between the pool and the garden so the plastic chemicals don’t leach into the food.

6. A Place to Create

I always feel so much more creative when I’m outside. It is such a bonus to have an area where the kids can write, make art, music and even put on plays for each other. It doesn’t matter if it is as simple as making mandalas on the ground with natural items, art and nature just go together!

More Great Ideas:

• 20 Amazing Outdoor Music Stations via My Nearest and Dearest
• Make an Outdoor Puppet Theater via Koko Designs
• Giant Outdoor Weaving Station via Seasonal Gnome
• Paint Filled Eggs on Canvas via Growing a Jeweled Rose

7. Something to Swing On

I’ll never forgot the rope swing in my grandparents’ yard. It was such a simple design, but whenever any of my siblings or cousins mention those years, that swing is always in the picture. Swinging is blissful and every child deserve a chance to feel the wind against their face as they propel themselves towards the sky.

More Great Ideas:

• 7 Dollar DIY Rope Swing via Budget Blonde
• Skateboard Swing via  Little Bit Funky
• Kid’s Backyard Tire Swing via Popular Mechanics
• Airplane Swing Tutorial via Whitney’s Workshop

8. Open-Ended Materials

Spontaneous, unorganized play is the foundation of a child’s time spent outside. In the spirit of the adventure playground movement, I like to have loose items and material available for my daughter to create with. They have no set “purpose” except for her to imagine, build and create with.

More Great Ideas:

• Loose Parts Play  via Inside Outside Indiana
• Theory of Loose Parts via Let the Children Play
• Handy Idea for Storing Loose Parts for Play  via Let the Children Play
• Homemade Tree Blocks via An Everyday Story

9. Something They Choose

I’ve definitely been guilty of getting caught up in my own ideas and forgetting to ask my daughter what she really wants. Making sure our kids have a stake in the project can connect them to their space. Some things I’m trying to ask her are:

• What’s your favorite thing to do outside?
• Do you like this here?
• What color should we paint this?
• Do you want to name your clubhouse?
• Is there anything special you want to bring outside from your room?
• Are we missing anything?
• Want to go collecting materials with me?

10. Something for The Big Kids

Trust me, you don’t want to leave this one out! It’s wonderful to interact with our children, but the truth is sometimes they just need to get lost in the moment without us. This past summer we installed two hammocks and it instantly transformed the children’s play area into a mixed-use space that we all love to be in (no this isn’t mine in the picture – I’m not quite there yet :).

So these are on my list, what’s on yours?

Your Woman Gone Wild,

 

 

PS. Want more ideas? Head over to Wildschooling, Wilder Child’s private Facebook group. It’s a dynamic community of parents & educator helping each other grow wild. See you there!

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