Rain or Shine Mamma

There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes

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How to Create a Kid-Friendly Backyard

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March 25, 2015 By Linda McGurk

I love tinkering in the yard and I love spending time outdoors with my kids, so to combine my two passions I’ve thought a lot about how to create a kid-friendly backyard – one that my girls will enjoy just as much as I do. A child-friendly backyard does not have to involve a $2,000 play set with double swings, a 15-foot slide, gym rings, monkey bars and a climbing wall. Of course those things would be nice to have, but by integrating a few key elements and using natural, existing, recycled and repurposed materials, you can create a fun, play-friendly backyard on a small budget or even completely free.

How to Make a Kid-Friendly Backyard. Rain or Shine Mamma

These features will entice imaginative and open-ended games that will captivate your kids for hours on end:

DIRT

Dirt is an excellent play material, and when making a child-friendly backyard I challenge you to think outside the sandbox. Consider designating a portion of the backyard to dirt play, but make sure to find a place where the kids can dig and get their hands dirty without having to worry about unearthing your tulip bulbs. Another great way to encourage dirt play is to build a mud kitchen. This can be made simply by putting a 2×10 over a couple of tree stumps and giving your kids some old pots and pans to place on it. For more detailed instructions, check out outdoor play guru Jan White’s ideas here.

How to Create a Kid-Friendly Backyard. Rain or Shine Mamma.

WATER

There’s something about water that naturally attracts children. They love to scoop it up, pour it, splash it, jump in it, float things in it, mix it with dirt, spray it, race things in it and – inevitably – get wet. A couple of buckets, some empty milk jugs and yogurt containers combined with natural objects like tree nuts, sticks, leaves and other things that may or may not float are a great way for your kids to start having fun with water. And don’t forget that rainy days provide plenty of opportunities for water play!

CHALLENGES

A backyard that has built-in challenges is more likely to hold your kids’ interest over time. Challenges are usually features that engage children physically, and encourage them to assess risks. For example, a tree or rope to climb, plants to jump over, a log or plank to balance on, and stepping stones or rocks to hop on are some backyard features that will keep your child challenged.

How to Create a Kid-Friendly Backyard. Rain or Shine Mamma.

How to Create a Kid-Friendly Backyard. Rain or Shine Mamma.

 

CRITTERS

Children are instinctively fascinated by bugs, birds and other critters, and regardless of where you live there are ways of attracting them to your backyard by providing food and shelter. The best way to help pollinators is by planting native plants. The Pollinator Partnership has a nifty online tool that provides a planting guide based on your zip code.  You could also try making a bug hotel by combining dirt, rocks, pine cones and some old log pieces in a designated area. If you want to go all out, check out these amazing bug hotel designs from Inspiration Green.

LOOSE PARTSHow to Create a Kid-Friendly Backyard. Rain or Shine Mamma.

Loose parts are exactly that: materials that can be moved around, changed and redesigned to create new games and keep the children’s creative juices flowing. In your backyard loose objects could consist of rocks, wooden blocks, tree nuts, pine cones, sticks, leaves or other objects that your kids like and are readily available where you live. Loose parts can also be used to count and categorize different items. The more materials that are available, the more opportunities for engaging play and no risk of boredom!

SENSORY STIMULATION

I think the best way for kids to experience the outdoors is with all five senses. Using a wide range of materials, colors and textures in the backyard will help stimulate touch and sight. Add flowers and herbs to bring in different smells: for example chamomile, lavender, sage, bulbs, thyme, and native flowers, and plant them in creative places, like a hollow stump. For taste, plant some berry bushes and fruit trees – foraging edible fruits and berries makes for unforgettable childhood memories. For hearing, try creating an outdoor music station; My Nearest and Dearest has collected 20 of the best ones.

NOOKS AND CRANNIES

Kids love nooks and crannies where they can hide and make their own secret places, as well as different levels with views. Boulders and logs are great for this purpose, and so is vegetation. Use plants that are native, fast-growing and low-maintenance – bushes and tall grasses planted in clusters will become hideouts or places to gather in. Or make a den out of sticks, like we did last year. Sunflowers work well too, since they’re both cheap and versatile. The Green Education Foundation has good instructions for how to plant a sunflower house.

What are your best tips for creating a child-friendly backyard?

This post is a part of the Outdoor Play Challenge, with over 30 different bloggers sharing different ways of playing outdoors. Make sure to check them out as well!

How to Create a Kid-Friendly Backyard. Rain or Shine Mamma

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Filed Under: Outdoor Play, Parent with Nature, Play in Nature, Tips and Tricks 9 Comments

Comments

  1. Karen Ung says

    March 29, 2015 at 2:00 am

    I totally agree that expensive equipment is not required! We have a playhouse (gift from Grandma) and play structure (free on Kijiji) in our backyard, but the kids’ favorite things to do are play in the sandbox or make “food” out of pinecones and leaves. ; ) I am so in love with your mud kitchen idea, I think we will try that soon!

    Reply
    • Linda McGurk says

      March 31, 2015 at 3:50 pm

      The simplest ideas are usually the best:o) Sounds like you’ve got a great start on your playspace! And the mud kitchen can be done so simply – we literally just use an old patio table with some gifted old pots and pans, plus stumps for a table and chairs.

      Reply
  2. Lee says

    April 2, 2015 at 6:19 am

    I haven’t made a mud kitchen yet — but you’ve given me some more ideas. And thanks for the Pollinator Partnership link.
    Off to check that out!
    ~Lee

    Reply
  3. Nicola - Multicraftingmummy says

    April 3, 2015 at 1:54 pm

    There are some really great ideas here. Kids have much more fun in this kind of environment than they do on any over priced climbing frame. Thanks for linking up to #furgalfamilylinky

    Reply
    • Linda McGurk says

      April 8, 2015 at 9:11 pm

      Thank you! Simple is best in my opinion:o)

      Reply
  4. Ashleigh says

    September 21, 2015 at 1:14 pm

    I LOVE this list! What great great ideas! We are in the middle of a big project in our backyard and I can’t wait to incorporate a few of these ideas on my daughters side!

    Reply
  5. Linda McGurk says

    September 22, 2015 at 9:16 pm

    Glad you enjoyed, Ashleigh:o) I’ve incorporated all of these ideas in one form or another in our backyard and it really helps keep the kids interested in playing outside!

    Reply
  6. Ellen says

    January 11, 2018 at 10:18 pm

    Thank you! I love the mud kitchen idea here in Virginia!

    Reply
    • Linda McGurk says

      January 12, 2018 at 10:47 am

      Glad you felt inspired! My daughters still love playing with mud, at age 7 and 10 respectively:)

      Reply

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A school in Sydney bans the children from using the playground before school, saying the decision was made to "support positive classroom behaviour and learning." But did anybody bother to actually look into the research on the benefits of outdoor play, both in terms of children's ability to focus and their academic performance...? The parents aren't happy about the decision and I understand why. ... See MoreSee Less

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📚📚📚Book Cover Reveal📚📚📚A few years ago, I did a poll in my social media channels to see what topic you’d like me to explore in my next book. One of them won by an overwhelming margin: the Nordic outdoor tradition friluftsliv. Well, I heeded your call. I’m pleased to share that it’s now possible to pre-order The Open-Air Life: Discover the Nordic Art of Friluftsliv and Embrace Nature Every Day from just about any place that sells books! The Open-Air Life is for anybody who is longing to lead a simpler, happier and less hurried life. It shows you how to channel the power of nature connection to improve your physical and mental health, as well as your relationship with both other people and Mother Nature. Plus, you’ll learn a few party tricks, like lighting a campfire without matches and cleaning water on the go. At a time when more and more people are starting to appreciate why they should spend more time outside, this book will show you how, with a decidedly Nordic twist.I must say that I LOVE this dreamy cover that the designers at @penguinrandomhouse created. What do you think? Pre-order The Open-Air Life here to support local book stores: bookshop.org/a/79880/9780593420942 ... See MoreSee Less
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It’s TICK season…🕷 (I know that’s a spider emoji, but you get the idea😅)A lot of people freak out at the sight of these blood suckers and understandably so, considering the diseases they can harbor. But they too are a part of nature and if we want to keep venturing outside during the warmer months (I definitely do and I suspect you do too) we must come to terms with them.If you want to know more about tick prevention, I just wrote a pretty detailed post about it on my blog. Head over to rainorshinemamma.com to learn more and share this post with others who worry about ticks!👌🏻________________________#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #friluftsliv #ticks #tickprevention ... See MoreSee Less
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I missed a meeting Sunday night😬 An informal meeting, yes, but still…I take pride in being dependable and prompt, and I hate to be flakey. I’d like to think that it was because I got distracted when my daughter called from my mom’s house and said she was running a fever, but in reality I got sidetracked well before that. Weekends are my time to zone out from schedules, emails and social media, and spend more time outside, especially this time of the year. So I missed a meeting. But I gained a quiet paddle through pastel waters as the sun slowly descended below the spruces on the horizon. __________________________#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #sup #standuppaddle #sweden #sweden_photolovers #sweden_images ... See MoreSee Less
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Linda Åkeson McGurk
There are a lot of good things about tech, but exc There are a lot of good things about tech, but excessive screen time is taking a toll on children’s physical and mental health today. Many apps and games have built-in mechanisms designed to make them highly addictive and children are even more susceptible to them than adults, since their brains are not fully developed🧠Screens are so ubiquitous in our lives today that it takes conscious effort to balance them with experiences IRL. 

For the past few years, our family has experimented with screen free or screen reduced Sundays. I’m not going to pretend that it’s easy. But if the goal is to increase quality family time outdoors and encourage the kind of creativity that arises from a healthy dose of boredom, it does work🌳

Some other tips to foster a healthy screen time culture in your family are:

✅ Learn how to use the parent controls on your kids’ devices and set age-appropriate limits.

✅ Have certain times or spaces that are always screen free, for example around the dinner table, in the bedrooms and so on, and be sure to be consistent. 

✅ Create a buy-in for the kids by letting them help plan screen free activities for the whole family.

What’s your biggest obstacle when it comes to keeping screen time under control?
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That about sums it up, doesn’t it?☺️ This qu That about sums it up, doesn’t it?☺️ This quote is from Meet the Wild, a new picture book by Lindsay Kellar-Madsen of @the.madsen.littles. Inspired by the outdoor learning and play culture in Scandinavia, Lindsay wrote the book to invite children to explore nature all year round, regardless of the weather. 
I personally love the message and sweet illustrations in this book❤️ If you have a little one in your life, you can buy the book by backing Lindsay’s Kickstarter campaign. Check out her Instagram for details!
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#meetthewild #picturebook #outdoorplay
📚📚📚Book Cover Reveal📚📚📚 A few y 📚📚📚Book Cover Reveal📚📚📚

A few years ago, I did a poll in my social media channels to see what topic you’d like me to explore in my next book. One of them won by an overwhelming margin: the Nordic outdoor tradition friluftsliv. Well, I heeded your call. I’m pleased to share that it’s now possible to pre-order The Open-Air Life: Discover the Nordic Art of Friluftsliv and Embrace Nature Every Day from just about any place that sells books! (Link in bio)

The Open-Air Life is for anybody who is longing to lead a simpler, happier and less hurried life. It shows you how to channel the power of nature connection to improve your physical and mental health, as well as your relationships with both other people and Mother Nature. Plus, you’ll learn a few party tricks, like lighting a campfire without matches and cleaning water on the go. At a time when more and more people are starting to appreciate why they should spend more time outside, this book will show you how, with a decidedly Nordic twist.

I must say that I LOVE this dreamy cover that the designers at @penguinrandomhouse created. What do you think? 

@tarcherperigee @penguinrandomhouse

#theopenairlife #rainorshinemamma #coverreveal #bookcover #friluftsliv #friluftslivbook
I took my kids on an overnight paddling trip last I took my kids on an overnight paddling trip last weekend and it started out with sunshine and rainbows☀️🌈 Swipe to the last video to see how it ended➡️ 

We had set out to explore the northernmost island in our local lake and while we cruised up there with decent tailwinds, the wind picked up overnight. Going back the next day, we faced strong headwinds the entire time🌊 

For nearly three hours, we paddled in choppy waters, with waves sometimes so high that they splashed into the canoe. We had no choice but to paddle nonstop - if we stopped, we immediately started drifting backwards😩

The thing about being outdoors is that you’re never fully in control of all parameters - trips like these always involve a certain amount of risk. The weather can change quickly, and not always according to the forecast. What we can control is our reaction to the challenge, how we act on it and what we learn from it.

While none of us was happy about the situation, the girls did pull together and did an amazing job paddling💪🏻 And while they both vowed to never go paddling again, I told them that this will make a funny story later in life. They weren’t convinced at the time but I think they’ll come around eventually😅 

Do you have any stories of getting in over your head to share?😃
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Summer is high season for TICKS…🕷 (I know tha Summer is high season for TICKS…🕷 (I know that’s a spider emoji, but you get the idea😅) 

A lot of people freak out at the sight of these blood suckers and understandably so, considering the diseases they can harbor. But they too are a part of nature and if we want to keep venturing outside during the warmer months (I definitely do and I suspect you do too) we must come to terms with them.

If you want to know more about tick prevention, I just wrote a pretty detailed post about it on my blog. Head over to rainorshinemamma.com to learn and share this post with others who worry about ticks!👌🏻
________________________
#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #friluftsliv #ticks #tickprevention
I missed a meeting Sunday night😬 An informal me I missed a meeting Sunday night😬 An informal meeting, yes, but still…I take pride in being dependable and prompt, and I hate to be flakey. 

I’d like to think that it was because I got distracted when my daughter called from my mom’s house and said she was running a fever, but in reality I got sidetracked well before that. Weekends are my time to zone out from schedules, emails and social media, and spend more time outside, especially this time of the year. 

So I missed a meeting. But I gained a quiet paddle through pastel waters as the sun slowly descended below the spruces on the horizon. An hour to myself to just be one with the lake, the light and the promise of the summer that still lies ahead☀️
__________________________
#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #sup #standuppaddle #sweden #sweden_photolovers #sweden_images
This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations @wiet This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations @wietinghannah, you’re our winner!🎊

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Have you heard the term "ecohappiness"? If not, this is your chance to learn more! 

Author Sandi Schwartz and I have teamed up to give away a copy of her book "Finding Ecohappiness," an inspirational manifesto and practical guidebook for families to get outside and enjoy nature together. Packed with ideas for outdoor activities like animal yoga, forest bathing, sit spotting, float therapy and nature art, this book is definitely one to add to your collection📕 

How to enter👇🏼
✅ Like and save this post
✅ Follow @rainorshinemamma and @getecohappiness 
✅ Comment by completing this sentence: "To me, being in nature is..."

This giveaway closes on June 4 and a winner will be selected shortly after that. You must be 18 and live in the US or Canada to enter. This giveaway is not associated with or sponsored by Instagram. 

Good luck!🙌🏽

#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #ecohappiness #findingecohappiness #naturebooks #goodreads #naturelovers #ecotherapy #getkidsoutside
Having scientific reasons and explanations for doi Having scientific reasons and explanations for doing things is good and there are any number of ways free climbing benefits our physical and mental health. But sometimes you’ve just got to trust your guts, feel all the feelings and enjoy the joyride🙌🏻🌳

What makes you feel joy in nature?
____________________________
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I’m not going to lie - there are times when my c I’m not going to lie - there are times when my children’s dawdling drives me nuts. Like when they take 45 minutes to finish breakfast even though we’re running late . But I also envy their ability to be completely unhurried and present in the moment, and I realize that it’s a quality that I need to protect🐌

As parents, we need to make space for our children to play, get bored, dawdle, wander, wonder, create, sleep in, be wild and free and watch the clouds go by. Let them be where they are and not push them to achieve arbitrary milestones or condition them to think that a packed calendar is the key to success and happiness.

As always, Ginny of @1000hoursoutside is on point🙌🏻
_____________________________
#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #1000hoursoutside #quote
Did you know that camping for as little as two nig Did you know that camping for as little as two nights straight can help you reset your circadian rhythms and improve your sleep for several weeks afterwards? That's because the natural light helps the body regulate melatonin, a hormone that tells the body when it's time to get up and go, and when it's time to rest and recuperate🌗 

My melatonin levels weren't top of mind when @jeanetteosterman and I started our challenge to sleep outside at least once a month for a year. But I must say, I rarely sleep as soundly and feel as energetic as I do when I sleep under the skies.

Have you ever tried sleeping in a camping hammock? I bought my first one a few years ago and I ❤️ it!
_________________________
#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #friluftsliv #openairlife #sleepingoutside #camping #campinglife #hammock #sleepingoutsidechallenge #freshaireveryday
Raise your hand if you have a teen or tween and fe Raise your hand if you have a teen or tween and feel like you're constantly negotiating/fighting/fretting over your child's screen time👋🏼 

Well, you're not alone😰 

Since 2011, when mobile internet had its breakthrough, teens' and tweens' screen time has increased dramatically. At the same time, physical activity has decreased significantly. The WHO recommends that teenagers get at least one hour of physical activity every day, but in reality 85% of the girls and 78% of the boys globally don't meet the target.

Making outdoor activity a normal part of your daily routine can help  your tween or teen get the exercise and fresh air they need  and lay the foundation for lifelong healthy habits. I'm the first to admit that it isn't easy, but then again, nobody said parenting would be a cakewalk🤪

Hang in there and check out a few of the strategies that help me balance screen time with 'green time'. Do you have any tips to share?
______________________
#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #parenting #parentingteens #parentingtweens #getoutside
“I’m not thrilled about looking older. But wha “I’m not thrilled about looking older. But what unsettles me the most about the 40s is the implication that I’m now a grown-up myself.”
- Pamela Druckerman

Forty-four laps around the sun today and I still find that the passing of time is one of life’s greatest mysteries.
_______________________________
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