With the kids getting out of school, you’ll be racking your brain to find ways to keep them occupied.

Summer break is a great time for adventure, learning and time with friends.  Be creative and keep your kids active in the backyard!

Here’s how to create backyard adventures for your kids:

 

Make a Mud Pie Station

 

We all remember loving to play in the mud and pretending like we were serving the most delicious pie.

You can create a whole kitchen for your kids to play in.  Store old muffin and pie tins and fill a bucket with ready to use dirt.  

Give them small supplies like aprons, trowels, a watering can and a large mixing bowl. You can see a great example here.  

Use Cook Portable Buildings as a Playhouse

 

 

Portable buildings can make a creative haven for your kids! You can add a craft corner, reading nook or chalkboard wall to give them a place to call their own this summer.

They don’t have to take over your entire space, but giving them a section of their own will help keep them occupied while you work in the garden or on small projects in your shed.

Find out more about these playhouse ideas!

Build An Outdoor Movie Theater

Everyone loves going to the movies, so why not invite the neighborhood over for an outdoor movie?

Here’s step-by-step instructions for how to make an outdoor movie screen. You can decorate to match the theme of the movie. To save on your budget, ask everyone to bring their favorite snack and their own seating.

Add christmas lights around the perimeter to give ambient lighting. And most important, don’t forget the bug spray! The fun will quickly be ruined if bugs swarm your guests.

 

Add a Backyard Water Park

You can simply add a sprinkler, or you can create an entire water park obstacle course!

Kids love playing in water and it will help keep them cool in the summer sun.  Plus, this is a much cheaper solution than adding a full size pool to your property.

Give Them Responsibility in the Garden

 

 

Involving them in the garden will help them learn about the growing process, plus the work and satisfaction of nurturing these plants.

Let them pick out what flowers or vegetables you will plant this year. Then, give them free creative reign to make planter markers for the garden so you remember what each plant is. These kids made some using dinosaur toys!

Or, if you’re wanting to start composting, the kids can help! They’ll learn, have fun and you’ll continue to have rich soil for your garden.

Create an Obstacle Course

Does your family love watching American Ninja Warrior?  Bring the challenges to your own backyard! Everyone will love competing for the best time. If their friends are over, you could even create medals and special awards for the winners.

Use scrap wood, PVC pipe and old pallets to create the ultimate obstacle course.  This activity keeps them active, outdoors and helps them work on their motor skills.

 

Kids can easily get bored and want to move on to the next activity. But these should keep them occupied without them sitting in front of a screen all day.

If you’re still trying to decide on the perfect portable building for you, don’t forget our rent-to-own option. It works great for families as you always have the option to send it back or to upgrade to a larger portable building.

Below, you can download a guide to 7 things you might not know about rent-to-own.{{cta(‘4ab1cd42-1e52-4d7f-9913-56dfcb88f049′,’justifycenter’)}}