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DIY Backyard Fun

During this time of restricted social interaction the more fun we’re able to have at home the better. The goal of this article is to show you some easy and cheap ways to have fun right in your own backyard. Depending on how many of these DIY projects you choose to take on, your backyard may end up resembling more of a small carnival rather than a backyard. Personally, that seems like something worth bragging rights to me, but if you don’t hope to reach small carnival status then maybe just one or two on a sunny day will do. 

Giant Jenga

Jenga is pretty popular so I won’t bore you with an explanation of the game. I will simply tell you one way to improve the game, and that is to make it giant. This oversized outdoor game is cheap, easy to recreate, and tons of fun! So if you’re ready to kick some butt at Jenga below!

Instructions here!

Slingshot/ Angry Birds IRL

I’m sure we’ve all heard of the game Angry Birds, but if you haven’t let me summarize. It’s an iPhone game where you aim and shoot little colorful birds at piled up boxes with mean looking pigs sitting on them. If you’ve never heard of the game you probably think I’ve completely lost it, but I promise it’s a thing. So much so that a smart parent created a real life version of the game. This is the perfect outdoor game to get the kids off their phone and out in the sun!

Instructions here!

Jungle Gym Bars

This was my personal favorite activity as kids so i can assure you the kids will love it. When I was young I spent all my time doing flips forwards and backwards on the bars.  I swear I thought I was Simone Biles or something. This DIY project isn’t just affordable it’s also an excellent way to keep the kids active. As a former child, I highly recommend it.

Instructions here!

Backyard Big Screen

A pandemic is probably not best time to sit in a room filled by strangers. That being said, it is probably best to move the movies to the backyard. This genius DIY outdoor theatre project is a perfect activity for the family during this time of  quarantine. 

Instructions here!

Kerplunk

Kerplunk is a classic, but there’s a chance you haven’t heard of it so I’ll explain just to make sure we’re all on the same page. Each player upon their turn removes a stick from the tube, if any balls fall they go to that players total. When all the balls have fallen, the person with the smallest number (least amount of balls fallen) wins. This is a very easy game to recreate and it’s lots of fun with the family or with friends!

Instructions here!

Slip-n-slide Kickball

I’m confident we’ve all played kickball, but this isn’t just kickball, this is slip-n-slide kickball which is obviously superior. Same rules apply, but instead of running across a base you get to slide into a kiddie pool. Hot summer day? This would be the perfect activity for the family or the neighborhood kids to enjoy! Don’t believe me? Try it out!

Instructions here!

Squares game

The squares game isn’t as popular as other games in this article so I will briefly explain. Players take turns making a line from one dot to another(not diagonally). If when you put down the line that creates a complete square you get a point. Players continue to play until no further squares can be made, and at that point the person with the most points wins! This is a fun and easily storable game that you can play with kids or friends!

Instructions here!

Outdoor Chalkboard

Kids love to draw… half the time we can’t tell what it is they’re drawing but as long as they’re entertained it doesn’t really matter does it? Plus this is an easy way to get the kids their daily Vitamin D and it keeps them from getting any mess inside, so a win-win situation if you ask me. This easy DIY project would make a great addition to the “fun backyard”

Instructions here!

Lawn Twister

Twister is the epitome of fun children games. I played Twister all the time as a kid, and I personally sucked, lost just about every game. Regardless, I loved the game and I’m confident your kids will too!  I should also mention this is one of the easiest DIY projects in this article, so even if it’s just for a day or an event, I think it’s worth it. I wish you much more success in the game than I had!

Instructions here!

DIY Dunk Tank

Have you ever seen a dunk tank on a TV show and had major dunk tank envy? I first saw a dunk tank on an episode of George Lopez and I remember having a strong desire to experience a dunk tank. Both to be the dunkee and the dunker. In fact, at the time I had a short list of people I’d like to dunk. If you can relate, get your list out, send an invitation because our dunk tank dreams are now a reality.

Instructions here!

Velcro Darts

Just 3 pieces of fabric and a hot glue gun and you’re good to go! This DIY project is such an easy way to bring a fun atmosphere to your backyard. This game is easy for everyone and anyone to play even the kids (since we’ve taken out the sharp/pointy darts)!

Instructions here!

Football Throw

I’m from Green Bay, Wisconsin, so football is kinda a big deal here. That being said I felt a need to add this into the article, because maybe it will help breed the next Aaron Rodgers. This isn’t the easiest DIY project but it can be done in various levels of complexity. It can be as easy as cutting holes in a sheet to a nicely decorated board such as this one above. Whichever level you choose, this activity can either be target practice or just a fun pass time.

Instructions here!

Rainbow fire crystals

This one isn’t necessarily a DIY project, it’s more of a fun product. I want to type “Your little kids will love the fun colored flames!”, but in all honesty… I’d love it too. When I first saw a color flamed fire I was overly mesmerized and excited. So with that said, I can personally recommend this product to you. It will add a little character and color to your backyard!

Product available here!

These are the perfect activities to stay entertained while social distancing and spending time with family or friends. Quite honestly, that quality time with the family is probably worth the prices to make these affordable DIY projects. If you do find yourself attempting one of these projects, we’d love to hear about your results! Feel free to leave a comment below about how it went for you and any helpful tip for future readers!

Enjoy this article? Read some more!

full pizza cut into slices with ingredients surrounding

Where should you live based on your favorite pizza?

First off, lets talk crust: How thick is too thick?

Great! Now what about sauces?

Perfect. What kind of topping are you looking to add?

Let's talk cheese: What kind and how much?

How much of this pizza are you planning to eat?

Last question: What kind of atmosphere do you want to eat your pizza in?

Where should you live based on your favorite pizza?
Naples, Italy

You're a traditionalist and you like to enjoy your pizza the way it was meant to be enjoyed-- in high quality and quantity! The freshly crushed tomato sauce, hand tossed dough, just a hint of basil is perfection to you and even better is that nobody in Naples expects you to share your beloved pizza pie!
New York, NY

The Big Apple knows how to do pizza and you'll love their big slices! NYC was the first US city to have a pizza parlor and New Yorkers agree there's no pizza like New York pizza. With hundreds (if not thousands) of pizza joints sprinkled throughout the city, you'll be happy to know pizza is often sold by the slice here, meaning you can hit up multiple pizzerias to make up your meal!
Chicago, IL

Chicago style pizza is much like the city itself, familiar yet unique. Known as the Windy City, Chicago keeps warm with the comfort of thick, cheesy, toppings-filled pizzas. While New Yorkers and Neapolitans will scoff at these double decker pies, Chicago style lovers are warm hearted (and full-bellied) good-natured folks!
Los Angeles, California

Your anything goes attitude makes California pizza the perfect fit for you. Avocado? Throw it on! Microgreens? Sure! Tofu? Why not! California cuisine is known to be a little wacky, a lot healthy, and completely customizable which it the perfect pie for you!

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girls swimming in pool splash fun

Dive In! 5 Benefits of Owning a Pool

Owning a pool comes with a lot of maintenance, but also a lot of perks. Pools are a great way to stay cool in the summer, and to turn any backyard barbecue into a social event! Here are some of the top benefits of owning your own pool!

Swimming is great exercise

Whether you’re the next Katie Ledecky– or if you can barely do a doggy paddle, swimming is excellent exercise. It’s a lower impact exercise than running or biking, which is easier on your joints. All this while still providing an excellent aerobic workout.

You can control how clean it is

While a backyard pool can come with a lot of maintenance, a well-kept personal pool tends to be cleaner than a public pool for a couple reasons. One being less traffic and the other being more conscientiousness by swimmers. According to the CDC, 58 percent of public pools tested positive for fecal bacteria in a study released in May 2013.

Control over how it’s cleaned

 

If you’re worried about chemical reactions or sensitivities, swimming in a public pool can be a risky endeavor. There is an art (well, mostly science) to cleaning pools. Those who are worried about too-strong  chemicals are able to test a home pool in ways that are not possible at a public facility. Private pool owners are also able to use different chemicals, ones that may be cost prohibitive in a public pool, if this is a concern.

Spend time with friends and family

Pools are well known for attracting friends and families which creates a multitude of opportunity for social connections. A 2010 Harvard report stated that social connections not only give us pleasure, they also influence our long-term health. It helps us in ways every bit as powerful as adequate sleep, a good diet, and not smoking.

Resale value

While there can be quite the upfront cost to getting a pool, it drastically increases your homes resale value. Depending on where you live, pools can vary from a nice, yet novel amenity to a non-negotiable must-have. In either event, pools can help with the resale value of your home and shortening the list-to-close time, all while being an enjoyable feature while you’re living in your home.

Interested in owning a home with a pool? Check out these great options available now!