7 Fun Backyard Activities The Whole Family Will Enjoy

August 24, 2020

Do you want to include the whole family in your weekend activities? Do you want to make sure everyone is having fun at the same time? Do you have kids at different ages and you can't seem to get them to want to hang out together? 

Well, fear not because there is an abundance of family activities you can partake in. 

Whether it's the middle of summer and the sun is blazing hot, or the leaves are browning and fall is upon you, we've got you covered with some of the best backyard activities for the whole family to enjoy!

So, without further ado, start reading and planning your next family fun day now.

1. Go Camping

Whether you're an outdoor fanatic or not, camping is a great way to involve the whole family. You can pitch up a tent in most rural places, so why not take a weekend out and take the whole family on a camping trip?

From lovely scenic walks to splashing around in beautiful lakes, camping can earn you some serious outdoor adventures. 

Also, for all you homebodies out there, camping gives you a chance to get your cooking on alfresco style. Why not look up all the different recipes you can create with your little camping stove for the family to enjoy after a long day's trek?

Alternatively, if you are completely against the camping life, why not pitch your tent up in your backyard? That way you still have your home comforts (you can use an ACTUAL toilet) but you can also get the feels of the outdoorsy camping lifestyle. Even if you don't stay the whole night in the tent, it's still a fun activity for the kids. 

What kid (and admit it you grown-ups) doesn't love the excitement of pitching up a tent in the backyard and hanging out in it all day eating picnic treats and drinking homemade lemonade?  

2. Water Fight

This one is a classic. We can all remember the pure excitement and exhilaration of having a water fight as children, and it's still just as fun now. 

It's a great way to cool down on those hot summer days and it's always a guaranteed fun starter. Hours of laughter and enjoyment can be had with water fights — whether you blow up balloons and fill them with water or opt for the more traditional water gun method, whatever you choose, the whole family can join in and have fun.

Why not shake it up a little bit, too?

Play water warfare and divide your family into teams. Turn a trivial water fight into a full-on competition. Keep scores and offer prizes for the team that wins — sweets and chocolates often work a treat, so there's no need to break the bank either. 

It's also a great way to get both the kids and adults active, too. Running around the garden trying to avoid getting struck by a water bomb can burn some serious calories, get the adrenaline pumping, and the serotonin spurring. 

3. Build a Time Capsule

Even if you've made one before, building a time capsule is one of the most interesting and exciting things you can do as a family.

From enhancing the kids' imaginations to having a couple of hours of family bonding time, making time capsules are always remembered as special moments. 

They allow your children to be imaginative and envision and make narratives up in their heads of who might find the capsule in 100 years' time. It opens up children's minds and it's great for parents and adults to watch the wonder and fantasies of their kids. 

When deciding what to put in the capsules, explain to your children to pick something that they feel really represents them at the stage in their life now. Maybe in 10 years' time, you as a family will want to revisit the time capsule, therefore reliving the memories that you all shared together. 

4. BBQ

Let's face it, who doesn't love a summer BBQ? The smell of the coal and the food cooking, the whole family helping to prepare the salads, and setting the table, BBQs are one of the best ways to bond as a family. 

There's something special about BBQs. Whether it's the alfresco dining or it simply being a whole family activity, no one can say they've never enjoyed a BBQ. (Unless you burn the sausages, that is.) Even then, a burnt burger on the BBQ still doesn't take away the laughter and bonding time you get to enjoy.

It's a great way to get the kids cooking, too. From prepping the potato salad to marinating the meat (or non-meat), to flipping the burgers on the BBQ, kids can get involved safely. There's nothing better than the satisfaction you get from eating all the glorious food you cooked yourself.

5. Scavenger Hunt

One of the best backyard games you can get and a whole load of fun that you can do all year round, scavenger hunts are always a great idea. 

Whether it's an Easter egg hunt in April, a stocking hunt at Christmas or just a fun summer activity, a whole load of family fun can be had here. 

You could even make it educational, too. Any child will answer a few questions or take a quiz if they know there's a prize at the end of it, so why not challenge your kid to a fun backyard orienteering experience?

Place mini prizes around your garden and give the kids co-ordinates in order to find the treasures. You'll definitely get some laughs when you see them walking round in circles or squinting at their map to try to find the prizes. 

From a geography scavenger hunt to a cryptic clue one, why not get a relative or friend to write some questions down for you so the whole family can join in? Again, split into teams and make it a race to be the first to find each prize, and if you're feeling generous, why not add a big prize at the end of the game?

6. Family Olympics

A great way to keep the whole family fit while having a great time is creating an Olympic tournament to last the summer.  

Not only will it last a number of weeks so you've always got something to entertain the kids with, but it will also allow you to enjoy sports and exercise together.

Playing sports and keeping active releases serotonin in the brain, a great way for a healthy body but also a healthy mind. Exercising has been proven to improve mental health and overall happiness, so what better reason to host your own Olympic Games in your backyard?

From family soccer matches to badminton, tennis, basketball, and athletics, (the list could go on) keep a score of each game and round. At the end of the summer, count up all the scores and host your own Olympic Ceremony, crowning the winners and awarding them the ‘house’ trophy. 

Either that or make a deal that whoever loses the tournament has to mow the grass during the winter months. If that's not an incentive to host your own sports event, we don't know what is!

7. Grow a Vegetable Patch

Not only will you be rewarded at the end with some beautiful fresh vegetables, but it's also a great way for kids to learn about health, nutrition, and looking after your own crops in general.

Something the whole family can get involved with, you can teach your children the importance of looking after and being in charge of something. It's a great way to teach them subtly about responsibility. 

From the planting to the watering to the growing to the eating, this whole family activity can give you hours of fun.

Not only that but imagine the satisfaction you get when you see your fresh vegetables looking ripe and healthy and ready to eat. 

It also gives parents more of an incentive to invite their kids to cook with them. Kids are more likely to want to join in with the preparation of cooking if they know it's something they've grown and nurtured from scratch!

Bottom Line

Whatever you plan to do as a family, there are so many fun outdoor activities that you can indulge in. Come rain or shine, summer or winter, there's something for the whole family to enjoy within the comfort of your own backyard.

Not only is it great to spend time outdoors, but it's also great to be able to do it as a collective, so why not take a few tips from this article and embark on a family adventure in your own backyard?

Most importantly, it's about making memories.

For more family adventures, subscribe to the Illumiseen club and we will keep you updated!