Make your backyard fun for children

It is holiday time and what is the best way to keep your children active and engaged? Having them watch cartoons, flipping channel after channel as time passes by sounds good. However, children need play time in the outdoors to keep their bodies active. You can accommodate play features without killing the beauty of your backyard or garden.
If you have a sizeable compound, you can set aside a dedicated children’s playing space where it is easy for you to keep close tabs on what is going on out there.
Although many compounds do not have the space for such luxury, there are play features you can set up even in limited space.

Use existing structures
For example, mature trees in the compound are an ideal starting point. Installing a simple swing with a rope tied to the branch is exciting, saves space, cost and is fun for the children.
However, for the rope swing, constant checks on the strength of the rope and branch where it is tied are recommended because breakages are common and fall-offs may be fatal. The common one being bone fractures.

If one is not stretched on budget, you can put up an elevated den or ‘tree house’ in the tree.
And those with a decent slope in the backyard can put up an embarkment slide, which is a hit for the children of a school going age.
The other options are installing semi- permanent playing structures which guarantee for the children and less destruction to the green in the backyard. As you make a selection for these playing materials bear in mind that things made from natural materials such as wood appear more beautiful than those of artificial material such as plastic.

Metallic swings
These are used by both adults and children and there is a wide range of types to choose from. The beauty with them is that they do not affect the grass, they are mobile and durable. The other plus is they fit in any environment, only a touch of paint is only needed.
Ibrahim Kamube of Matsiko Engineering Ltd in Namuwongo, says a simple two-seater moveable swing can cost up to Shs250,000. He advises that parents or care takers nclosely monitor the children when playing and to constantly oil for smooth swinging and avoiding breaks.

Sand pit: Rarely is a child not to yell for joy when he or she sees one. Sand pits give children that feeling of playing at the beach and a chance to get messy. However, Mohammed Kaweesa, a gardener, recommends regular checks and changing of the sand for the safety of the children.
He also says it is a good idea to cover the pits to protect them from rain, which can reduce the quality of the sand.

Making a sand-pit is as simple as counting 1, 2, 3. All you need is to put up is a shallow hole in your backyard, apply concrete, let it dry and then fill it with beach sand. Those without access to beach sand can still use the regular sand but after sieving it to ensure safety. Constructing a sand pit could cost about Shs180,000. An average sized truck of lake sand and machine crushed gravel costs Shs50,000 and Shs 80,000 respectively. While a bag of cement goes for Shs 30000.

Embankment slides.

“With the embankment slide, you can be sure of the safety of your children,” says Meckious Aine, a daycare attendant. Rarely do children sustain injuries on these slides because it can only accommodate one at a time. It also ensures that children remain clean.An embankment slide can cost up to Shs300,000 if it is all metallic according to Ibrahim Kamube, an artisan. However, if one prefers one with a plastic fibre, the price can go up to Shs500,000 because of the cost of fibre. For safety, Ibrahim advises that one child access it at a time to avoid fall offs.
All in all, there are a variety of things that can make your backyard fun for children and still maintain its beauty irrespective of the size, space and budget. The bottom line is maintenance and ensuring safety of your children.

Trampoline: This is a hit for both adults and children. That jumping and bouncing brings out the playful nature of children. It comes in different forms. It can be sunk into the ground if adults are to use it or put on fabricated stands. The advantage with a trampoline is that it consumes very little space and can be moved from one point of the backyard to another. A basic trampoline costs about Shs850,000.

Playhouse: Every child fancies a chance to have his or her own space where he can organise things in his own way. This can be a simple wooden structure, which can be made by local artisans. Those with a good budget can opt for an already made plastic house, which can be bought from large retail stores. The cost of setting up a wooden play house depends on the cost of the type pf wood you want to use. For example a good hard wood like “Musambya” costs Shs 30,000 while cyprus goes for Shs 7500 per wood. A plastic play house costs about Shs1.5m

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