Backyard Oasis » Children’s Backyard Activities http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com Wed, 24 Feb 2010 21:21:09 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc Incorporating Science into Your Next Backyard Adventure http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/general/incorporating-science-into-your-next-backyard-adventure/ http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/general/incorporating-science-into-your-next-backyard-adventure/#comments Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:24:50 +0000 Admin http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/?p=308 Your backyard is a great place for your child to get outside in play. In addition to swimming and playing outdoor sports, your child can also use your backyard as a science experiment. If you are interested in helping them achieve this, you may want to familiarize yourself with some popular backyard activities, especially those that have a focus on nature and science.

Exploring your backyard is not only a fun activity, but it is also educational. There are a large number of living, breathing creatures that can be found outdoors. All children love exploring nature, but there are some who may enjoy this exploration more than others. Those children are likely to be toddlers or elementary school aged children. Since young children may need your assistance, you will want to pick backyard activities that you will also enjoy.

One of the many ways that you can incorporate science into your backyard is by studying the plants that can be found in your yard. While all backyards are likely to have a number of different plants or flowers, yours may have more. For the best type of environment, you are encouraged to explore areas of your yard that have yet to be mowed.

Your backyard is also likely full of a number of different insects. Like plants and flowers, your child may enjoy examining these bugs. It is not only fun to see what bugs live in your backyard, but it is also exciting to learn about how they survive. There is also a good chance that your children may leave your yard with a new pet.

In addition to the living things that can be found in your backyard, you and your child may also want to examine the weather and the impact it has on the yard and everything inside of if. Backyard conditions change as the weather changes. By examining your backyard after a rainy day, your child may find that many of the plants, flowers, and bugs have either changed or retreated to safer grounds. Examining the effect the weather has on the things in your backyard is not only fun, but educational.

To make the most out of your child’s next backyard adventure, you may want to consider purchasing them some science supplies. These supplies may include, but should not be limited to containers, butterfly catching nets, magnifying glasses, picture books, and resource guides. If your child is planning on capturing a few insects, a small cage or breathable container may be just what they need. These supplies, along with others, can be purchased from most retail stores. These stores may include department stores, home improvement stores, and toy stores.

To keep your exploration focused on education, science books and nature resource guides may be a nice addition to your child’s science collection. Many books and resource guide have a focus on insects, birds, plants, and flowers. Many of these resources will provide you with information and pictures. For a large selection of science and nature books, you are encouraged to shop online or visit your local book store.

When examining the plants, bugs, and flowers in your backyard, you and your child may want to document what you see. This can easily be done with a notebook or a camera. By taking pictures, your child will always be able to remember their exploration adventures. Those pictures could also be used for other crafts. Scrapbooks and collages are a great way to turn traditional photographs into something much more.

Whether your child plans on exploring your backyard or they do so without intending to, it is likely that they will interested with what they see and learn. Incorporating science into your next backyard adventure is just one of the many things that you and your child can do outdoors; however, it may be the most beneficial.

See the Backyard Oasis Store for great ideas for childrens actvities and other backyard activities.

Backyard Pleasures

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]]> http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/general/incorporating-science-into-your-next-backyard-adventure/feed/ 0 Great Backyard Snacks for Children http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/backyard-activities/great-backyard-snacks-for-children/ http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/backyard-activities/great-backyard-snacks-for-children/#comments Sun, 23 Aug 2009 21:58:36 +0000 Admin http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/?p=304 Each summer, a large number of children participate in outdoor activities. While many children end up spending their summer at a camp, there are others who stay right in their own backyard. Whether your child is only five years old or fifteen, you will have to find activities that will keep them occupied outdoors, throughout the summer.

If you are interested in planning your child’s summer activities, you are in luck. There are literally an unlimited number of backyard activities that your child, their siblings, or their friends could participate in. Popular summer activities include swimming, playing outdoor sports, playing water games, or relaxing outdoors. There is a good chance that your child will enjoy participating in one or more of these summertime activities.

While it is important to plan your child’s summer activities, it is also important to think about what they will be eating. Unfortunately, summer is when most children resort to unhealthy eating habits. What is even worse about unhealthy summertime eating is that it is the worse possible time to eat unhealthy. In hot weather, it is easy to become dehydrated. Despite what many individuals believe, caffeinated beverages and sugar drinks do not help to quench thirst. In fact, many sugary drinks will still leave you thirsty.

When it comes to drinks, the choice perfect would be water. Water is important during the summertime, especially when it is warm outside. Even though water is good for the body, there are children who do not like the taste of it. If you are the parent of one of those children, you may want to try experimenting with flavored water. Flavored water is available in a wide variety of different flavors. In most retail stores, for a reasonable price, you should be able to find water with strawberry, citrus, grape, raspberry, or mixed berry flavors. If even if your child does not like traditional water, there is a good chance that they would enjoy the taste of flavored water.

In addition to drinks, it is also important to think about the food or snacks that your child should have. While enjoying backyard activities, there are many families who decide to have a barbeque. A barbeque is a great idea, but it can require a fairly large amount of time and planning. If you are unable to plan a barbeque, you may want to consider just having a collection of snacks on hand. Depending on the type of snacks you choose, you and your child could enjoy a tasty, but healthy treat.

If low-cost snacks are what you are looking for, you should visit local dollar stores or discount stores. Despite what you may think, many of these stores are great places to get amazing deals. You will find that many discount stores and dollar stores have packages of cookies and bags of chips or pretzels for a reasonable price. However, it is important to remember that these snacks are not always ideal for a healthy diet. For a healthier alternative, try sugar free cookies or low salt pretzels.

The above mentioned snacks are ideal not only because they easy to afford, but also because they are convenient. When your child is done, they can just close the package and then return to what they were doing. If you and your child are able to take a few minutes out of the day, fruits and vegetables make for tasty, but healthy snacks. In fact, there are also a number of different dips that you can use. Low fat vegetable dip and peanut butter are tasty toppings for many fruits and vegetables.

As previously mentioned, it is important to stay hydrated in the summer. Regardless of which foods and drinks you provide for your child’s next backyard adventure, it is important that they stay hydrated and full. Not only will promoting healthy eating habits ensure that your child eats right, but it may also help to make their backyard outings more pleasant.

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]]> http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/backyard-activities/great-backyard-snacks-for-children/feed/ 0 Exploring Nature with Your Child, In Your Own Backyard http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/general/exploring-nature-with-your-child-in-your-own-backyard/ http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/general/exploring-nature-with-your-child-in-your-own-backyard/#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:45:18 +0000 Admin http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/?p=295 Backyards, they are where individuals of all ages go to relax and have fun. While many people enjoy being in their backyards, they are not the only ones. In fact, when you are in your backyard, you are rarely ever alone. At any given time, your backyard is filled with amazing, living things. If you are the parent of a young child, you may want to use this opportunity to explore nature with them. Not only will it be a fun experience, but it will also be a learning experience.

Birds are just a few of the many animals that can be found in your backyard. There is a good chance that a large number of different birds will make their way into your yard, especially if you have a bird feeder. One of the many reasons why bird watching is fun is because of all the birds that you will see. In addition to just watching these birds, you may to document what your child sees.

To turn bird watching into an educational experience, you will need to purchase a few supplies. These supplies may include a bird watching book, a notebook, and a camera. Notebooks and cameras are optional; however, they are a great way to document the birds that enter your yard. While a notebook and a camera are optional, you may seriously want to consider purchasing a bird watching book. Many book stores carry a large selection of bird watching books, including those for children. A bird watching book is essential when incorporating education into this fun backyard activity.

As previously mentioned, birds are just a few of the many living creatures that can be found in your backyard. You and your child should also be able to find a large number of different bugs and insects. As with bird watching, you may want to study and examine some of these insects. By visiting your local book store or by shopping online, you should be able to find a number of insect resource guides or books that are designed especially for children.

What is nice about most bugs and insects is that you don’t just have to look at them. A number of bugs and insects can live in small containers. If your child not only wants to see an insect up-close, but see how they go about their daily activities, they should be able to that with the right supplies. Most retail stores, including science stores, toy stores, and traditional department stores, should have a wide variety of different insect catching supplies. These supplies may include, but are not be limited to, small cages, breathable containers, and butterfly nets.

Many children are aware of the fact that bugs and birds are living animals, but many do not know that plants and flowers are also living. For that reason, you may want to teach them about plants and flowers. Depending on when your backyard was lasted mowed, you should be able to find a number of different plants and flowers. As with most other living things, you should also be able to purchase books and resource guides that cover common plants and flowers. You and your child may have fun comparing the plants and flowers in your backyard to those in their books.

It is amazing what you can find in your own backyard. While you may not give any thought to the plants, flowers, bugs, or birds that can be found in your backyard, your child will likely be impressed with them. For a fun, but educational experience, you and your child are encouraged to get outside and see everything that nature has to offer.

See the Backyard Oasis Store for great ideas for children’s activities and other backyard activities.

Backyard Pleasures

]]> http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/general/exploring-nature-with-your-child-in-your-own-backyard/feed/ 0 Build a Tree House: Create The Ultimate Backyard Experience http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/general/build-a-tree-house-create-the-ultimate-backyard-experience/ http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/general/build-a-tree-house-create-the-ultimate-backyard-experience/#comments Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:29:11 +0000 Admin http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/?p=287 Are your children bored when the play outside? Have you been searching for some way to provide the ultimate backyard experience for your children? Tree houses can provide hours of entertainment for your children. They may have so much fun that you may not be able to get them to come inside.

Although playing in a tree house is fun, designing and building a tree house is also a great experience. Including your children in the process will enhance the experience and create wonderful, lasting memories. Even if your children are too young to help with the actual building, they can assist in several other ways. Some examples are to read the instructions to you or to hand you tools or other building materials.

You may think that in order to build a tree house, you would need a tree. However, if you do not have any sturdy trees in your yard, you can still have a tree house. You will just need to construct it on the ground.

When you begin the building process, it is a good idea to become familiar with your options.The structure can be designed in numerous ways, so looking at the variety of plans available will help you and your children choose the one that is right for you.

One of the easiest ways to familiarize yourself with tree house designs is to simply use the internet. You will be able to find designs, detailed plans, tips and other ideas. Print out any information you find interesting to keep for as a reference.

Your local library or book sore is also an excellent resource in addition to the internet. A variety of books and guides should be available to give you detailed instructions and pictures too.

After you have decided on a tree house design, you will need to gather all the building materials, such as wood, screws, nails, tools, etc. A list of necessary supplies and tolls may be included with your chosen design.

Now, you are ready to start building! Remember, no matter how small your children’s role is in building a tree house, including them in the entire process will bring them, and you, lots of happiness.

See the Backyard Oasis Store for great ideas for tree houses and other backyard activities.

Backyard Pleasures

]]> http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/general/build-a-tree-house-create-the-ultimate-backyard-experience/feed/ 0 Backyard Play Structures for Children http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/backyard-activities/backyard-play-structures-for-children/ http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/backyard-activities/backyard-play-structures-for-children/#comments Mon, 27 Jul 2009 02:40:41 +0000 Admin http://backyard-oasis.lakeviewselections.com/?p=285 Playing outside is fun, but many children get bored with traditional outdoor activities. To cut down on the boredom in your family, you are encouraged to think about purchasing your child an outdoor play structure. Outdoor play structures are different than most toys because they are larger in size and often come equipped with more than one activity. If you are interested in purchasing one of these popular play structures, you may want to take the time to familiarize yourself with what is available.

When familiarizing yourself with popular outdoor play structures, you will find that you have a number of different options. Perhaps, the easiest way to go about seeing what is available is to visit your local retail stores. Many home improvement stores, toy stores, and department stores should have a fairly large selection of play structures available. In addition to seeing what is available locally, most storefront retail locations will have displays setup. These displays may give you an idea as to what your child’s new toy will look like in your backyard.

While it is nice to view the selection of local play structures, you may also want to examine a number of different online retailers. You may not get to see product displays, but you should be provided with detailed information, including pictures. What is nice about online shopping is that most online retailers have a larger product selection, when compared to most traditional retail stores.

Whether you shop online or at one of your local retail stores, it is likely that you will come across a number of different items that are referred to as play structures. As previously mentioned, most play structures are large in size and are often equipped with more than one activity. Popular play structures include, but should not limited to, swing sets, playhouses, sandboxes, and tree forts.

Sandboxes are often referred to as outdoor play structures because they are made of durable materials. Popular sandbox styles include ones that are made with plastic or wood. It is also important to note that sandboxes come in a wide variety of different sizes. This means that if you have a large yard or a small yard, you should be able to find a sandbox that is perfect for your child.

Tree forts are another popular backyard play structure. Unlike many other play structures, tree forts may be hard to find for sale. This is because a large number of them aren’t just big, but enormous. If you are able to find tree forts for sale, it is likely that only the supplies are for sale. It is rare to find a fully assembled tree fort in most, on and offline, retail stores. If your child would like to have a tree fort, but you are unable to find the supplies for sale or make one yourself, you may want to seek the assistance of a professional contractor.

Tree forts are many children’s dream toy; however, not every child can have one. If you are unable to afford the cost of a tree house or if you do not have any trees in your backyard, you may want to think about purchasing a playhouse. In a way, playhouses are similar to tree forts. The only difference is that playhouses are ground structures. Playhouses, like most other outdoor structures, come in a wide variety of different styles. Many of these styles are great for boy, girls, or even both.

The above mentioned play structures are ideal for small children; however, if you are looking for a structure that can be used for a long period of time, even as your child grows, you may want to look into swing sets. Swing sets often come equipped with swings, slides, teeter totters, and monkey bars. Metal swing sets are available for a reasonable price. For a more expensive and dependable structure, wood swing sets are also available.

In addition to tree forts, playhouses, swing sets, and sandboxes, there are also a number of other outside play structures that are available for sale. Whether you purchase one of the ones mentioned above, another, or make your own, your child will likely be pleased with the purchase. So pleased, that they may never want to play inside again.

See the Backyard Oasis Store for great ideas for backyard activities.

Backyard Pleasures

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