How to Create a Fun Family Retreat—Right in Your Backyard!

Outdoor living spaces have only grown in popularity in recent years, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, their value is more apparent than ever this summer. If your family is looking for ways to get out of the house safely, the answer lies right in your own backyard. Check out these summer yard ideas to use it to its full potential and give your family a summer of fun that even a pandemic can’t ruin.

Summer Yard Ideas for Family Fun

Create Zones

Even in a relatively small yard, creating distinct areas for different activities can help you maximize the potential of the space, as well as making your family more likely to use it. Do you have areas for lounging, cooking and eating, active play, gardening, or other interests? Think about what your family needs and enjoys, and prioritize those activities rather than trying to emulate landscaping from a magazine or a set list of what a backyard “should” have.

For instance, if you have younger kids, you may want to prioritize a lush patch of lawn, swings, a sandbox, or a sensory play area; if you have teens, a comfy lounge area might be more your speed. Make sure to include shade into your plans, as no one wants to sit outside in the hot Georgia sun for too long without relief—they’ll be running back into the air conditioning in no time!

Welcome Wildlife

Even in the city, you’d be amazed at the wildlife living right in your backyard—or at least nearby. If you live in a more suburban area, it’s even more likely that there are animals around. Habitat loss is a major issue around Atlanta, but you can help local wildlife with some easy additions to your backyard that won’t decrease your enjoyment of the space. In fact, observing the wildlife you attract can be a hobby of its own! Some ideas to create and enjoy a wildlife-friendly backyard include:

• Adding birdhouses, bird feeders, and bird baths
• Building a bat house (Contrary to popular belief, bats aren’t scary—they actually eat bugs and can keep the mosquito population down!)
• Planting pollinator-friendly flowers, trees, and shrubs
• Setting up a trail cam to see which animals visit your yard at night or early in the morning

And if you’re really feeling extra, you could even build a squirrel obstacle course!

Take it Outside

To get your family interested in using the backyard more, start out with some fun activities. Set up a tent and “camp out” in the backyard, lay out some blankets and read or have a picnic, eat dinners on the patio, grill out, blow bubbles, roast marshmallows, tell stories, sing songs! The possibilities are endless and you can make your backyard your own, perfectly tailored for your family.
The key to making your backyard an oasis for your family is to nail the basics, like a lush, green lawn. We can help you make it happen with residential lawn care in Atlanta, from professional fertilizing and weed control, to aeration and seeding, to fire ant control.

Give us a call at 770-923-0387 or contact us online to find out how we can help you execute your summer backyard ideas and enjoy your home to its fullest potential this summer and beyond!