When kids put down their phones and tablets to go outside to play, the benefits are plenty. They’re learning about nature and, if playing with other neighborhood kids, sharpening their social skills. Physical activity from playing outdoors is excellent for children’s overall health, and it burns idle energy when they grow restless in the summer. (And let’s not ignore that sending the kids outside to play is also a sanity-saver for parents!)

Parents have to make several landscaping considerations if they want to incorporate play into their home’s backyard. Since spring will be here before we know it, planning for it should begin now. How can you make your yard a safe place for your kids to wander and explore? That’s what our landscaping professionals in Kingsport are focusing on today:

Play equipment

No kid-friendly backyard would be complete without play equipment! But why not be creative and incorporate components of play into your overall landscape design? Think outside the box — as in, a sandbox! Incorporate it into your hardscape so your child can enjoy it, then as s/he grows, transform it into a raised garden or flower bed. A slide can be incorporated with steps. Climbing walls can later be turned into a growing trellis or the backdrop for an eye-catching water feature.

Pathways

Create winding pathways that can stand up to running feet, toys and tires! Pathways leading to play areas or through wooded areas can inspire exploration, pretend play and fun! Add benches, picnic tables and trellis “tunnels” where kids can plant climbing flowers or yummy cucumbers. Let kids paint colorful stepping stones and rocks. Tree stumps can make great sitting spots or obstacle courses.

Hideouts

Small buildings can be used when kids are younger as fun hideouts or forts. Later, the buildings can be transformed into storage sheds for garden tools. How about a teepee made from bamboo sticks that doubles as a trellis for climbing beans in the summer?

Plant a garden

Kids love to grow their own food, and the act of planting, tending to the garden and picking the fruits of their labor — literally — tends to make kids more interested in eating a variety of healthy fruits, berries and vegetables. Plant useful herbs and colorful flowers and plants with various textures, too, to turn the garden into a fun sensory space!