Beat the Boredom with Backyard Fun!

Put a positive twist on the quarantine with some outdoor activities for the whole family

Okay, let’s talk about the elephant in the room – quarantine. Most of us are stuck inside right now, trying to find ways to keep busy and entertain ourselves while we get through these hard and uncertain times. We are lucky in this day and age to have endless forms of technological entertainment, but at some point, you can only watch so much Netflix and scroll through Instagram so many times. At some point, you’re going to get a little stir crazy.

There’s a form of entertainment that’s stood the test of time: backyard games. They get you outside, they get you moving, and they give you a source of fun that you can’t get playing on your phone. During this time more than ever, these are the kinds of games that we all need to keep us, well, sane!

Giant backyard games have made their debut into the game realm over the last couple years and is only continuing to expand. Why just play the same games you’ve played a million times, inside, when you can play the same game but bigger, better and outside? Larger gaming pieces and gaming areas create a new set of challenges not previously introduced by our childhood classics and can offer a memorable experience for all.

If you have a competitive nature like me, you’re all about competing with family and friends. Utilizing your outdoor space by playing games can bring people together and create lasting memories and friendships (or feuds…).

There are many games you can create for cheap or purchase at a low cost that can be used year after year and even be the start of some awesome family traditions. I will share with you some ultra-fun backyard games and even help you store them away neatly for the winter!

Jenga

Jenga is always a crowd pleaser. Everyone knows how to play; the rules are simple, and it doesn’t take an insane level of skill. This childhood favorite has turned a new corner over the last few years, with the creation of giant Jenga. These have been showing up at bars and restaurants all over the country – and now it can make its way into your backyard! The following mDesign item is ideal for storing your giant Jenga game in your garage or basement:

Metal Garage/Home Storage Organizer Basket – These are durable, sturdy and attractive for any garage/basement shelf. You can see the contents inside it’s easily accessible when the gaming mood strikes! They are more than strong enough to hold your Jenga pieces and add a touch of style to your home.

Tic Tac Toe

We’ve all played tic tac toe growing up and as we get older, we realize it’s nearly impossible to end the game in anything but a draw. Basically – the complexity of the game is a bit… lacking. So why not bring this classic game back to life, but put a fun spin on it? Frisbee tic tac toe! How is this possible, you might ask?

Well, all you need is a bed sheet/blanket/tablecloth and a few frisbees. Lay the cloth down on the ground flat. With painters’ tape, make the lines for the tic tac toe board squares. Stand back a few feet, and with a flick of the wrist and some finesse, you and your friends or family can have fun trying to direct your frisbee into the proper squares to win the game!

When you’re finished playing, you can fold that sheet up and organize the frisbees using a couple mDesign bins to store them altogether for easy organization and access in the future:

Plastic Home Storage Organizer Bin – If you’re looking for a more concealed look than the clear plastic or wire bins, this is a great alternative. It will fit your tic tac toe board and frisbees with ease. We also offer a variety of colors to match your home’s color scheme.

Scrabble

One backyard game you don’t see as often, that requires a level of strategy and a decent vocabulary, is giant Scrabble! If you have the yard space and the time, this could be quite an extravagant and memorable game. Creating the letter pieces is simple – paint or draw the letters out on square pieces of cardboard, cut to the size of your choosing, and voila! You have yourself your very own giant Scrabble game.

The large letter squares may take up quite a bit of space after the game has finished if you don’t store them correctly. To avoid taking up unnecessary garage, basement or attic space, consider using one of the following mDesign options to keep your game in perfect playing condition all year long:

Collapsible Fabric Cube Storage Bin Organizer – The These bins are square-sized, which will fit your letter pieces just right. They are stylish and attractive. The cube bins collapse flat when you are finished with them or between uses.

Fabric Storage Organizer Bin Box with Lid – As with the above option, the square size makes these ideal for storing your Scrabble letters, while also allowing a quick view through the front window of the bin as your skimming through your garage goodies. These bins have a lid for added protection that also offers the ability to stack many bins to utilize even more of your space.

Let’s focus on more kid and family-centric outdoor entertainment options. Two things kids love are stuffed animals and scavenger hunts. Combine the two for a truly memorable day with great reward for your little ones! Get a handful of stuffed animals together and they don’t have to be big fancy ones, they can be Beanie Babies or even little pocket sized ones! Hide them in trees, bushes, around the outside of the house, deck/patio if you have one, and set the kids free! Have a prize at the end, whether it’s a special snack or they get to pick out the movie for the family to watch that night. They’ll have fun finding the little animals and even if they don’t win by finding the most, they still get the prize of a new stuffed animal!

Another family focused idea is to set up a series of games inside and outside the house and have different stations the kids can go to and play and have a final winner at the end of the day! A few quick board games inside that take you to outside to play some cornhole, Jenga, or tic tac toe. Add up all the scores at the end and name a winner! You can even have a station for making medals for first, second, etc. place and they can pick out their medals at the end.

A more laid back, post-dinner or lunch idea is to go for a nature walk. If you have land near your home that you can explore, gather the family up and take a walk to explore the great outdoors. We have so many obligations that keep us inside, why not get back to nature and show the kids how fun it can be to spend time outside. Walking through the woods or down some trails can be relaxing and create memories, or even a lasting tradition that the family can continue even when we resume normal life.

Whether you play some giant backyard games, create a scavenger hunt, or go for a nature walk with the family, getting outside is a very important part of getting through the quarantine. Fresh air does the body good and it gives your family something to do together with a change of scenery. Put a positive twist on an otherwise negative situation and try some of these ideas out with your loved ones today!

Shaylee Dillen is a SEO Content Assistant at mDesign
and considers herself a caffeine and cosmetics fanatic!

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