I have been wanting to add fun things to my yard for the kids for a while.... but this place was always so temporary. Now that we have been here for a little over 2 1/2 years and are planning to be here until at least next summer I have decided that I am going to go ahead with my plans a little bit. Cheap, green as possible, but make this place our home... take the back yard and make it a space the kids can really enjoy.

Sarah/Snugbug gave me a book that her mom had from 1977 that talks about backyard modifications for kids... and I am just LOVING some of the ideas. This is one I have decided to use:
http://lh4.google.com/bluerosemama/Rre1QdG_L-I/AAAAAAAAA78/vtEz0M08QI4/img012.jpg?imgmax=640

I can get wood rounds from a couple places, some big rocks from others, and I am going to make the sandbox just big enough to fit a old goodwill Papasan chair frame covered with plastic (which of course, I can use as a cold frame too :D ) to make a cover for it so cats don't get into it when the kids arn't playing in it. It shouldn't cost much, and with a hole, and a tarp and a bunch of sand it should be a really fun place to play!

Then the other thing I am going to do is take this corner:
http://lh3.google.com/bluerosemama/Rq-57NG_LXI/AAAAAAAAA2M/4gRM3RKmzT0/IMG_7576.jpg?imgmax=800
Which doesn't grow anything well at all, and put this in it:

http://lh6.google.com/bluerosemama/Rre1o9G_L_I/AAAAAAAAA8E/TFQ7cS3ULKs/image.jpg?imgmax=640
Made with as much recycled materials as I can.

My only trouble that I have found is how to make the play house movable. We will want to move it when we do move... but for now, I am content to make it fun for my kids for right this second. And life today, not waiting for something else to happen.

Val

For the playhouse - How about you build the 4 walls and roof pieces independently of one another, then screw/lag bolt it all together so it can be undone?

We once made a sandbox like that. It sort of came to me when I had a tree cut down. I liked it - it was so earthy.

For the playhouse - How about you build the 4 walls and roof pieces independently of one another, then screw/lag bolt it all together so it can be undone?

We once made a sandbox like that. It sort of came to me when I had a tree cut down. I liked it - it was so earthy.


I was going to say the same thing for the playhouse. I once built a playhouse for myself when I was 11 or so, in shop class, made specifically for taking down and transporting later, and it worked along the same principles.

Any one have pictures of these take-a-part playhouses? I would love to see one! The only one I have ever built was 10ftX10ftX10ft and it was put together like a HOUSE. Sub flooring, foundation, window supports and all. lol! It also had a swing set attached to one side. Here is a picture:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y299/bluerosemama/playhousedone3.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y299/bluerosemama/playhousedone7.jpg

Alas, when my biodad kicked us out of that house, the playhouse had to stay... even though we spent a ton on it, not to mention a ton of time and effort. I can't have that happen again.

I would love to keep the natural cedar look... wonder how spendy that would be. I will have to check my salvage yard.

Val

No picks, but you would build the wall frame, and then attach the siding to that, all in one piece, and then when you assemble, you would use those..umm..whatchamacallits...brackets?? Reinforced somethings?? Those corner metal things for bolting things together, lol. Oy! Anyway, you would assemble like that, with heavy duty bolts, and just unbolt and disassemble when it is time to go, and the walls and roof would stack flat for transport!

I have a book from the library, funny how we are parrallel thinking right now ;) there is a take apart playhouse made with hinges... very basic, just plywood. I can bring it down to show you or you could come here or I could scan it :) maybe I will do that... our schedules don't seem to be meshing lately...

The only thing I worry about with big ol rocks is little boy there is going to start walking soon... and that whole wobbly fall stage might not be good with big bulky hard rocks... just a thought... maybe smooth river rocks rather than the lovely ones like in the picture... of course smooth is slippery ;) I guess there is no "safe" option ;)

I am going to shut up now
:hahaha:

Selena, you have the PERFECT spot for that sand box... although you would have to dig down to get that stuff out of it before you let the kids play in it... But you know the spot I am talking about. :)

A plywood play house? Cool!

I am making one that is 6 5'X4' frames out of 2X4's, bolted together in a hex shape. One has a door, two have windows, and the rest is just plywood walls. I can bolt it together but when we move I can pick it up and move it pretty easily because I just unbolt it, and then we have 6 5'X4' peices to move and that is it. I am going to use more of those sticks that are at my dads house (the ones that the bean teepee is built out of) for the roof, and either grow vines on it (next summer) or cover it with greenhouse plastic. I will put a small "poarch" space out front, but other than that it will have a dirt floor. They don't care about the flooring most of the time, it is the space they want. Space that's theirs. :)

I also got a log, about 7inches around from Sarah's mom's house yesterday. Eddie cut it into 24" to 8" peices for me and I am going to stager them secured in either cement or perhaps sand in the ground, not sure, but they have to be sturdy, because I am going to put them all together for toddlers to climb on.

I am ok with falling. It is part of growing up and learning. If you make a soft place to land the worst is scrapes etc... and we get those no matter what our parents did, you know? At least this way I can know where they are to get their scrapes. lol! They will find somewhere to get them no matter what I do. ;)

Val

We have an old tractor tire filled with sand- and have a lid. Around here (cow town) old tractor tires are easy to come by. The ultimate in recycling I guess

I would love that! But we don't have those for free around here. :) I know we had one when I was really little like that in Eastern WA. It was great...

Val