Backyard play, in any form, is vital to a child’s development
By Jeff Hoagland
THE backyard is an important part of the sanctuary we call home. It is a place where we can relax unseen, if we choose, or get lost in activity. In the backyard, active or not, we can enjoy a setting of sunshine or shade, fresh air and birdsong. The backyard can also be a haven for your children and their friends, offering opportunities for fun and play. It can play a vital role in their development.
Reflect on the backyards of your childhood. My family had a simple swing set, while the neighbors had several pieces of play equipment. Another neighbor had a tetherball set and a tree to climb, and yet another had wide-open space. We spent countless hours of play in our backyards with each other.
It is not difficult to craft a backyard that is inviting to children, stimulating their creativity and engaging them in play for hours. There are several considerations that need to be made up front. How old are the children that will be playing in the backyard? If the kids are very young, then the backyard and the children can “grow up” together. What are the safety issues and how will you address them? What are the adult considerations for the backyard — for instance, rose-gardening — and how might you reduce any potential conflict between kids and these uses?
Examine the existing backyard landscape. Look not only at the open spaces and the vegetation but also the interplay between light and shade. Does the current landscape offer any “invitations”? Ask your children to share how they “see” the backyard, and revisit your childhood to see this more clearly.
The first addition we made to our backyard was a simple dirt pile. This was quite by accident — a project started and not finished in a timely manner. It was quickly adopted by our 3-year-old and soon populated by an assortment of trucks, tractors, dinosaurs and animals. A more traditional approach would be a sandbox. These can be built or purchased and are best covered when not in use to exclude any neighborhood cats.
Vegetation can be a key component of a child’s backyard. While adults view vegetation from the viewpoint of aesthetics, children see this differently. I was reminded of this when my children adopted the neighbor’s forsythia, with their long arcs of flowers and foliage, as a secret shelter. We did the same when I was young, with the same results — once discovered, we were evicted by the “owners” because of the damage we might have inflicted upon the plants.
Children love to disappear into vegetation, adopting plants as a bush house, a naturally grown fort that needs no construction. These can be found in all shapes and sizes in parks and wild places but they can also exist in our yards. Any number of shrubs might offer such invitations to children. Cluster plantings are particularly attractive, offering secrecy and adventure, the perfect place to imagine a “jungle adventure,” “escape from enemies” or simply have a “kids-only” hideaway.
Trees offer similar invitations. A small collection of white pines in my early childhood created a “cave” that was home base to many of my backyard adventures. My 4-year-old climbs the Japanese maple at my work and the magnolia at the Honeybrook Organic Farm. My older kids can be found up in the branches of any number of trees and they are creating a tree house in the cherry trees in our backyard. We can’t necessarily plant trees to accommodate our children, but we can allow our children to include trees in their daily play if they are so inclined.
A more traditional way to landscape with plants for your children is to explore the wonders of gardening. This is a great way to engage and inspire your children, offering them an endless stream of lessons. Children will learn about the secret lives of plants from germination to pollination to harvest. They will learn how plants provide food for us as well as other creatures. They will discover the multidimensional beauty of flowers and the tastiness of fresh grown vegetables. Most of all, through gardening, children encounter magic and learn the meaning of stewardship. My children compost, plant flower bulbs, harvest cucumbers and tomatoes, and watch caterpillars grow. Check the Web site kidsgardening.org for ideas and tips on this topic.
You might want to consider a swing set for your backyard. It won’t take much room to hang a simple swing from your favorite tree. These can be purchased or even improvised. It will require more space to accommodate a swing set. These range from the rather basic with a couple of swings to large backyard play sets that offer everything from a slide and monkey bars, to climbing walls and forts. Many of these are available as kits. These offer an assortment of exercise opportunities as well as invitations to the imagination. Check your Yellow Pages for retailers near you or look online. These two Web sites have a wide assortment of sets: kidgymzswingsets.com and cedarworks.com.
Another traditional consideration is the playhouse. Perfect for the preschool and kindergarten set, the playhouse offers ample opportunity for pretend play. They can be furnished to include a kitchen and a dining area. I remember my sisters “cooking” me meals long ago in our backyard playhouse. My father built that house from a kit and there are plenty of kits available today. Numerous Web sites offer a wide range of possibilities. Check playhouses.com and playhousestreet.com to start.
Ultimately, backyard play, in any form, is vital to the development of our children. They breathe in fresh air while exercising. Away from television and computer screens, the imagination flourishes in unprescribed ways. Research shows that free play helps our children develop by enhancing problem-solving skills, developing organizational skills and even leadership skills. It may all look like fun and games but it is a vital part of their growth. Consider how you might provide these opportunities for your children, right in your own backyard.
Jeff Hoagland, education director of the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association in Hopewell Township, has won numerous awards for his work with children in the environment. He is an outdoor enthusiast and an avid naturalist who recommends reading Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv to further explore the importance of nature in our children’s lives. See Jeff’s blog, Kids and Nature, at packetinsider.com/blog/kids_nature

