50 Fun & Frugal Backyard Ideas for Kids

We have two small kids, so we’re always thinking of new ideas for having fun around the house, especially in the backyard. We’ve come to realize that there’s a world of adventure right outside our house.  The key is you have to know where to look! 

No matter where you live on the planet, getting outdoors is a possibility no matter the weather patterns! There is always something you can do outdoors to burn off some energy and lift the spirits. You can enjoy an entire ecosystem of fun, inspiration, and creativity only a few steps away. 

To help you get inspired and to see the potential games, activities, and learning lessons that await you and the kids, we’ve put together a list of 50 Fun & Frugal Backyard Activities for Kids. Almost every idea on the list can be adapted to children of different ages.  Yard size shouldn’t matter much.  And just about everything listed is completely free or, at the very least, budget-friendly!  Let’s go ahead and dive in.   

50 Fun & Frugal Backyard Activities for Kids

1.  Create a moss terrarium
2.  Dig for worms
3.  Collect and identify bugs
4.  Collect and identify plants
5.  Go camping
6.  Look for constellations at night. Download this FREE SkyView app!
7.  Start a compost pile
8.  Grow your own garden
9.  Turn sticks into rubber band guns
10.  Play with sidewalk chalk
11.  Play tag with the water hose
12.  Have a water balloon fight
13.  Make mud pies
14.  Catch fireflies
15.  Create and go on a Scavenger Hunt. I love this one from Crafts on Sea!
16.  Collect and identify rocks
17.  Create your own Olympics Games
18. Place leaves, flowers, and grass on an outdoor Sticky Wall when you use contact paper!
19.  Identify shapes in the clouds
20.  Create daisy chain necklaces
21.  Turn a blade of grass into a whistle
22.  Play flashlight tag at night
23.  Play hide-and-go-seek
24.  Draw or paint scenes from your backyard
25.  Decorate your mailbox
26.  Have a picnic
27.  Race toy trucks through the mud and then play car wash
28.  Hide a treasure in the yard and create a map to it
29.  Play with bubbles. Check out these creative ideas from Red Ted Art!
30.  Fly paper airplanes
31.  Make your own kite and fly it. Check out this fun tutorial from Buggy and Buddy!
32.  Have a sack race
33.  Make aluminum foil boats and race them!
34.  Make a rock garden
35. Create a homemade slip-and-slide. Check out this tutorial from Fatherly!
36. Make an obstacle course
37. Play pick-up-sticks
38. Play a mega memory match game with paper plates
39. Paint silly faces on the trees in your yard
40. Have an outdoor dance party
41. Write and film a nature movie
42. Paint with leaves, grass, and sticks to create interesting patterns
43. Play floor hockey in the driveway (all you need are a few brooms and a ball)
44. Create a door hanger using outdoor elements
45. Make a bouquet of wildflowers
46. Make a sensory table with rocks, grass clippings, pine cones, etc
47. Write a short story using your backyard as the setting
48. Play “I Spy” Backyard Edition
49. Turn rocks, sticks, and logs into drums
50. Create a Nature Journal. Head to Rhythms of Play for inspiration!

We hope that you’ve been inspired to see all the awesome possibilities just outside your front door with our list of 50 Fun & Frugal Backyard Activities.  

We stopped at 50 because, but hey, you’ve got to stop somewhere, right?  That being said, let’s keep the list going.  What are some fun ways YOU enjoy the great outdoors with your kids? Share below in the comments!