Extreme Fun in Your Own Backyard

 with special thanks to Larry Waters for writing this post...

The past few years have found us finding creative ways to entertain ourselves at home, from baking bread to binging Netflix limited series programs. Our kids had drive-by birthday parties and attended school using our laptops.

 And we learned we could have fun at home if we put a little thought and creativity into it. Some of us even transformed our backyards into our new entertainment venues. If you haven’t yet created your own at-home fun zone, there is no better time than now to get started.

An Extreme Playground

Start first with the ground covering. Even the most well-designed, expensive, and safest playground equipment won’t do any good if the ground surface doesn’t allow for comfortable tumbles and inevitable falls. Loose ground covers like pea gravel, sand, mulch, and wood chips are usually inexpensive and require minimal skill during installation. If you can afford rubber tiles, they seem to be the best option for all-around ease of maintenance and safety.

A fence is necessary to keep the kids in and the wildlife out. But before meeting with fence contractors to get a quote and discuss your needs, you should first evaluate them by reading reviews online and making certain they’re insured.

Get a playground set that’s able to grow with your children and can keep them amused with several challenging activities like rock climbing, tunnels, a fort, and a rope bridge.  

Extreme Backyard Cooking

Electric, water, and natural gas lines can be brought to the outdoor kitchen from the house, including electric outlets for the cooking and dining areas. The closer to your house you can situate it, the easier it will be to get access.

A mortared brick and stone base is classic and the easiest to create, and you can add a chimney to it, too. Or go modern with sleek lines and polished finishes, such as granite and stainless steel. 

Outdoor-rated ceramic tile is great for countertops, is inexpensive, and is good if you want to do it yourself.

With Tile Trader, you can find the perfect tiles and natural stones extending from porcelain tiles, travertine tiles, ledgers, and mosaic tiles to natural stones including pavers, ledgers, travertine, split face. No matter what your style and budget are, their wide selection of patterns, colors, and textures can pair for outdoor kitchen projects since our collections are among the most unique and versatile.

Extreme Spaces for Sports

For basketball and tennis, the surface can be asphalt or concrete but keep in mind that they aren’t very forgiving when it comes to falls, and they tend to crack over time. Multi-purpose surfaces are good for basketball, tennis, volleyball, and soccer and prevent abrasions and injuries.

Proper lighting is important in order to be able to play in the evening, especially when the days get shorter. Safety also dictates that everyone have a clear view in order to avoid injury. Review industry case studies to learn how the pros do it. You can get some ideas of what it takes to light up outdoor complexes from professional sports to the collegiate level with these powerful lights.

Extreme Treehouses

Treehouses for adults are a new idea and people are using them for things like office space, art studios, and even as guest houses.

There are professional builders that can create one for you, or maybe you feel like part of the fun will be in doing it yourself. In any case, you’ll need a plan first. It can be as simple as you want, like a basic lean-to in your giant backyard tree. Or you can go all Swiss Family Robinson and have a staircase, kitchen, and a loft.

Treehouse kits and plans are available for those who want to ensure they are building it with the proper safety features and that their treehouses are “tree friendly.”

Any backyard build-out should always have safety as its first concern, from the kind of ground covering you’re using to ensuring you have installed proper lighting for your at-home sports venue. Your outdoor cooking space should look professional and attractive with upscale tiles and counters to add to your home’s value.

Now that we’ve discovered how much fun we can have at home, we may never want to leave!