backyard play area?

[kibba]

I really want to set up our backyard a little more. My daughter loves to just explore but I wanted to put more out there, Natural or not... We don't have room for a jungle gym so that's out. I do have a sandtable but that's it. I think I'm going to try to make a bean teepee...but it's fall now so I can't do that right now.

[MissMommyNiceNice]

There are small cubes & slides, some even have swings. I'd just start searching your area craigslists. I got a $200 castle w/ slide for like $80. It's big, though. I also got my babysitter a small climbing cube with slide for $30. It's like 3x3x3.

Just enter the search criteria Step 2 or Little Tykes and see what comes up. A small seesaw would be fun, some people make felt teepees, but I can't say where you could find one without violating the UA ...But said people sell them for between $40 & $60. And such a teepee can go inside or out.

DS also really likes his basketball hoop, Little Tykes, that I got for $5 at a yardsale. Now is a good time of year to buy these things, because people are looking to clean up the backyard. Riding toys are also fun. Do you have a tree? You could do a little swing with a tire or a board & some rope.

Personally, I toss all the plastic toys people give us in the backyard. Also, digging tools, rakes, mini broom, and a wheelbarrow are all hits around here.

[NYMommy2007]

Some ideas that my DD loves:

A garden to dig.
A balance beam - a board across 2 or 3 other boards.
Hula hoops - she can arrange them on the ground and jump into them, climb through them etc.

[texmati]

ITA about swing sets-- but they are my favorites! A few trees that make leaves and sticks to poke at, something to kill fire ants, and you are all set.

[Ruthie's momma]

DD spends most of her outside time either at our house or in my father's back yard. She doesn't seem to require any implements for entertainment (other than maybe a bucket and shovel).

Seriously, the child has the most fun simply digging around in the dirt, gathering sticks, leaves, fallen fruit, pinecones and the like, watering the plants, laying out "food" for the birds and squirrels or wandering around with the dogs.