Getting outside and playing during the warm spring and summer months is great for kids. Coming up with kid-friendly landscaping ideas gives them a space to play, run, and do all kinds of stuff kids love to do without destroying the inside of the house you’ve been trying so hard to keep clean (trust us, we get it!). What kinds of landscaping ideas are kid-friendly, though? How can you create a great yard space that’s perfect for the kids while still looking amazing and giving the adults somewhere to hang out, as well?
Today, we’re taking a look at kid-friendly landscaping ideas that will give the entire family a backyard space to enjoy. Read on, then get started on your next landscaping project!
Easy Kid Friendly Landscaping Ideas
Landscaping your backyard when you have kids brings up two primary goals: protect the kids from the yard and protect the yard from the kids. You want your kids to be able to go outside, get some exercise, burn off some energy, and play until their hearts are content, but that doesn’t mean they have to destroy your yard in the process!
Instead of fighting a losing battle, pivot and think about kid-friendly landscaping ideas that can make the backyard ideal for everyone in the family to use. Some of our favorite kid-friendly landscaping ideas include:
- Fencing around a pool
- Laying play area mulch
- Choosing kid-friendly plants
- Hardscaping pavers for play zones that need a harder surface
- Adding a sandbox for kids
- Planting trees to add shade to your backyard
- Splash pad water features for kids to play in safely
Fencing Around a Pool
The first item on our list of kid-friendly landscaping ideas is meant for aesthetics and safety. If you’ve got a pool in your backyard, building a fence around it is a major priority to keep kids safe. We don’t want any accidents here!
Fencing around a pool gives you the chance to up your backyard pool landscaping ideas for summer, as well. From backyard flower garden ideas to give your space a pop of color to new patio ideas for poolside relaxing, there are lots of options to keep your kids safe and make your yard look great. You can also gather great ideas for landscaping along a fence that keeps your backyard from being boring!
Laying Play Area Mulch
Next up on our list of kid-friendly landscaping ideas for your home is laying play area mulch. Not only do mulch options like bark mulch give kids a safer landing spot for treehouses and play sheds, but they’re also cohesive and nice enough to match the rest of your landscaping. Just because it’s meant to protect the kids doesn’t mean your backyard makeover ideas can’t look amazing!
There are lots of types of organic and inorganic mulch to choose from. Popular ideas for kids’ play areas include small pebbles. While we’re all for landscaping with rocks, sometimes those may not be the safest landing materials for kids around swings, so choose your materials wisely.
Choosing Kid Friendly Plants
Kid-friendly landscaping ideas for your home should include plants that can withstand a little wear and tear! Whether it’s the stray basketball or a little light trampling as they run around the yard, choosing hardy plants that will thrive in your area is essential to keeping your yard looking nice throughout use.
For example, choosing soft-leaved shrubs and perennials can soften the blow of basketballs or kickballs that might find their way into your landscaping. These kid-friendly landscaping ideas give your yard a polished, professional look that you don’t have to worry about. Consulting with landscaping services (like us 👋) is the easiest way as our team of experienced landscape professionals will be able to help you choose the best plants for your space.
Hardscaping Pavers for Play Zones
While the first things that come to mind when you’re thinking of kid-friendly landscaping ideas for your home could be plants or flower beds, what about backyard hardscape ideas for play zones that need a more durable surface? Using stone pavers for these areas gives kids a harder surface area to play in and doubles as being relatively low-maintenance lawn ideas. The best part, using individual pavers makes it easier to replace a small spot if damage does occur instead of having to redo the entire project (or worse, live with any eyesore).
Adding a Sandbox
Continuing with our list of kid-friendly landscaping ideas, let’s talk about adding a sandbox. Kids love to play in a sandbox but these additions to your backyard space also keep them from digging up the rest of your lawn. Can’t be at the beach every day? Bring the sand to them!
There is one important thing to consider when adding a sandbox, however, for homeowners who have children and pets. Sand pits make dog-friendly landscaping ideas, as well, but you’ll want to be sure to keep an eye on it so there are no unwanted surprises. Otherwise, your sandbox could be the perfect addition for the kids and the pups!
Planting Trees to Add Shade
Being outside and soaking up the spring and summer sun is great for kids, but you still want to make sure they’re protected from overheating or harmful UV rays. Some of the best trees to plant in Upstate NY provide plenty of shade to keep your backyard cool and give protection from the sun. These trees also give you the chance to add more kid-friendly landscaping ideas like a unique treehouse into the mix!
Splash Pad Water Features
Last, but certainly not least, on our list of kid-friendly landscaping ideas for your home are water features. While you may think of backyard water features as typically being a pond or waterfall, what about a new take on the backyard water fountain to create a splash pad for kids?
Adding a splash pad area to your patio landscape design ideas gives kids a fun place to cool off while playing outside that is also more slip-resistant than the grass. Spraying water onto the patio pavers can also keep you from accidentally overwatering your lawn and creating the need for even more landscaping ideas where grass won’t grow properly.
In Case You Didn’t Know: NVS Waterscapes, a division of NVS Landscapes, is ready to build you the water feature installation of your dreams. Our team of professionals can create a unique water feature for the whole family to enjoy!
As you’ve learned, there are endless options for kid-friendly landscaping ideas for them to enjoy without sacrificing the look of your backyard space. We hope this guide has been informative and inspirational. When you’re ready, check out the NVS Project Planner to start planning and budgeting your next project. Save the plans or submit them to us and our Upstate NY landscape professionals will be in touch to get started!
Want some more ideas and inspiration for your landscaping? Check out these resources:
