Every parent dreams of a backyard where their kids can run, climb, and play for hours—without needing an expensive playground set. The good news?
You don’t need fancy tools or a big budget to make it happen! With just a few materials and a little creativity, you can build amazing DIY backyard play areas that your kids will actually use.
I’ve put together 20 easy projects that turn any outdoor space into a kid-friendly paradise.
You can build yourself to create a fun and exciting space for your kids and make fun play areas that will last and bring memories for years to come.
20 DIY Backyard Play Areas to Make Kids Forget Screentime
Here are 20 DIY Backyard Play Areas that will transform your backyard into a landscape of entertainment!
1. DIY Tire Swing
Do any of you have fun memories on your old tire swing like I do? It’s a small part of childhood that I could still enjoy as an adult with my girls!
Repurpose an old tire (or get a free one in a Buy Nothing Facebook group or elsewhere), paint it bright colors if you’d like, and hang it from a sturdy tree with a strong rope or chain.
2. Pallet Climbing Wall
Creating a pallet climbing wall is a simple weekend project that requires just a couple of sturdy pallets and some basic reinforcements.
By securing them in an A-frame shape and adding climbing holds, you can build a fun and durable play structure for your kids with minimal effort.
3. Sandbox with a Lid
Making a big, spacious sandbox where your kiddos can sit and be entertained for hours is a smart plan! My daughters love playing in the sand, and I’m happy to let them make and destroy their sand kingdoms to their hearts’ content.
4. Mud Kitchen
I love this play kitchen; it’d be a great addition for inside playtime, too, since it’s so much bigger and more sturdy than the typical Step 2 kitchen!
Add some old bowls, tongs, and silverware you don’t use (or buy cheap from the thrift store) to create a pretend outdoor kitchen where kids can “cook” with dirt, leaves, and water.
5. DIY Water Wall
What a fun way to reduce, reuse, and recycle in a way that makes a fun activity board for your kiddos if they love water play.
Attach recycled bottles, PVC pipes, and funnels to a wooden board to create a gravity-run water play system.
6. Homemade Treehouse
If you have a sturdy tree, build a small treehouse for your kids to have that classic play spot in the backyard. No matter the age, kids can have fun climbing and imagining their castle as a ship, a school, a flying car, or whatever they want.
7. DIY Backyard Obstacle Course
Get those kids active and competitive with a DIY obstacle course. Use logs, tires, ropes, and cones to create an obstacle course that kids can race through. Give them extras to move around and add/change for a new challenge every time.
8. Giant Chalkboard Wall
Do you have little artists in the making, someone who needs to get their doodles out all day long? Even outside, they can bring out their inner Picasso! Make this big DIY chalkboard that your kids can color and create art on as much as they want.
9. DIY Climbing Pyramid
Building a DIY Climbing Pyramid is a fun and practical way to add adventure to your backyard and get your climbing kids active.
Using a sturdy wooden frame and secure climbing holds, you can create a challenging yet safe structure that helps kids develop their strength, balance, and confidence—all while having a blast!
10. DIY Balance Beam
Do you also have a little gymnast in the making and want your kiddo to have some practice and fun at home? Kids will enjoy testing their balance and coordination on this solid and safe beam, which can be padded and covered with fabric for extra comfort during play.
11. PVC Pipe Sprinkler
Build a homemade sprinkler with drilled PVC pipes for a refreshing summer play area. If you get hot summers, your kids will thank you nonstop for giving them a fun way to cool down and enjoy their summer break.
12. Backyard Skee-Ball
Creating a Backyard Skee-Ball game is a fun and simple project that repurposes common household items.
Get some cheap laundry baskets, put different point goals on them, and set them up around the yard in fun patterns (or like traditional skeeball). Then, use balls, bean bags, stuffed animals, or whatever to start scoring some points!
13. Pool Noodle Playhouse (Inside & Outside!)
What kid doesn’t dream of a playhouse in the yard? Well, mama, let’s make an easy one while we’re on a budget. Use pool noodles and zip ties to create a lightweight, colorful playhouse or tunnel.
Simply bend the noodles into “wall frames,” tape them in the corners, and use ground stakes to make them stay in place while the kids play.
14. Outdoor Reading Lounge
Transform an inflatable kiddie pool into a cozy Outdoor Reading Lounge by filling it with soft blankets and plush pillows. This simple setup creates a comfortable and inviting space where kids can unwind and enjoy their favorite books in the fresh air.
15. Pool Noodle Croquet
Okay, does anyone else remember Croquet? I have some friends who never played with their family growing up, but I had a blast playing this with my family. Now, it’s time for me to share it with my girls.
Using pool noodles, kids can enjoy a lively game of Croquet with sticks as putters and balloons or small beach balls.
16. DIY Backyard Mini Golf
Creating a DIY Backyard Mini Golf course is a fun and engaging project that transforms everyday household items into a personalized play area.
By using stuff you’d normally recycle, like cardboard boxes, bottles, and more, and buying pool noodles and PVC pipes, you can design unique holes and obstacles that you can constantly add new features onto.
17. DIY Swing Set
Building a DIY Swing Set can be the perfect project to provide endless fun for your children. You can follow this guide I found to create a sturdy and spacious swing set; no carpentry lessons are needed.
18. Frisbee DIY Easy Tic-Tac-Toe
Transform the classic game of tic-tac-toe into an active outdoor activity with Frisbee Tic-Tac-Toe. Use sticks, tape, or whatever to make the grid and mark X’s and O’s on frisbees.
Then, kids can enjoy tossing their pieces onto the grid and trying to win the game with a little bit of aiming and good luck.
19. Backyard Fairy Garden
It’s time to add a bit of whimsy and magic to your backyard for your kids to enjoy! Create a small mystical world with lil houses, bridges, and painted stones for imaginative play.
You can buy some art stuff at the Dollar Store or pre-made houses and make them as big or small as you like.
I’ve seen them made in actual gardens, in flower pots, under treehouses, and behind bushes (like a little secret!).
20. Homemade Slip ‘N Slide (W/ Shower)
A Homemade Slip ‘N Slide with Shower turns any backyard into an instant water park for kids.
By rolling out heavy-duty plastic on a gentle slope and adding a sprinkler or hose at the top, you’ll have a refreshing and slippery runway for nonstop summer fun!
Final Thoughts
These DIY backyard play areas will keep your kids entertained while encouraging creativity and outdoor fun all summer long!
The best play areas encourage them to use their imagination, get outside, and actually play (without begging for screens!), and I think I’ve found the cream of the crop for you to make some fun memories.
Which one would you love to build first? 😊
