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Josiegirl 02:19 AM 01-21-2018
Maybe some of you can help me think this through.
Facts: I'm getting older and have a hard time keeping up with dcks. I'd like to downsize but not sure if I can financially go with 3 dcks under 2 yo. I foresee starting this summer, just having 4 FT kids unless something changes, which might work out pretty well if I can cut expenses.
My dc indoor space is okay and aside from some organizing/rearranging, will work. But it's my outdoor space that really needs some updating. My playhouse is old and gross. I have a play kitchen outside, same condition. In the spring/summer/fall I have a much-used sandbox, garden, and an 8-in-1 LT climbing toy that I've actually separated into 2 climbing slides(without the middle tunnel). I also have a couple toddler slides. Last summer I had 2 tires with a huge plank across them and the dcks used that a lot. I have 1 more huge plank that I will take the hardware out of and set up for this next year.
I look at new things and drool over wanting them for outdoors. But in reality, I cannot afford them. Any thoughts on how I can use what I have, make the best of them, and maybe incorporate more natural items or create a different play space area to make it inviting? The thing is, it's hard to envision something new out of something old when I stare at it all the time. But perhaps new eyes or thoughts can help me?
The sandbox will stay where it is, the garden may move a bit but we'll keep it because it's such a valuable part of our summer. But honestly, doesn't keep them that busy. Other than that, I'm open to any and all ideas!!
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Madeline 05:14 AM 01-21-2018
Our dcp has 2 tires she’s painted and cut in half “standing” in her yard. They’re partially buried. The kids ride on them like horses, jump back and forth on them (they’re close together), drive cars through the”tunnels”, etc. if you have more old tires or are willing to cut yours these kids seem to love them.
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mamamanda 06:37 AM 01-21-2018
Do you do garage sales at all? Last summer I picked up 2 plastic kitchen sets for $7 & $5 respectively. I got a large outdoor play structure for babies valued at $60 for just$5, a scooter for $2, & many other outdoor toys for not much money. Maybe a Facebook garage sale sight? I would look for some new to you items that are gently used & very cheap.
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storybookending 08:07 AM 01-21-2018
Could you paint the kitchen set/playhouse to give them a fresh look? There are tutorials that tell you the best paint to buy and how to do it if you google “painting plastic little tykes toys” or something similar. I’ve found that most kids don’t care about the condition of things and will play with anything they find (Sticks, rocks, etc).

I got all my outdoor stuff second hand at garage sales or Facebook sites. I hardly have anything new that we use for daycare as I am still in my first few years. No one has complained.
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HappyEverAfter 12:52 PM 01-21-2018
I get the majority of my larger items off of Facebook resale sights which saves me a ton of money. You just have to watch for things to be listed and jump as soon as you see them. Last week I scored a Little Tikes rocking horse in like new condition for just $3!

Also, if you’d like to spruce up your playhouse, try Krylon spray paint for plastics. It’s cheap, easy to use and will give a fresh look to your much loved items that are plastic. I’ve used it once and was very pleased. You can get it at Home Depot or Lowe’s over by the spray paint. And what about making some cute curtains for the window of the playhouse? You could cut some out of old sheets, maybe hot glue a ribbon trim along the bottom and hang them up with 3m hooks.

When I was 4 or 5 my parents didn’t have much money but my mom had a huge imagination and made us the coolest tent to play in. She took an old blanket and nailed it up between two trees (one corner on each tree) and then took the other two corners and secured them to the ground further back from the trees with tent stakes, creating a little half tent. It gave us a shady place to play or hang out and we loved it. Rain wasn’t a big factor for where I lived at the time so the blanket lasted awhile before it became weathered. If rain or harsh weather is an issue where you live then you could do the same thing with a cheap $5 tarp from Home Depot.

As a kid we also had little rock villages. My grandmother took rocks and painted them in bright colors, some with little details like doors or windows, and arranged them in a little circular area for us. The ground was mostly dirt underneath the rocks and we would spend hours rearranging the little village and driving matchbox cars along the dirt. This would be easy and cheap and encourages kids to use their imagination.

I love having new stuff for the kids to play with but also really
believe that kids don’t have to have a ton of stuff to have fun. Last summer I’d just opened my daycare and didn’t have a budget for outside stuff. Didn’t matter. I bought a ball at Dollar Tree and my toddler spent endless amounts of time rolling it up and down a hill in the yard. We spun ourselves in circles falling down for fun when dizzy. We laid in the grass and looked for clouds that looked like pictures of things. We blew bubbles. We marveled at butterflies and airplanes and birds. Basically we enjoyed ourselves using what we had. Don’t feel like you have to have all new stuff in order to have happy kids.
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Josiegirl 01:19 PM 01-21-2018
Thanks everybody for your thoughtful replies. And you're so right...we don't need state of the art backyards to create fun and imagination. I just get suckered into the looks of them myself, I guess.
I will have to check out the plastic paint because all of my outdoor toys could use major sprucing up. I Love the idea of adding curtains!
I actually found all my toddler climbers/slides at yard sales. Being LT, they tend to last a long time, which is nice, but they also get that worn out look. But yes, yard sales are the best source I have found! I've been keeping an eye on a FB page but haven't found any deals there; people seem to ask a lot for their stuff. I've also found that with Craigslist.
I took a look in my shed today and found an extra piece of stockade fencing the guy left here, just in case he needed to do a patch job on my fence that he installed. I'm going to see if I can design a water wall with that. I tried last year, using other materials and having the older SA dcks do it themselves, but it didn't work out all that great. Kept them busy for the day though.
Rocks and sticks, check. Have plenty of both. Love the idea of creating a rock town they can use their imaginations with. And my summer group love bugs and worms. Collecting them, making them homes, just like I did when I was a kid.
I know it's awfully early to be thinking about this but you have the wheels spinning. Must be spring fever is hitting me early this year.
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Ariana 06:35 AM 01-22-2018
Loose parts are the best for playing! You can google it and find some ideas. Old pipes, sticks, spoons, logs, sponges, old pool noodles....literally any old junk laying around. I once got a bunch of broken concrete from a neighbour and the kids regularly build sculptures with it or “cook” stuff on them. In the summer, water, spoons and containers of any sort keeps them entertained for hours! We also have a garden so I get them to water the plants and trees. They love to fill and dump. My water tables are always out and filled and they can do anything they want with it.

I have a wooden playhouse (needs some paint!), a sandbox, water table and a garden box plus spoons and containers and my loose parts.
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Blackcat31 06:46 AM 01-22-2018
Originally Posted by Josiegirl:
Thanks everybody for your thoughtful replies. And you're so right...we don't need state of the art backyards to create fun and imagination. I just get suckered into the looks of them myself, I guess.
I will have to check out the plastic paint because all of my outdoor toys could use major sprucing up. I Love the idea of adding curtains!
I actually found all my toddler climbers/slides at yard sales. Being LT, they tend to last a long time, which is nice, but they also get that worn out look. But yes, yard sales are the best source I have found! I've been keeping an eye on a FB page but haven't found any deals there; people seem to ask a lot for their stuff. I've also found that with Craigslist.
I took a look in my shed today and found an extra piece of stockade fencing the guy left here, just in case he needed to do a patch job on my fence that he installed. I'm going to see if I can design a water wall with that. I tried last year, using other materials and having the older SA dcks do it themselves, but it didn't work out all that great. Kept them busy for the day though.
Rocks and sticks, check. Have plenty of both. Love the idea of creating a rock town they can use their imaginations with. And my summer group love bugs and worms. Collecting them, making them homes, just like I did when I was a kid.
I know it's awfully early to be thinking about this but you have the wheels spinning. Must be spring fever is hitting me early this year.
You could have the kids paint them! Make all kinds of different rocks/sticks in different colors, designs and patterns. Use Google, Pinterest and Etsy for ideas...













Oh so many ideas for inexpensive and/or free activities for outside play!
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daisymay 01:04 PM 01-22-2018
I had a olay kitchen that was not mic enough for inside anymore so I added it to the sandbox/garden area so they now have a mud kitchen. They use it a lot when I add some water to the sand.
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daisymay 01:04 PM 01-22-2018
Sorry, Play kitchen
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Tags:activities, activities - outside
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