7 DIY Outdoor Play Equipment Ideas for Your Backyard

Wondering what to do with your empty backyard? Consider making these 8 DIY outdoor play equipment ideas that your kids will love! Some of them require some serious DIY skills, while others are simpler to make but just as much fun. Read on to find out how your backyard can be turned into a playground for your kids!

1. Playhouse

Many kids love to play house in a tiny playhouse designed just for them. You could build an amazing playhouse yourself, complete with a slide, if you’re confident with your DIY prowess. Here’s a great tutorial with a complete building plan and a breakdown of all the costs involved.

Or you could buy a wooden playhouse (like this or this one) made of the same materials that are used to build real houses, such as cedar and vinyl, and paint it to match your home. This tutorial tells you what paint to use and how to DIY a floor for a playhouse that comes without one.

On a budget? Check out Craigslist for plastic playhouses that are often given away for free or sold for low prices. Rejuvenate the playhouse for your kids by giving it a paint makeover.

2. Tetherball

Tetherball is such a fun game and it’s pretty easy to DIY one for your backyard! You’ll need an old tire for this DIY project, which you often can find on Craigslist or at your local tire shop. Buy a tetherball, attach it to the pole, and start playing!

3. Outdoor Movie Theater

If your kids love to watch movies (what kid doesn’t?), they’ll love an outdoor movie theater. This DIY outdoor movie screen was made with a little more than $30 in supplies and includes a drop cloth, some wood, and buckets full of sand. Set up a projector and relax with your family during cool summer nights.

4. Covered Sandbox

Set up a sandbox in your backyard and your kids will play with it for hours. Check out this great woodworking plan for a covered sandbox with built-in seats! This DIY sandbox will take you only a couple of hours to build.

Want a DIY covered sandbox with a little less woodworking? Try this awesome DIY covered sandbox that is made from a bookcase!

5. In-Ground Trampoline

A trampoline is so much fun to have in your backyard, but many of them are high off the ground and that can lead to some ugly falls. Consider lowering your trampoline in-ground to make it just a bit safer. It can be expensive hiring this job out, so here’s an useful tutorial on how to DIY your own in-ground trampoline!

They did such a good job with their backyard, which includes a lot of DIY outdoor play equipment. Check out the finished backyard.

6. Seesaw

You might have noticed that the mighty seesaw of yesterday’s playgrounds have all but disappeared. If you have good memories of playing on seesaws and want your kids to experience the same, you can build your own for your backyard. Here’s a tutorial for a fun DIY kids seesaw that will cost you less than $30.

Another idea is to build a small seesaw (or a tire totter) with a tire and a piece of cedar. Add brightly colored paint for even more fun!

7. Balance Beam

Some kids love to walk along stone ledges, causing their parents’ hair to go gray. If your kids are like that, they’ll definitely enjoy a balance beam in their backyard. You can DIY a balance beam with only a few purchases from a hardware store and very little time. Here’s a good tutorial, and here’s another one.

Put several of these DIY outdoor play equipment in your backyard, along with an inflatable pool, and your backyard will definitely become an oasis for your kids during the warm months. You’ll be able to sit back, sip on a fruity drink, and relax while watching them play. That’s the idea, at least!