DIY Outdoor Games

Setting up a game of Backyard Tic-Tac-Toe

by Dale Ho

Here's a quick DIY backyard game for the young and old to enjoy all summer long, who doesn't love a fast paced game of Tic-Tac-Toe?!

I put this one together last year and its held up pretty good. I mainly used items I had around the house such as leftover tiles from another project a few years back and some decorative rocks.

Game Pieces

Use permanent marker to clearly print the "X's" and "O's" on each rock.  I made seven of each letter and stored them in some dollar store finds like these tin containers.

Setting up the game is easy as seen in the picture above, make sure you choose a comfortable spot in the yard where kids and adults can sit and enjoy hours of fun playing this all time favorite...let the games begin!

When Passion Ignites Learning

by Dale Ho

If you're anything like me, I'm always looking for new things for the kids to do throughout the year. Things that are guaranteed to keep them entertained for some time with little or no prompting from me. Something meaningful that will add value to their day and so much fun they will NOT want to stop!

The idea is to peak their curiosity, spark some imagination and keep them engaged!  A pretty tall wish list but not that hard to fill.  I start with their interests and passions, things they absolutely love to do and go from there.

" It's Just Me & My Shadow"

I'll give you an example...my youngest loves taking pictures and also enjoys everything about the outdoors, so why not combine these two passions?  Now equipped with a camera in hand his "mission" is to document his summer vaca, giving us a new perspective on the world around us, help us see it all through his eyes.

And for those kids who absolutely love all things Minecraft...see it as an opportunity for your child to learn more about the wonderful world of programming over the summer months among many other things...as with everything in life moderation is key, when used correctly technology is a great thing!

These were just a few examples of how we can help support our child's interests, encourage growth, development and learning, cultivate creativity, ignite imagination and just let them have some good old FUN doing something they love.