Your backyard may be an oasis of solitude that’s perfectly suited to your lifestyle, but if you’re not actively using it and sharing it with your friends, then you’re missing out. Backyard recreation is a great way to get exercise, fresh air and spend some quality time with your family and friends. Below are some activities to inspire you to make the most out of your backyard:

• Backyard wrestling. Get your kids to take it outside before they destroy your house. The good thing about wrestling is that it doesn’t require a lot of space, but you do need to make sure the area is free of obstacles and debris; otherwise, someone could actually get hurt. Keep things light and fun; if the kids are getting too rough with each other, a popular event is the tag-team match – all the kids versus Dad!
• Backyard baseball. Depending on how old the participants are, you could get away with playing this game in a fairly small backyard, but if your backyard is little more than a small patch of grass, you may have to go to the park or settle for just playing catch.
• Backyard football. Like baseball, you’ll need a fair amount of space in your backyard if you actually want to play a game of football with your family; otherwise, your starting kick could end up in the neighbor’s yard! If your yard is tiny, a simple game of tossing the football and getting the kids to work on their spiral can do the trick.
• Backyard playground. Want the kids to get some exercise of the non-contact variety? A backyard playground may be just the thing, and it’s not as hard as you may think to set up. You can start out with a sand box, add a swing set, a trampoline or volleyball net. Suddenly, your kids have plenty of yard games to amuse themselves with during those long summer days.
• Backyard birding. For those that are wildlife enthusiasts, backyard birding can be a great pastime. It’s an affordable way to learn about the native birds in your area, and you can do it all year round. Invest in a set of binoculars and some bird feeders to enhance the experience. With a little online research, you can learn how to attract more varieties of birds to your backyard.
• Backyard gardening. Gardening is terrific way to spend your time. Not only do you learn about how to feed, care and protect your flowers and plant life, you also beautify your backyard at the same time. If that wasn’t incentive enough, gardening is also a great way to relieve stress and get some exercise. You may need to get some gardening tools and clothes to get started, but this minimal investment should translate into years of gardening enjoyment.