Having children is one of life’s greatest blessings.

It also means that you have to get creative on a regular basis and provide them with engaging activities not only to develop their hungry minds but also the various skills and values they will need later in life.

No matter whether you have one kid or a whole pack of tiny angels, you want to make their outdoor playtime as beneficial and creative as possible, and while you’re at it, why not get to all of those chores you’ve been neglecting for so long? Here are some of the best home improvement activities you can tackle with your kids the next time you head out for an afternoon of fun and play.

Plant beautiful shrubbery

You want your front and back yard to be an oasis of peace and serenity, imbued with nature and laughter all year-round. One of the best ways in which you can entice nature to make your garden its permanent home is to plant various shrubs that will attract butterflies, native bees, and maybe even a possum and fruit bat or two.

You can stick to just a few pieces, no need to plant an entire garden, so two to four shrubs are more than enough. Grab some potting soil and let the kids fill out the sizeable holes they’ve made earlier and water the seeds afterwards. Don’t forget to delegate regular plant watering in order to make the plants grow healthy.

Mailbox and fence painting

Another strong contender for the best outdoor playtime activity is, naturally, a painting project. Kids love nothing more than getting creative, and the higher the chance of getting messy and dirty in the process, the more fun they’ll have.

Before you let the kids go wild, be sure to unmount the mailbox and clean it thoroughly. After that, you can give it a metal primer coating to smooth out all the irregularities and make the painting process as successful as possible. After that, you can leave the mailbox in the merciless hands of your children. Although, it would be wise to agree on the theme of this future masterpiece, as you may not want to end up with a mailbox boasting motto crossing bunnies chasing after unicorns ridden by cats. Or do you?

Make an enchanting setting

Adding solar lights to your back yard or the front lawn is beneficial in many ways. First, you will gain a beautiful new walkway to adore. Second, you will create an enchanted forest setting in which the kids will love to play. And third, you will be able to keep an eye on your kids while they are playing at night – it’s a win-win.

The project is easy to complete and provides long-lasting benefits that justify the cost. Although solar lights come in many shapes, sizes and styles, you can easily find a bundle for under $50 at your local hardware centre. You will find the installation instructions in the box, and you can even ask the store clerk about the easiest way to mount the enchanting lights.

Make fairy-tale stepping-stones

There is nothing more beautiful than a front lawn decorated with stepping-stones that look as though your kid’s favourite fairy-tale princess was skipping by not a moment ago. You could buy them, but that is not what makes this project so rewarding.

You can make your own stones by using ready-mix concrete and moulding it into shape with pots, pans and anything else that will allow you to make a 5 cm thick stone. Place the stones you’ve made into the ground carefully and use the time it takes for the concrete to dry for decorating the stones. To make them as beautiful as possible, you can decorate them with marbles, beads, tiles, or polished pebbles. Don’t forget to apply a concrete sealer on your stepping-stones, as you don’t want them to lose their shape and appearance over time.

How about a beautiful garden arbour?

Now, don’t be alarmed, this project sounds more difficult than it actually is. And, if you get your kids to work diligently for no more than an hour, you can create a garden gate arbour worthy of a Disney castle right on your front lawn!

A DIY arbour kit can cost anywhere between $150-$250 at your local home centre, and you can easily assemble it by following the detailed instructions. Don’t forget to dig a few holes in the ground beforehand so that you can easily place it in when the building project is complete.

Family DIY projects are always fun and rewarding, and with these creative ideas, you can transform your home’s exterior into an enchanting oasis for your kids to grow up in and make lifelong memories.

Do you have any other awesome home DIY projects that can keep the kids busy? Share with us in the comments.