5 ways to prep your yard for outdoor fun this fall

The cooler temperatures of fall bring a welcome reprieve from summer’s hot stickiness. Preparing your yard for outdoor fun is a great way to make the most of prime weather. You don’t have to do all of your yard maintenance in one day, but a few steps of strategic effort can make all the difference in your outdoor enjoyment.

Make trees safer for young climbers

An annual evaluation of the trees in your yard is a good idea for the health of the trees and the safety of your children. Remove loose branches to eliminate dangerous obstacles for climbers, and prune new shoots as needed. A good rule of thumb for tree climbing is never use a branch to support your weight if your entire hand can fit around the branch’s circumference. Check on the size of branches routinely used for climbing and consider removing any branches too small to safely support your child’s weight that may be an unsafe temptation.

Collect sticks for forts and fires

Gather sticks and branches from around the yard into a large pile. Use branches to build a stick fort by tying three large branches into a tripod frame and leaning smaller branches along the sides. Once your fort fun is over, you’ll be all stocked for a cozy bonfire!

Spread grass seed for a lush lawn

Muddy springtimes and scorching summers can inevitably leave your lawn a little worse for the wear. Fall is the perfect time to rebuild your lawn and fill in any dirt patches. Whether you’re giving your whole yard a fall fertilizer refresh or simply scattering grass seed on a particularly needy spot, your springtime lawn is sure to benefit! If you’re committed to regrowing grass in a popular digging spot, enlist the help of your children to build a little stick fence around the area to deter walking over the spot and get them excited about watching the grass seed sprout up.

Trim overgrowth for a less tick-friendly yard

If you have any overgrowth that has cropped up over the summer, keeping it trimmed back can help lessen your family’s risk of tick exposure. Ticks love leaf piles, overgrown grass, shady areas, and dense ground cover, so aim to remove excess weeds and foliage during your annual fall clean-up.

Rotate outdoor toys for fresh adventure

Why should the indoor playroom get all the attention? Outdoor toys can be rotated too! Put away your summer water toys, and bring out some yard fun from the back of your garage. Collect stray toys that have been living all over your yard and find them a home in storage for a month or two. When you bring them back out, they’ll be met with renewed interest!

Getting your yard ready for the next season can be a family affair! Find ways to include even the littlest kiddos, and the ownership they feel over your yard will add to the fun and excitement. A little maintenance now will give you weeks of safer play during the glorious fall weather.