Active Spaces for Active People

Landscape Architects are Doing Their Part to Eliminate Childhood Obesity...

Since when did television become an acceptable method of exercise for our children? Is playing a video game really like going outside and playing? Really?? I think not. And no parent can rely on the public school system to help keep children fit and active…what, with only one-day of physical education per week!! Don’t forget recess time has also been cut back too. And don’t get me started on the dissolution of nearly all public school music programs…but let’s stay on topic.

There is a solution. Call your Landscape Architect to help develop your own backyard play area(s).Think about it; a Landscape Architect can help design active – and fun no less – outdoor spaces to play, right on your own property. Or if you’re a Do-It-Yourselfer, the internet can help you as well. Let me start by saying, this recommendation is not meant to take away from our beautifully designed and built neighborhood parks, only to compliment them. Backyard Play has developed into more than just converting your existing lawn area into a makeshift Croquet court. Let me explain.

Backyard Play is quickly becoming a requirement of successful outdoor gatherings. With some design intuition on hand, an active space(s) can be achieved to meet any budget, within virtually any size yard. So OK, the makeshift Croquet court is a practical way to begin using outdoor space, and it’s one of the least expensive ways to get outside and play. If you have a lawn, all you need is a kit from your local sporting good store. But you didn’t think this article was to tell you where to buy a croquet kit, right?

While some homeowners are taking it upon themselves to build play areas, a thoughtful design can go a long way. Did you know the majority of games have rules and regulations for the court configurations? For example, a badminton court is 44 feet long and 22 feet wide (17 feet wide for singles play) http://usabadminton.org/. The stakes in a horseshoe pit are 40 feet apart, 36 inches long, and exposed 14 inches above the ground, leaning backward at a 12 degree angle. Foul lines are spaced 27 feet and 37 feet from each stake…the 27 foot foul line is for children, women and elderly men and the 37 foot foul line is for men http://www.horseshoepitching.com/. Other notable sizes: a volleyball court is 60 feet long and 40 feet wide; a bocce ball court is 60 feet long and 10 feet wide; corn hole boards (bag-in-the-hole) are spaced 27 feet apart, front to front.

To maintain a somewhat resonably priced backyard play area, the following games are great options, with kits readily available: Croquet, Badminton, Horseshoes, Corn Hole, Bocce Ball, a Trampoline…to name a few. Consider adding a basketball hoop to the home, or a freestanding backboard. A simple net can allow a person to hit golf balls and baseballs into it. Accoutrements such as backstops, tables & caddies, netting, benches, etc., all add to the grander scheme for a wonderfully active outdoor space. Get the most out of whatever dollars you want to invest.

Let’s get extreme, and expensive. Avid golfers are beginning to install their very own putting greens, some with adjacent sand bunkers. The material of choice for today’s backyard putting greens is no maitenance sythetic turfs http://www.theputtinggreencompany.com/. What if a child in the home loves skateboarding? Have a custom – sometimes sculptural – skatepark built in the back yard http://www.spohnranch.com/. Consider a batting cage for the baseball/softball enthusiast. If you want it all, then wrap as many activities as possible into a multi-sport court that allows you to play almost any sport imaginable http://www.sportcourt.com/.

To get the most successful outcome from your Backyard Playspace, make sure it’s properly integrated into the overall landscaping. Plopping a court into the yard may function for the activity, but it’s not the responsible solution for the appearance or enjoyment of your yard. Your Landscape Architect will consider the court(s), but also the adjacent plant material, the need for hot summer shade, and places to sit, catch a breath and sometimes be a spectator. Assuming all the action creates hungry and thristy people, an outdoor terrace with BBQ and refrigerator is a great complement to your playspace. There’s nothing like good food and a tastey beverage to unwind and relax. If you need help, ask us…it’s what we do!