19 Natural Playground Backyard Ideas Your Kids Will Love  

This post is all about natural playground backyard ideas for a fun backyard space. 

If you believe that nature is the best playground then you will fall in love with the nature backyard playground design ideas on this list! 

If you are dreaming up a unique backyard play area where your kids have a mud kitchen, a simple gardening area, rock walls, and sandboxes to dig in then you made it to the right place. 

From working with kids I have found myself on many playgrounds that basically all look the same.

Why not switch things up and include imaginative play areas, play structures made from natural materials, and plenty of areas to climb and explore? 

This list is full of inspiration to create a backyard playground that will help your kids deepen their connection to nature and save you a few bucks as well! 

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How to design a nature playground + benefits

To build a natural playground in your backyard include ideas from these themes:

• Natural materials: Rocks, stumps, boulders, twigs, bamboo, logs etc. can be used for balancing, building play structures, and climbing.
• Natural play spaces: Mud kitchens, gardens, sandboxes, gravel areas for trucks,
• Imagination station: tree houses, fairy gardens, gnome gardens, and play areas for story creation and games.
• Explorative play spaces: Create areas that mimic natural spaces. Include things like rock walls/climbing walls with ropes, hills, tunnels made from branches, areas to climb, slides etc.
• Eco-friendly focus: try to use recycled materials, upcycled materials, native plants, natural items from your yard and locally made products from community members.

Benefits of natural playgrounds:

Still not convinced you should turn your backyard into a mini national park?

Here are some more benefits to consider!

• Connection to nature: the more time kids play outside and play with natural elements the more they will appreciate and respect it.
• Budget-friendly: Regular play structures and playgrounds can be really expensive! Instead, DIY your playground with repurposed items and natural materials.
• Encourages mindfulness through the senses: develops their sensory skills and helps them tap into the present moment with natural textures and colors, sounds (DIY instrument area), and scents from growing flowers.
• Confidence in physical abilities: climbing, balancing, swinging,

Unique Natural Playground Backyard Ideas

1. Riverbed exploration using an upcycled garden bed

One of my favorite childhood memories is walking through cold riverbeds on a hot day and collecting different rocks and treasures I found along the way.

Recreate this experience by using a raised garden bed (or old water table) and filling it with beautiful rocks, stones, and gems. Fill it up with water and let the hunt for the best rocks begin!

Strainers, cups, fountain attachments on your hose, small brushes to clean rocks, and painted rocks can make this area more exciting.

2. Music garden or a sound sensory garden

Tap into the senses and get your little one to tune into nature sounds. Add a DIY birdhouse up in a tree to attract birds or squirrels to this area.

Use old pots, pans, and spoons so they can create their own rhythms and beats or mimic those of nature. You can even attach old PVC pipes to a wall to create a DIY xylophone. Use sticks for a mallet!

Use a thick piece of bamboo and fill it with pebbles. Secure the other side and you will have your own rain stick!

3. Upcycled skateboard for a swing or old tires as a DIY swing

Grab that forgotten skateboard from the garage or pick one up from the thrift store to create a DIY swing.

They can sit on their bottom or stand up on their feet to practice their balance for skating, skateboarding, surfing etc.

Sanded wood or an old tire work great as a DIY swing as well!

4. Hammock hideout for a kid-friendly relaxation space

Pick two strong trees in your backyard and throw up a hammock! Your kids will love to swing in them, read a book and older kids may even take an afternoon nap in them.

I have been obsessed with my ENO hammock for the past 10 years. From all of the adventures I have taken it on it has remained intact, hasn’t faded, and has no holes. It’s portable, you can easily wash it, and dry it in the sun.

Pro tip: Get the double nester option so that all the siblings and/or neighbor kids can enjoy it together.

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5. A-frame playhouse or treehouse older children will love to hang in

Create a simple or extravagant playhouse they can make memories in.

A-frame structures are much easier to build than a full-on treehouse in a tree. You don’t have to add a platform or flooring underneath the walls. The grass or dirt is fine and you can add stumps for seating areas.

A few outdoor string lights for late evening playtime are the perfect finishing touch. I love these solar-powered outdoor string lights. They have a vintage look and the fact that they are solar-powered ties perfectly with your natural playground goals!

DIY backyard playhouse ideas using natural materials

• Willow tree dome (willow tree branches are super flexible)
• Stick and branch hut
• Log cabin stacking logs to form walls
• Clay and cob playhouse (mixture of clay, sand, straw, and water)
• Stone and log fort

6. Tic-Tac-Toe tree stumps to encourage problem-solving skills

If you have an old tree stump in your yard, cut some lines into it to create a classic gameboard with a twist!

You can paint stones for game pieces or use different colored stones for each player. Get your kids to help design the rocks as well for a fun and creative activity.

This is a classic strategy game that is truly fun for all ages.

7. Treehouse bush that grows alongside your child

Create a natural structure by using twigs, branches, and plants that have a vine. I love this idea because it is much more budget-friendly than building a brand-new tree house.

Your structure may start out small but as your kids grow it will look more and more full as the plant grows.

Here are some great plants that have climbing vines and are safe for kids and pets to play near:

• Sweet potato vine
• Passionflower
• Black-Eyed Susan vine
• Snap peas
• Coral honeysuckle

8. DIY play structure with a climbing wall feature

This play structure is genius! I personally would add more barriers to the sides on the top of the stump for safety but I love the blend of climbing and sliding that it brings. Depending on the height of the tree stump, this play structure could be great for all ages.

Of course, this isn’t completely natural but close enough!

Use a pack of colorful climbing holds to screw them into the stump. They’re the perfect size for kids’ feet and I love that they are nice and bright for safety.

This pack comes with the hardware you need to install the rocks to a tree stump, wall, or tree house!

*A great alternative to this is a rope ladder! You can make one from rope and pieces of wood.

9. DIY mud kitchen for an imaginative natural playscape

Playing with mud is a quintessential part of childhood. I used to love pretending it was food, making stews with mud and flowers, and building mud houses as a kid.

Set up a mud kitchen with these items and I’m sure your kids will make you plenty of “delicious recipes” (;

• work surface to cook (paint a stove top on!)
• cooking utensils (ladles, spoons & spatulas)
• pots, pans, and dishes
• water source (nearby garden hose or fill up water jugs)
• play sink or bucket to wash the dishes
• personalized kitchen signs or menus
• laminated recipe cards

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10. Simple natural play areas like hopscotch stumps

Get your kids to practice their jumping and counting skills all in one. You can slice up an old tree to make each disk. Then paint numbers onto each surface.

You may want to put a walking stick nearby if your child is still working on their balance.

11. Leaf weaving using materials from the natural world

Get your kids to practice their fine motor skills by weaving grass, plants, and flowers through twine.

All you need to recreate this is bamboo or branches for the frame and some twine.

Tie the twine vertically and diagonally so there is space to add natural elements. The end result will be a beautiful and natural woven work of art!

12. Sandbox race track or construction site for free play

If your kids love all things with wheels you have to include this in your backyard!

Use sand to create a DIY race track or construction site for them to dig in and race their cars in. Don’t put too much sand in this area so that the trucks can still glide across easily.

You can use rocks or a bamboo fence to keep this area contained. Bamboo is great for building because it’s affordable and makes perfect race track walls.

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13. All-natural soccer goal using branches

DIY a soccer goal by using natural items that are already in your yard.

Double-check that the branches are sturdy and not rotting. Then drill them together to create a rustic looking soccer arena in your backyard. I love this little drill set because it is cordless and isn’t super fancy. Just what you need for backyard projects.

I think no net is perfectly fine but you could always use an old fitted bed sheet that wraps around the structure as a DIY net!

14. Natural art station for creative expression

Nature gives us plenty of creative inspiration. Set up an art station for your little ones to express themselves!

Even if you have a simple picnic table with some shade it is perfect for nature-themed art projects like:

• Stumps with chalkboard paint for chalk drawings
• Leaf rubbings
• Pine cone animals
• DIY paint brushes using sticks and attached leaves
• Rock painting
• Nature collage (glue leaves, flowers, bark, and small twigs to paper)
• Pressed flower art
• Shell art

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15. DIY balance beams using stumps to mimic popular play equipment at traditional playgrounds

Create a sturdy balance beam using wood! All you need are a few stumps and some thick-ish planks of wood. You can make a classic straight line, zig-zag line, or a hexagon shape.

If you make a zig zag line you can put a larger piece of wood on top for a low table which is great for backyard parties, picnics, or crafting.

16. Gravel play area for a construction zone

If you’re not a sand person, no worries, stick to gravel! You can pick up a bag of gravel at your local garden shop or collect rocks outside to create a natural play area.

It has similar benefits to a sandbox but the rocks are easier to contain. Even a small 3×3 section in your yard is the perfect amount of room for a gravel construction zone.

Don’t forget to add in some toy trucks made from recycled materials!

Add in some large rocks or logs to keep the rocks contained and for seating.

17. Kid-friendly garden

A garden is the best play area for kids to learn new skills, connect with their senses, and simply have fun digging in the dirt.

Here are some ways to make a garden more kid-friendly for your backyard:

• Include edible plants, plants that grow quickly, and sensory plants (ex. mint grows like crazy, can be added to lemonade, and smells amazing!).
• Include child-sized gardening tools that work for their smaller hands .
• Create raised beds or use pots so it’s easily accessible.
• Incorporate a bug hotel, butterfly garden, and/or birdfeeders.
• Make signs or plant markers as a fun nature-themed activity. You can paint rocks to label plants as well.

18. Hollow log to crawl through for a mini obstacle course

I have never chopped down a tree big enough to carve out and crawl through so I have no helpful tips on making this idea come to life! haha

But maybe you know a skilled carpenter in your family or community who can make this happen.

I think as long as it is sanded so it doesn’t scrape anyone’s knees it would be super fun for kids to crawl through and is a great alternative to the plastic tubes found at conventional playgrounds!

19. Sand pit inside a repurposed item

Go on a treasure hunt to local yard sales and thrift stores to find items that can be upcycled to create unique sandboxes.

Here are some items I think would make a great option for DIY sandboxes:

• An old boat like a canoe
• Metal or plastic tub
• Kiddie pool
• Fill an old toddler bed frame with sand
• Create a mini sandbox using an old dresser drawer
• Tractor tire

*Don’t forget to sand and seal rough or broken areas. Add a tarp under the sand to keep it contained and add a piece of wood or tarp to cover it for when it’s not in use!

DIY natural playground design

I hope this list made you super excited and inspired to transform your backyard space!

Don’t feel pressured to use every idea on this list. Even a few of these ideas are a great way to bring your current backyard play area to the next level.

If you don’t live in a super rural area, these ideas are an easy way to encourage your kids to spend more time outdoors, try new things, and appreciate nature!

Have any other natural playground backyard ideas? Let us know in the comments below! I’m sure others in the community would love to learn from you as well.

Stay well, 

Maggie

This post was all about natural playground backyard ideas.

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