Young children have a passion for big machines and dirt. Especially (though not exclusively) boys!  Does your child stare in amazement each time you go by a construction site?  Why not make his or her dreams come true by giving them a play area to use their own diggers and dump trucks?  We made our children a child-sized construction site.
All you need is some dirt (real dirt, not potting soil!) and stones.  Add a shovel and a construction vehicle  or two and make your child's dreams come true!  If you give your children the freedom to dig up the grass, you will not need to add dirt, just let them dig deep.

And your child will feel like he is doing this:
I know many families have sandboxes, but I vetoed that idea quickly.  For one thing, it's always windy at our home.  (Seriously!)  For another, I don't like sand and don't want it tracked through my home.  Dirt is actually easier to sweep, in my opinion.  Or maybe I just say that.  However, this is so much better than a sandbox.

We had actually discussed creating a much larger area for Brother, but in the end, it made sense to place it under the swing set.  It's in the shade, too!  Brother began calling it the "Construction Site" before we did.  And now his diggers and dump trucks get properly used!  For too long, we called them indoor toys, and limited them (and him) to it.

The dirt for the child-sized construction site came from digging large holes in the ground last fall.  We had planted a few trees, and my husband had kept the dirt until this spring when he placed it in the construction site.  Our acre of land has an abundant amount of fist-sized (and larger) rocks which were perfect for the construction site.  Adding a few trucks thrilled our son!  Our 6 year old daughter also plays there.

Brother's construction vehicles are now outdoor toys.  They are stored out of the elements in our garage.

How can you thrill your child today?

Need more outdoor inspiration?  Check these out.
Plastic Bag Kite
Backyard T-Ball Practice


~ Annette {This Simple Mom}