How to Make an Entertaining Backyard Fun Area with a Bocce Ball Court
Parents today have a lot of options for ideal backyard entertainment areas that are suited for kids from toddler ages to teenagers. There are some excellent how to instructions to build the backyard play area of your kids most imaginative dreams. For increased years of family outdoor fun, consider adding a game area like a basketball court, a volleyball area, tennis court or a bocce ball court.
Bocce ball has been a popular game that originated in ancient civilizations long ago. Still widely played across Europe and other oversea countries, the concept hasn’t taken off here in the states due to most backyard space limitations for American homes.
Consider Making a Cool Backyard Bocce Ball Court with Reduced Dimensions
Some handy individuals have found ways to play bocce ball by creating a bocce ball court that is a smaller size to fit most standard homes. This game is played on a narrow and longer court surface that permits minimal ball bouncing during the game. The size dimensions can be adjusted to suit your exact outdoor space. Because of the court’s narrower width, this game is ideal for a side yard, alongside a wall of some sort or in front of a property fence. The court can be a ground covering too.
This game court can be made at regulation length which is 90 ft by 13 ft, or it can be reduced down to around 60 ft. The border of the court can be made out of timber wood, metal or concrete. The ideal type of playing surface includes decompressed granite, sand or crushed oyster shells.
To keep rainfall from accumulating in the playing area, French drains should be installed underneath the ground to provide proper water drainage. You will need crushed gravel, a perforated pipe and a sleeve crafted from canvas.
The surrounding perimeter gaming walls should be constructed to be between 6″ to 18″ in height. These walls can be made from block, rail ties or cast concrete curbing material. These walls keep the balls within the playing field area. These courts can be varied to include a section to keep balls when the game is not being played, and a scoreboard is simple to make.
This court can be placed in a shady area if the weather where you live gets exceptionally hot. Alternately, a shade covering can be crafted by building an arbor type trellis over the top of the court or installing a canopy type shade cover.
Sets of balls are available for about $20, and actual larger sized regulation balls can cost around $100 a set. There are several same-sized balls for two teams with each team ball set a different color. There is a smaller ball used as the jack or pallino. This ball is thrown or bowled out first and teams try to get their balls as close to it as possible without causing a foul.
The rules for playing this game can vary depending on who’s playing. There are regulation rules that are found easily online. Many parents use less strict rules when younger children play.
Other Landscaping Tips for Outdoor Entertainment Spaces
There are many different ways to add an outdoor entertainment space that fits your yard size and meets your family’s entertainment interests. Basketball courts and hoops are popular choices that can be modified to fit kids small to large. If your property has more room, consider putting in a tennis court.
Some neat ideas for kid friendly entertainment spots include the following:
- Hopscotch Sidewalk or Cement Squares
- Trampolines – Original Versions or In-Ground Options that are Safer & Won’t Block Your View
- Make Large Sized Board Game Areas – Scrabble, Word & Just About Anything
- Croquet – Popular Game that is Easy to Set Up
- Shuffleboard
- Horseshoes
- Ping Pong
- Badminton
- Chess or Checkerboards
- Putting Green
Kid-Friendly Backyard Play Area Ideas & Tips
Kids should have fun while outdoors, and creating a kid-friendly backyard play area can help keep things interesting. Bored kids often become grumpy or get into trouble. Having some activities and a safe outdoor area to run, skip, play sports or compete in games is worth the small amount of time, effort and cost to create an ideal outside play space.
If your backyard already has a pool or hot tub, it is essential to ensure that your younger kids are safe by installing safety fences, decking and security gates to keep curious little ones from getting hurt.
Keeping your outdoor property well maintained can lower the risks of someone getting injured due to a broken fence, a loose walkway stone or an exposed construction nail. Adding the proper lighting ensures that kids can still see if they are playing outside after the sun goes down. The right outdoor lighting not only provides added security, it can set the right mood for outdoor BBQ’s, romantic conversations on your porch, deck or patio and can showcase your yard’s gorgeous landscaping or garden areas.
To make your outdoor entertainment places even more enjoyable, add comfortable outdoor furniture arranged for better conversations. Consider installing a shade canopy or awning, and create a fun haven for your children complete with a tree-house, tire swing or playground equipment with soft landing areas.
