Cubby houses - kids love cubbies! You may already have one that grandad has built right from the foundations to the top brick, a tree house, or bought a wooden cubby house for your yard. There are inexpensive options such as pop up or inflatable which can also come with tunnels and other attachments. Kids also love big cardboard boxes (from the new washing machine or fridge perhaps?) or a sheet thrown over a table, tree branch or clothes line. Once their domain is set up it's the perfect venue for endless make believe games.

Give your child their own garden which they can take responsibility for and enjoy seeing something grow. Depending on the space you have available this can either be a couple of small pots on a balcony or their own plot in the yard. The kids can add flavour to any picnic by growing their own herbs, fruits or vegetables or selecting from a dazzling array of seedlings (both edible and aesthetic) which they can tend to throughout the year.

Water play - (Always supervise children during water play and see the Safe section of this site for pool and water safety. Also be aware of water restrictions when using hoses and sprinklers). Endless water games can be enjoyed in a swimming pool, a blow up or pop up paddle pool, tub, sink, tray or bucket. Water can be warm, cool or frozen. Float and splash in it, pour it and transfer between vessels. See what floats and what sinks. Play "islands" with boats and plastic dolls. Lay down a long sheet of plastic and create a "slide" with water and a small amount of bubble bath.

Bubble blowing - purchase or make your own bubbles with one part dish detergent or bubble bath with four parts water. Use purchased bubble blower or make your own. Chase them, fan them, catch them and pop them. Jump up to reach them, stomp on them. Blow them in different directions, against different backgrounds and to catch the sun in different lights to try and see different colours in the bubbles. See how big you can make them, or see how many can be made with one blow.

Consider getting a pet for your child or encourage your children to take an active part in pet care.

Ride on and push toys can be great fun on back yard concrete or paving.

Sand in a pit, clam shell, small storage box or other container with a lid, can be used wet or dry to dig and scoop, make tunnels, castles, poured through funnels and sieves. Bury treasure for children to find or let them create a terrain for their little green army men.

Encourage children to play on swing sets you may have in the yard.