Being outdoors is great for your health, but it’s even better in the summertime. When it’s warm outside, it feels better and it can also boost your mood and make you feel more content. Whether your backyard has been neglected for a while, or you just don’t go out there much, here are some of the best reasons to spend more time in your backyard this summer.
1. Your backyard is ideal for gatherings
When you think about hosting a get-together with your friends or family, you have to plan for where you’ll spend time, the food you’ll prepare, and what type of entertainment you’re going to offer.
Your backyard is the perfect location for everything from cooking and eating to hanging out and having fun. For example, an outdoor kitchen makes it easy to prepare meals, and coupled with a propane fire pit table, your guests will enjoy eating their meals.
If you like to play lawn games like cornhole, croquet, ring toss, horseshoes, or just shoot hoops, your backyard will be the ideal place for all of those activities.
2. Eating outdoors is good for your health
According to science, eating outside is healthier than eating indoors. That’s because when you’re outside, you’re getting fresh air. In the summertime, you’ll be soaking up the UV light that your body requires to turn into vitamin D. Your body needs vitamin D to control stress hormones, serotonin production, and dopamine.
There is a reason people love eating on the patio at their favorite restaurant, and why people have backyard barbecues. Sure, food tastes amazing off the grill, but most people don’t grill their food and then go inside the house to eat. They stay outside and eat in the open air.
3. You can play fun games
When you host gatherings inside, you’re limited in terms of what games you can play. Of course, that’s not a problem if you just want to play card games and board games that can be easily set up on a table. However, if you want to move your body more and get into games that are more active or that involve water, you can only do that outside.
Some of the games you can play outside might involve water, like water balloon fights and water relays, where a line of people have to pour water from their container into the container belonging to the person behind them without turning around. You can’t do that in your living room.
If you’re going to have younger kids at your gatherings, then being outdoors in your backyard is even more important. Kids will want to run around and exert their energy without restriction and that won’t be appropriate indoors. However, if you’re outside, they can run around the grass and tumble around all they want without you having to worry about something breaking.
4. You can play with your pets
If you’ve got dogs or other animals that can be outside, they’ll appreciate getting more love and attention when you hang out in your backyard. Dogs need to run around to stay happy and healthy, and they may not always get the inspiration on their own. However, when people are around to play with them, it’s easy to toss a toy for them to get them going.
If you happen to live in a rural area and have farm animals, they’ll enjoy the attention, too. Horses, cows, donkeys, llamas, goats, chickens, turkeys, and even pigs enjoy the company of humans. It’s also a great way to introduce kids to farm animals without the chaos of a petting zoo.
5. Relaxing outdoors can relieve stress
Perhaps the best reason to spend time in your backyard this summer is to get a break in your routine where you don’t have to cater to anyone else’s needs. If you have a family depending on you, let them know you need some alone time outside and ask that they don’t disturb you. After a long day at work, relaxing in your backyard can do wonders for your mental and emotional health.
6. Create your ideal backyard
The more you enjoy being in your backyard, the more time you’ll spend there during the summer. Do what you need to make it feel inviting. Get that barbecue or outdoor kitchen, install that propane fire pit, and get the patio furniture you’ve had your eye on for a while. Make your backyard your sanctuary.
