I don’t know about you, but for us… Summer is all about fun without the fuss. Our family loves the new-found together time. And we love doing activities together, both in and out of the house. But the key to making things more enjoyable for everyone? Especially for Mom?

Minimal planning and set up.

I mean, it’s KEY.

We’ve been focusing on getting outside as much as possible this summer, even despite the Texas heat. So any backyard activity that we can set up quickly is just what we’re looking for.

You, too???

Here’s our list of 20 “no/low” set-up ways to play with your kids in the backyard this Summer!

1. DIY Enormous Slip-N-Slide: (Pictured above) Steph did this last year with her kids and they loved it so much they brought it back this summer. All it took was a sprinkler, a hill, and a huge piece of plastic (found at the local hardware store) secured to a small plank of wood on each end.
2. Play Sponge Bullseye: Use chalk to draw a target and assign points to each circle. Then let your kiddos aim and fire away with wet sponges.
3. Make a Straw Bubble Wand: Tape paper straws together to make a geometric bubble explosion.
4. Make your own Super Sprinkler: Using a pool noodle, duct tape, and a hose…make this quick version of a backyard sprinkler (but a lot more fun!).
5. Play Pool Noodle Ring Toss: Just like it sounds, cut pool noodles to make your very own ring toss game.
6. Make a Tin Foil Boat River: Make boats out of ice cubes and toothpicks, then watch them float down a river made of tin foil.
7. Have a Kiddie Car/Bike Wash: Roll out the trikes and trucks, grab the suds, and let the kids get to washing their kiddie cars.
8. Make Giant Bubbles: Make this giant bubble want using just a few items from your local hardware store.
9. Play Water Balloon Basketball: Play the classic sport with a basket ball net, or even just a basket. Toss the water balloons and see who can make the furthest shot!
10. DIY Yard Twister: Just paint the circles on the grass, let dry, and play until your heart’s content.
11. Play Glow in the Dark Tic Tac Toe: Here’s a night time game. Twist Glow sticks into x’s and o’s, and play under the moonlight.
12. Make up a Water Game: Like this one called “Roll and Splash”.
13. Play Tag: An oldie but a goodie. Here’s five different ways to mix it up.
14. Play Stumps Tug-of-War: Make tugging a little more challenging by balancing on crates or upside down baskets.
15. Go on a Treasure Hunt: Send your kids off to hunt for gold with this free printable treasure map.
16. Make a Dirt Volcano: Make your own lava explosion out of, you guessed it, dirt from your very own backyard.
17. Play Backyard Scrabble: Draw over sized letters on pieces of square cardboard to create this fun-filled outdoor game.
18. Do a Backyard Alphabet Hunt: Write out the alphabet, using paper or chalk, then have your kiddos find something outdoors that starts with each letter.
19. Sheet Painting: Hang an old white sheet and let your kiddos create their very own masterpiece.
20. Outdoor Target Practice: Let your kids practice their water gun aim by setting up cones and other obstacles.