Create Your Own Backyard Slip and Slide!
With the days of summer heating up, nothing sounds better than a nice dip in the pool and a quick trip to the lake for the weekend. Unfortunately, some of us don't have access to these things to cool off, so finding an alternative way to cool down is a must. Fortunately for you, it isn't difficult to create your own slip and slide in your backyard. with a little creativity and a hose, you can create a water playground that your kids (and you!) are sure to enjoy for hours on end.
The first thing you will need when setting up your backyard slip and slide is getting yourself a quality piece of tarp or plastic. If you go to any hardware department store, you should be able to track one of these down in a large roll to cover the space that you need taken care of in the backyard. If possible, try and lay the tarp or plastic on a hill so you can slide downhill to get the best possible experience out of it. If you don't have a small hill, you can create one by placing bean bags underneath the tarp.
Once you have the tarp or plastic laid out in your space, the next step is to properly weigh down the edges so the slide area stays in place and in tact, but won't have the ability to hurt you while you are going down. For a functional solution that will also keep you safe in the process, getting a few sandbags to line the sides should get the job down no problem and is an inexpensive fix. If sandbags aren't the best option for you, you can also invest in some quality tent stakes to place on each one of the four corners as well as every few feet down both sides to hold it down tight so it will not tear or come loose as people are going down the slide.
Once you have the tarp or plastic set in place, you are ready to add the water to the slide. Hook up the hose and set it at the top of the slide so you can get a steady flow of water going down the slide. The wetter it is, the better the sliding will be. If you want to add a little extra kick to it, some dish soap is a great addition to make things a little more slick.
Have you built a slip and slide in your backyard before? What did you use to put it together? Be sure to let us know in the comments!