National Backyard Day

From jumping on a trampoline to growing flowers in the garden, from a rousing game of croquet to paddling around in a kiddie pool, the backyard can be full of all sorts of adventures and activities all summer long!

National Backyard Day is here to help individuals and families get into the spirit of the backyard, preparing it (and themselves!) for a spring and summer full of sorts of delightful adventures.

10th–9th century BCE
Assyrian Palace Courtyards and Early Private Gardens
Royal residences such as King Ashurnasirpal II’s palace at Nimrud feature walled courtyards and cultivated garden spaces, early examples of enclosed yards attached to dwellings for display, shade, and recreation.
1st century BCE
Roman Domus Houses with Peristyle Gardens
Wealthy Romans develop the domus house with an interior peristyle garden, turning open-air courtyards into landscaped private spaces used for relaxation, dining, and social gatherings, a clear ancestor of later domestic patios and backyards.
17th century
Colonial American Dooryard Gardens
In British North America, many homes feature small “dooryard” plots behind or beside the house, used to grow herbs, vegetables, and fruit trees, reflecting a primarily utilitarian view of the household yard rather than a space for leisure.
1868
Frederick Law Olmsted Helps Shape the American Lawn Ideal
Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted promotes continuous green swards and shared open space in suburban plans like Riverside, Illinois, influencing the cultural ideal of the grassy home lot that would later define American front and back yards.
1945–1955
Postwar Suburbs Turn Backyards into Family Leisure Space
After World War II, mass-produced suburban housing developments such as Levittown popularize private, grassy backyards that host grilling, children’s play, and informal gatherings, transforming them from working plots into extensions of the living room.
1950s–1960s
Rise of Patios, Barbecues, and Outdoor Living Rooms
Advances in concrete, brick, and aluminum furniture, along with the popularity of charcoal and gas grills, lead American homeowners to build patios and terraces, creating “outdoor rooms” for dining, entertaining, and everyday relaxation just outside the back door.
1970s–1980s
Environmentalism and the Return of Productive Yards
The environmental movement and the first Earth Day in 1970 encourage interest in home vegetable gardens, composting, and less chemically intensive lawns, prompting many households to blend leisure backyards with productive planting beds and small food gardens.

History of National Backyard Day

People have enjoyed their gardens, patios, backyards, and other outdoor spaces for generations.

National Backyard Day is a slightly newer event, having its inaugural celebration in 2021. The idea behind this event came from the makers of the allergy medicine Zyrtec.

The date was chosen to honor the events of March 2020, when people worldwide spent time in their backyards due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The hope for National Backyard Day is that people young and old will be reminded that getting outside – whether in their own backyards, in a local park, or in a remote forest – is healthy for the body and for the soul!

How to Celebrate National Backyard Day

Take this as a reminder right around spring to have loads of fun in the outdoors by celebrating National Backyard Day with some of these ideas:

Start Enjoying that Backyard

Those who live in warmer climates might already be mowing the back lawn, tackling weeds, and hosting various events—and that’s the perfect thing to do in celebration of National Backyard Day!

Even if someone doesn’t have a backyard, they can still celebrate this event by heading to a public green space or park to enjoy a picnic, throw a frisbee, walk the dog, hang out in a hammock, or get involved in another outdoor activity.

Get the Backyard Ready

For those who live in cooler climates, mid-March might be a bit too cool to host a barbecue, backyard picnic, or other type of gathering—there might even be snow on the ground!

But it’s still a great time to start thinking about and planning what kind of fun events and activities will be celebrated in the backyard as the weather begins to warm up over the next several weeks.

Even in the cooler weather, some folks might want to take National Backyard Day as an opportunity to prepare for the backyard season by removing leaves from winter, cleaning out the gutters, cutting back bushes or trees, tuning up the lawnmower, and other spring maintenance projects.

Other enjoyable Days of the Year events throughout the spring and summer act as perfect reminders to get outside and enjoy nature, including National Weed Your Garden Day and National Yard Games Day in June, and National Eat Outside Day in August.

National Backyard Day FAQs

How does regular time in a backyard or other home green space affect physical and mental health?

Spending time in a backyard or similar green space has been linked with higher levels of physical activity, lower perceived stress, and better overall mental well‑being.

Large reviews of nature and health research have found that access to nearby green areas is associated with more walking and active play, reduced risk of depression and anxiety, and improved self‑reported health in both adults and children.

Even small private or shared gardens can offer restorative effects similar to larger parks when they provide vegetation, views of nature, and opportunities for gentle activity.

What are some practical ways to make a backyard more wildlife‑friendly without turning it into a “wild” mess?

Conservation groups recommend adding layers of native plants, reducing or shrinking lawns, and providing food, water, and shelter in a planned way.

Using native shrubs, flowers, and grasses supports local insects and birds while still allowing for tidy beds and mown paths. Removing at least part of a conventional lawn and replacing it with mixed native plantings or a pollinator strip can significantly increase biodiversity.

Leaving a few brush piles, seed heads, or dead wood in discreet corners and adding a shallow water source such as a birdbath also help wildlife while keeping the overall space organized and usable.

Are traditional turf lawns actually bad for the environment compared with more natural backyard plantings?

Studies in the United States indicate that large, intensively managed turf lawns carry notable environmental costs.

Lawn irrigation accounts for roughly one third of residential water use, and gas‑powered mowers and trimmers consume hundreds of millions of gallons of gasoline each year, contributing to air pollution.

Conventional lawns typically offer little food or shelter for wildlife and often rely on fertilizers and pesticides that can run off into waterways.

By contrast, replacing portions of turf with native plants or low‑input groundcovers can reduce water use, chemical inputs, and maintenance while providing habitat for pollinators and other species.

How can families improve safety when using trampolines and other backyard play equipment?

Pediatric safety guidelines advise that trampolines and play equipment be installed on level ground with impact‑absorbing surfaces such as wood chips, rubber mulch, or sand, rather than on concrete or packed soil.

Trampolines should have safety nets and pads over springs, be kept free of ladders when not in use to limit unsupervised access, and ideally be used by one jumper at a time to reduce collision injuries.

Home playgrounds should follow established spacing and height recommendations, be inspected regularly for rust, loose bolts, and worn parts, and be used with close adult supervision, especially for younger children.

What does research say about children who have access to a backyard or shared outdoor space at home?

Public health and urban‑design research suggests that children with access to nearby green or open space tend to spend more time playing outdoors and are more likely to meet physical activity recommendations.

Studies in various countries have found that greenery around the home is linked to better motor skills, healthier body weight, and in some cases improved attention and self‑regulation.

Even when children use public parks, having a safe, easily reached outdoor space at or near home appears to encourage more frequent, shorter bursts of active play compared with relying only on distant recreational facilities.

How do backyards and home gardens typically differ between dense cities and suburbs?

In dense urban areas, private outdoor space is often smaller or shared, such as courtyards, roof decks, or communal gardens, and may prioritize container gardening, compact seating, and multipurpose play areas.

Suburban homes more often have larger private yards that historically emphasized lawns, patios, and play structures.

Planning research notes that urban residents may rely more on a mix of balconies, small yards, and nearby public parks, while suburban households can devote more area to lawns, trees, and vegetable beds.

However, in both settings there is a growing trend toward replacing some turf with native or edible plantings to make limited space work harder ecologically and socially.

What are some beginner‑friendly steps to turn a conventional backyard into a low‑maintenance, nature‑supporting space?

Experts suggest starting small by converting one section of lawn at a time. Homeowners can smother existing turf with cardboard and mulch, then plant regionally appropriate native perennials or shrubs selected for local soil and light conditions.

Grouping plants in clusters, adding a few flowering species that bloom in different seasons, and using mulch to suppress weeds all reduce long‑term maintenance.

Avoiding broad‑spectrum pesticides, capturing rain in simple barrels, and leaving a few leaves or stems over winter for insects provide additional ecological benefits without requiring a full redesign of the yard.