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What’s the point of having a yard if you’re not going to use it?!

After a looooong winter, I'm itching to spend time outside in my backyard! Whether it's cracking open the sandbox for my kids and clearing the debris off their saucer swing or stringing some fresh outdoor lights and while blastin' some tunes from an outdoor speaker, I'm ready to get this warmer weather season ready! I've listed just a handful of things to help get you and *your* yard ready to do the same!

Promising review: "Stylish and easy to fill and use. The longest part was filling it up with fluid. I recommend letting the wicks soak for 20ish minutes, and they're super easy to light. Nice bright flame, and they keep the mosquitoes away. Highly recommend!" —Jim Perez

Check out a TikTok of the mosquito-repelling bracelets in action. 

Promising review: "I moved last year from Southern California to North Carolina. Bugs of all types have always been attracted to me but the amount of bites I got last summer was WILD. Someone gave me one of these types of bracelets to use one day and it seemed to work SOOOOOO I decided to buy myself an arsenal to prepare for this summer. I read the reviews and about 99% of them had great results. I've only used this bracelet twice but both times I was outside and un-touched. Delivery was very quick so that was a plus. I'm not fond of the smell, I'm hyper sensitive to smells, but I'd rather have the odor than being chewed alive." —Tracey Agopian

This device uses scent-free repellent mats containing naturally occurring plant-based repellents to repel mosquitoes.

Promising review: "I love Thermacell patio shield! Being able to enjoy the outside without being harassed by mosquitoes or other bugs. I noticed a difference in my backyard immediately, especially since I have standing water in certain spots when standing outside with my dogs. I have also used this at my kickball games at night while waiting and no mosquitoes bites. Easy to refill and easy to work for bug defense outside." —Raleigh919

Get it from Amazon for $22.94+ (available in 13 colors).

Note that the AAD recommends using at least SPF 30 and reapplying as needed for skin protection. You can read about sunscreen myths and facts from dermatologists for more information! 

I adore this sunscreen! I'm very fair skinned and prone to getting sunburnt, so I have to stay very on top of applying SPF at all times. This one isn't greasy at all, blends in immediately, and LITERALLY adds shimmery sparkles wherever its applied. I truly don't even mind putting it on — it's a welcome addition to my skincare routine.

Promising review: "I absolutely love this sunscreen. I’m always wary of 'for everyone' tinted products because they aren’t usually made with us in mind. But this one hits the mark. It looks amazing on my brown skin. Non-streaky, no white cast. It gives my skin a subtle shimmer. The video and pics are in direct sunlight so you can see it in full effect. For reference, I have combination, thirty-something-year-old skin. Glowscreen is officially in my skincare rotation." —Lovely91

The waterproof patches last 12 hours or through six applications of sunscreen — whichever comes first. When purple, it's time to reapply and when clear, you're good to go! 

Promising review: "I am very sensitive to UV rays and I burn very easily. Discovering these UV stickers was the best thing to ever happen to my vacations. They take the guesswork out of knowing when to reapply your sunblock, helping you stay burn free without watching the clock and doing math. These work with both lotion and spray on sunscreen. One sticker works all day long and doesn't come off while you are out having fun." —Rachel W. 

Get them from Amazon for $16.49+ (available in packs of 16, 32, and 48).

Promising review: "I went in skeptical, I'm not going to lie. We had grease spilled on our brand-new paver patio. The grease had been sitting for a few weeks, and I saw an ad for this stuff. I ordered it to try because why not? Well, I'll be damned because this took the spots right off! No evidence we ever spilled anything! I'd buy it again." —Susan

Pick up a sturdy rust-resistant curtain rod while you're at it! 

Promising review: "These curtains are AMAZING! Beautiful and elegant. Hangs beautiful, very light blocking, keeps rain out of our Tiki bar, we can sit out there in the rain, and keeps the heat in on a cool fall evening when we have the fireplace on!" —Sara Bushendorf

Get it from Amazon for $9.47+ (available in 16 sizes and 16 colors). 

Promising review: "A cute, sturdy little bistro set at a great price. Open the package, and it's ready to go. The peacock blue is a beautiful color and a welcome addition for the garden." —Amazon Customer

"AMAZING!! Arrived well packaged and FULLY ASSEMBLED! So, so easy. And they look great — I am going for a Jardin du Luxembourg look for a Paris party, and they are perfect (the real ones are $1000 per chair!)." —Stephanie

Get it from Amazon for $84.99+ (available in 19 colors).

Promising review: "I sprinkled it on my lawn, expecting the usual patchy disappointment. Next thing I know, my yard is looking like it belongs on the cover of Better Homes & Gardens. The neighbors suddenly started waving at me, dogs come by just to roll in it, and I’m pretty sure my mailman lingers just to admire the turf. It grew so fast I half expected it to start paying rent. 10/10 would recommend — unless you like being the only person on the block without a golf course in front of your house." —Kayla Mom 

Get it from Amazon for $14.97+ (available in five sizes). 

Promising review: "The frame is lightweight and easy to move. The hammock itself is made of thick but breathable cotton and is very comfortable. The price is great, too. Overall, very happy with this purchase." —KD324

Get it from Amazon for $73.38+ (available in six styles).

Promising review: "Living in Hawaii, you have to select wise items that are weather-, salt-, and red dirt–proof, etc... In total I ordered 11 boxes to complete my yoga deck. I have a few left over to make steps on the back. Very pleased and happy. May order more for an outdoor shower project!" —Adazzle

One reviewer even used the cedar pathway material to repurpose their outdoor lounge chairs (seen above, right).

Promising review: "We are using outdoors at an animal sanctuary. The cats love to sleep on them and they do keep the wetter pathways dry under your feet. They are lasting quite well and although not cheap by any means, they are standing up to cats and people walking on them all day long. They are surviving both rain and sun and wind. We will be purchasing more." —susan osako

Get an 8-foot path from Amazon for $79.99.

Promising review: "I love the size and the fact that it takes five minutes to set up and five minutes to take down. Very portable and lightweight to carry. Very sturdy. I would highly recommend." —Kathi

Get it from Amazon for $99.95+ (also available in 120-inch size).

Promising review: "This projector outperforms its price point by a mile! Boasting solid brightness, an excellent picture, and options for all sorts of connections to streaming devices, you can’t beat the value here. We did an outdoor movie night, and we couldn’t be happier with the Auking projector. My family was blown away at how well this thing performed. Buy with confidence!" —Kate C.

Get it from Amazon for $53.96 (available in two colors).

This toy acts as both a swing and a climber thanks to the 4-inch staggered platforms. It's suggested for ages 3+ and has a 150-pound weight limit. Jungle Gym Kingdom is a small business!

Promising review: "Love this swing! It is so easy to set up and my kids love it. This swing is so easy to take on and off we even bring it with us for picnics and set it up in trees at the park. It definitely helps if you have kids that are tree-climbing age. Love love love! Would definitely recommend!" —Shoe

Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in four colors).

We added this to our swing set, and my son and his friends LOVE it. It's been the biggest hit with kids of all ages. They love that they can swing together and even have been lounging on it and relaxing (it's the cutest). The swing kit comes with a wrench, two carabiners, and additional straps if you want to hang it as a tree swing. My husband ended up purchasing some separate chains to attach it with, but only because the ones that it came with were too long for it to swing properly where we wanted to hang it.

Promising review: "Love this swing! All my boys love to use it, as do I! It seems very sturdy which makes me feel like it’s safe. It was very easy to put together, and it all went together without any issues. It’s super comfortable for anyone who’s used it so far! The color is vibrant and everything seems to be good quality. Especially for this price, I would recommend it!" —Sky

Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in three colors).

Promising review: "These lights are incredibly stylish, and absolutely worth every penny. The lights really stand out, and I’ve gotten so many compliments already! They offer exceptional quality and ease of use, a rare combination. I'm so impressed. Highly recommend!" —Joanne Alladin

Get it from Amazon for $22.99+ (available in six lengths).

Consider stocking up on a two-pack of refills for $19.99.

Promising review: "I recently added this plug to my outdoor string lights, and it’s such a simple but great upgrade. It was super easy to install, just plugged right into the lights. We love to host in the summer and frequently grill out and have fires, so having something attached right to the lights to help keep mosquitoes away without having to think about it has been great. Also, love the remote! I like that I can just turn it on when we actually need it and not have it running all the time or feel like it's being wasted when were not out there. Overall, it just makes hanging outside a lot more enjoyable without adding any extra effort." —Piper

Promising review: "These are so fun! I love taking them to the lake. They are a bit slippery, which can make shuffling hard, but worth it for the waterproof aspect. They are pretty durable!" —Abby Marsing

Promising review: "Chair was super easy to set up (done in about 10-15 minutes with one person). The design is quite modern — the curve of the chair was a nice contrast to a standard flat bed lounge chair, and was perfect for cozying up with a book next to the pool. It's still pretty cold where we are, so I haven't had a chance to test it out on the pool sun shelf yet, but so far it's been great just for use in the yard. I like that the chair's sides are solid and sturdy - my toddlers were both trying to sit in it, and I didn't have to worry about them falling out. Will definitely get another one to have a matching set." —Chang Liu

Promising review: "I ordered this for my granddaughter's fourth birthday. It was easy to assemble and has that great cedar smell — it's also lightweight, but well-made. My granddaughter, along with her 1.5-year-old brother, has already gotten a lot of playtime in the sandbox. They love it!! It is beautiful, and my son loves that it closes to protect the sand, then opens to provide benches for the children to sit on. He has sent me a couple of pictures and videos of them playing in it. I highly recommend this sandbox." —lisa burroughs

I have this sandbox for my kids! As of this writing, they are 2 and 4 — they both love it! It has tiny seats built into the corners that my toddler and his friends love using. My daughter  will spend an hour scooping sand in and out of it (yay, sensory activities!) It's low-maintenance and great for killing time during the witching hour. 

Promising review: "We have had other sandboxes in the past, and this one is so much better. It’s durable, fun for kids, holds a good amount of sand, and the lid stays tight to keep water and bugs out. I recommend!" —Jay

My family has this firepit and loves using it all summer long! My sisters have a blast making s'mores and hanging out around it while watching the sunset — what more could you ask for? My dad also built out an entire seating area around it! It looks fantastic.

Promising review: "We just received our Tiki firepit and I was immediately impressed with the quality of the craftsmanship. We have been looking for a fire pit for our patio and this one is perfect! The black exterior and copper colored lining is gorgeous and I love that it can use pellets or wood logs. It is a nice size and there was nearly no assembly. The low smoke design and ash pan for easy cleanup was an unexpected bonus. This definitely exceeded our expectations." —Shari Bitterman

Note that this includes just the umbrella, not the table!

Promising review: "I normally don’t like buying products like this sight unseen, but I’m very pleased with the look and especially with the solar lighting. We enjoyed a pleasant evening on the deck with just the right amount of ambient light tonight, and we are hopeful that it will prove to be durable." —Dee Williams

Get it from Amazon for $69.98+ (available in 11 color combos).

Beach State is a small business specializing in premium, high-quality beach umbrellas. 

Check out a TikTok of the umbrella in action. 

Promising review: "This umbrella is exactly what my family was looking for as our everyday beach umbrella — large diameter, high quality, and cute retro design. It is a higher end umbrella but still slightly less expensive than the other big name designer beach gear company that we were considering. It is easy to pop up and stays standing, and we’ve had many compliments from other people at the beach asking where we got it. The company's customer service was excellent. Would definitely recommend these umbrellas!" —Taryn

Get it from Amazon for $140.21 (available in seven colors). 

It has three different brightness options so you can set *~the mood~* perfectly. It also requires AA batteries, so be sure to pick those up as well.

Promising review: "This light is great!!! It has three settings, to adjust the amount of brightness you need. Lowest level is great for just sitting around your patio table and having a couple of drinks with friends. Brightest setting is PERFECT for playing cards! We play cards a few times a month. We decided to try and play outside. There are two 70+-year-olds who did not complain that they couldn’t see. So, works great in my book! 😁" —Mandie Jordan

Promising review: "Got an outdoor can, the kind the mechanical arm on the garbage truck picks up and tips over, with the lid opening by gravity. Placed this on the inside of the lid, near the hinge to lessen the chances of it being scraped off during emptying and no flies/maggots! No apparent odor, just seems to put a big hurt on the fly party that used to be my trash can (litter box contents, remnants of meat, etc.) " —Michael E. Bradley

Promising review: "I bought it because it looked cute and the price was right. It was easy to assemble, and the parts are well-made. It has not come out of alignment, although I use it several times a week. I did use a clear coat to keep it rust-free and shiny, but so far, it hasn't shown any signs of sun damage. It's sturdy enough to hold two adults but not too heavy or big to move around the yard." —Maggie

Get it from Amazon for $83.99+ (available in seven colors).

Woodland Steelworks is a small business based in Woodstock, Georgia that hand-selects the pieces of wood they use to make quality furniture and decor.

Promising review: "Love it!!! We needed a portable table for our adult beverages while sitting by the fire pit or when playing cornhole and we found it!!! This beer table even has a bottle opener attached to the side! Well crafted and totally exceeded our expectations. Shipped quickly and packaged well." —dawn ricci

Get it from Woodland Steelworks on Etsy for $63+ (available in three finishes with six engraving options to choose from).

Promising review: "What a cool use of space and it's a great match for our outdoor set. I store sunscreen and other items when not entertaining. There’s a reason thousands of people purchase this. It’s a functional, cool piece." —Mamma 4

Get it from Amazon for $94.24+ (available in two styles).

Promising review: "Planted a handful of the seeds in our front lawn area. Few months later, and we had a spectacular color array. Great flowers!" —Shane

Promising review: "These are adorable. I love the colors. They're lightweight and won't hold more than one or two flowers, but they're perfect for the project I did." —JDub

Get 10 from Amazon for $18.99 (available in three styles).

Promising review: "Used this for the first time today at the park. The ground was still wet from last night’s rain, but the blanket kept all dampness out. It’s a big blanket, and two adults, two children, and a large picnic basket fit easily on it with room to spare. It was easy to shake clean and folded right back up into its little bag (and fit into the bottom of our mostly empty picnic basket). Can’t wait to try it at the beach." —Lauren

Get it from Amazon for $22.97+ (available in eight sizes and seven designs). 

I used the Flip 4 for years now and then upgraded to the Pulse 4 and neither have failed me yet! The music is clear and crisp even when I'm using it outside at the windy beach. Definitely a fan — it does exactly what it should!

Promising review: "I’ve had this almost three years now. Couldn’t be happier with this speaker. It has accompanied me on many beach trips and float trips. It’s gotten covered in sand, dunked in water, and just keeps on playing. Music quality is solid with plenty of volume. I've owned quite a few Bluetooth speakers and this has been my fav. You won’t be disappointed." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $79.95 (available in 14 colors).

Promising review: "My husband and I picked out a similar set at a big box store that cost $200 more but it was out of stock so I decided to shop around and I am SO GLAD I did. This arrived in two days and was well packaged. I quickly unpacked it and separated all the parts into groups to make sure everything was there. I wasn’t missing any pieces. Once it was together and everything was tightened it feels very sturdy and well made. It fits our deck perfectly. I know some of the reviews mentioned it was small and it is, but that’s what we wanted. Neither of us our particularly tall and our deck is only 10x11 so we didn’t want something huge. It’s perfect for our space. It’s light weight so I like that we can move it easily from the deck to the front porch or into the yard. We just put it together last night so we will have to see about longevity but for now we are very happy." —Brooke A. Bailey

Get it from Amazon for $209.99 (available in six color combinations).

Promising review: "This set is beautiful, good quality — especially for the price, and so sleek and bold looking! I ordered this twice because I was so thrilled with the first set I ordered!" —Amazon Customer 

Get it from Amazon for $109.98+ (available with three cushion colors).

Promising review: "This is really a nice wooden chaise lounge chair. It took me about 30 minutes to assemble, and it came with everything needed. All the bolts and screws were there. The assembly mainly just requires putting the four legs and braces on. Holes are predrilled, and if needed, instructions are included. The cushion is also of nice quality. I will be buying another one. Good height. Not hard to get out of, and the back has six seating positions or all the way down. Great value and great chair." —Belle

Get it from Amazon for $323.14+ (available in 20 styles). 

Promising review: "We love this lounge chair!!! The price was fabulous!! (And just a note... If you take care of your things — i.e., cover up the swing with a tarp and bring the cushions in when not using it — It will stay like new. Sun and rain can age anything! Easy-peasy!!) This lounge swing is so comfortable, and made very well!! And it only took my hubby and me 25–30 minutes to put together. Take my word for it... you are not going to find a nicer lounge swing at this price!!" —Marash

Get it from Amazon for $199.99+ (available in 17 styles and with or without a reading light).

The corners of the sails have D rings so you can attach them to whatever you'd like with your choice of hardware or rope.

Promising review: "Purchased this to increase privacy and provide some shade. The color is vibrant, hasn't faded, and the loops are well stitched. The sail has also fared well in winds, thunderstorms, monsoon rain, and the brutal heat of Vegas. Shade is wonderful and one can definitely feel the temperature difference from full sun to being under this sail. The look and feel compliments our pool area and will certainly be purchasing an additional one." —VHC Media

Get it from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in 78 sizes and eight colors/patterns).

The included stainless steel grill features 846 total square inches of cooking space, a warming rack, flame tamers, a sear zone, and an infrared rotisserie. It is set up to run via propane but can also be converted to run off natural gas. The outdoor grill station is built from solid cedar and powder-coated galvanized steel, designed to resist rust, dents, and corrosion. The roof (imagine grilling under a roof instead of the hot sun!!!) is said to handle 2,150 pounds of snow and 100 mph winds. And I haven't even mentioned all of the storage drawers! Everything comes prefabricated and predrilled for (fingers-crossed) easy assembly. If you get stuck, there's also an interactive app to guide you.

Get it from Backyard Discovery for $2,999.

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Plus, finds from Article, Etsy, Ikea, Walmart, and Wayfair.

BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.

This piece is by Heather Braga, a Shopping editor (and mom to two toddlers) who covers a variety of topics, including things that'll make parents' lives (hopefully) easier, exciting gadgets, cozy products (think: home goods and fashions that'll make you want to snuggle), and any magical Disney item that crosses her path.