When our son was little, we enjoyed hanging out in our backyard as a family.  We had the typical swingset, however a wooden swing set would have been really nice.   Little Tyke toys were also a part of our backyard toy supply.  My favorite part was one of those heavy plastic swimming pools that was probably six feet long, four feet wide and one foot deep.  Our daughter, Christi, and I would get in the pool and splash around, too.  I had several potted flowering plants plus Crepe Myrtle trees and Cana Lilies in the backyard, so it was like being in our own little mini-tropical area.  We had a lot of fun playing, relaxing, and enjoying our backyard together.