Outdoor Entertainment Essentials: A Backyard Checklist

Hosting in the backyard comes down to a few basics done well: somewhere comfortable to sit, a way to cook and serve, enough light once the sun goes down, and something to do. Fire pits and grills draw people together, and they are also where most of the risk sits. This checklist covers each element and what to think about before buying, with the safety guidance from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the Seattle Fire Department and Children’s Wisconsin built in. It is a planning guide based on published guidance, not a product ranking.

1. Seating for the group you actually host

Count how many people you usually host, not the largest party you might throw once a year. Plan seating for the regular number and add flexible extras, such as stackable chairs, benches or floor cushions, for bigger gatherings.

• Conversation groupings work well in a rough circle or U-shape, close enough to talk without raising voices.
• Dining seating needs room behind each chair to pull it out.
• Weather: plan where cushions go when it rains.

Furniture materials are compared in patio furniture.

2. Cooking and serving

A grill is the centre of most backyard gatherings. NFPA’s statistics are a reason to place it carefully: July is the peak month for grill fires, followed by June, May and August, and nearly a quarter of grill structure fires started on an exterior balcony or open porch. In about one in five grill fires, the grill had not been cleaned. NFPA’s core advice:

• Place the grill well away from the home and deck railings, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
• Keep children and pets at least three feet from the grilling area.
• Remove grease and fat build-up from the grates and the trays below.
• For propane grills, check the gas tank for leaks before the first use of the season, and make sure the lid is open before lighting.
• For charcoal, use only charcoal starter fluid, never add fluid to coals that are already lit, and let coals cool completely before disposing of them in a metal container.
• Never leave a lit grill unattended.

NFPA also suggests placing the grill a safe distance from lawn games, play areas and foot traffic. For serving, a side table or cart next to the grill keeps platters off the cooking surface, and a drinks station placed away from the grill keeps guests out of the cook’s way. More in outdoor cooking.

3. A fire pit, used safely

A fire pit is the most popular evening gathering point, and the guidance on using one is consistent across fire services. From the Seattle Fire Department:

• Keep the fire no more than three feet across and two feet high.
• Place the pit at least five feet from the house, vegetation and anything that can burn. Local rules may require more; check before building.
• Set portable fire pits on a non-combustible surface, such as patio blocks or concrete, not on a wooden deck or grass.
• Keep a three-foot safety zone for children and pets.
• Burn only clean, dry wood.
• Have a shovel and two buckets of water, a charged garden hose, or a 4-A rated extinguisher ready.
• An adult attends the fire until it is completely out.

Children’s Wisconsin, a children’s hospital, adds two points for families: fire pits can stay hot for 24 hours after the fire looks out, and children should stay at least three big steps away even when no fire is burning. It suggests a raised fire pit with a barrier or containment ring to reduce falls into the pit. To put a fire out, it recommends drowning it with water, stirring the ashes, and wetting them again until everything is cool; set a hose nozzle to spray, because a hard jet can scatter embers.

Types of fire pit and their trade-offs are covered in fire pits.

4. Lighting for after dark

Gatherings run past sunset, so plan light in layers:

• Safety: steps, path edges and changes in level should be lit first.
• Ambient: string lights or low lanterns over the seating area give enough light to see faces without glare.
• Task: a focused light at the grill.

Use fixtures and cords rated for outdoor use, plug them into GFCI-protected outlets, and keep cords out of walkways. Solar options are compared in outdoor lighting.

5. Music and sound

Outdoor speakers should be rated for outdoor exposure, or brought inside after use. A few small speakers placed around the seating area at low volume carry better and annoy neighbours less than one loud speaker. Check local noise rules for evening hours. Speaker types are covered in outdoor speakers.

6. Games and activities

Lawn games give guests something to do and keep children busy. Give them a defined area of level lawn, away from the grill and fire pit, as NFPA recommends. Ideas and space requirements are in outdoor games. For a different kind of evening, an outdoor screen and projector turn the yard into a cinema; see backyard movie nights.

7. Comfort extras

• Shade for daytime gatherings: an umbrella, sail or pergola.
• Warmth for cool evenings: patio heaters need 3 feet of clearance from anything that can burn and must sit where they cannot tip, per the Seattle Fire Department; turn them off when the area is empty.
• Insects: empty standing water from saucers, toys and buckets in the days before an event. Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, notes mosquitoes can develop from egg to adult in 7 to 14 days, so a weekly tip-and-toss routine keeps numbers down.
• A first-aid kit with burn care supplies near the cooking area. Children’s Wisconsin advises cooling a burn with cool water, not ice, and seeking medical attention.

The checklist

All entertaining guides are collected under backyard entertainment.

Sources

• NFPA: Grilling Safety Facts and Resources
• Seattle Fire Department, Fire Line: Being safe with outdoor heaters and fire pits
• Children’s Wisconsin: Safe Use of Campfires and Fire Pits
• Mecklenburg County, NC: Mosquitoes, tip and toss