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If gas prices are discouraging you from heading out of town for weekend outings, have fun spending more time just hanging out in the backyard with your kids.

Some of my best childhood memories come from hours spent building forts, playing in boxes and just hanging out with friends and family members at home. The following ideas are from Family Fun magazine:

Clothesline Thea--ter -- This simple theater sets the stage for hours of backyard fun.

1. Use existing clothesline poles or string up two parallel lengths of clothesline 6 feet apart.

2. Paint scenery on a background sheet, or pin on scenery cut from or painted on craft paper -- then use clothespins to attach the sheet to the line farthest from the audience.

3. For the curtains, suspend two sheets from the front clothesline using 1 1/4-inch binder clips hung at 1-foot intervals. The clothesline should go through the clips' triangular centers, allowing kids to slide the curtains open and closed for dramatic effect.

Picnic Game Table -- You and your family will have lots of fun designing this outdoor picnic table together -- and then, year after year, you'll have lots of fun using the game boards you've painted onto the tabletop.

Materials:

• A small, unfinished picnic table
• Pencil and ruler
• Acrylic latex enamel paint
• Paintbrushes
• Polyurethane

1. Using a pencil and ruler, draw your family's favorite game boards on the tabletop. You might want a checkerboard, a backgammon board, letters of the alphabet, etc.

2. Once you are happy with the design, paint it on.

3. Paint designs or family names on the benches if you wish.

4. Protect the table and benches with five coats of polyurethane (a parent's job).

Backyard Ship -- If boredom's got your kids walking the plank, let them turn a refrigerator box on its side and set sail on the waves of their imagination.

Supplies:

• Blue tarp
• Large appliance box
• Blue paint and paintbrushes
• Clothesline and sheet
• Assorted boat props

1. Spread out the tarp and set the box on it, on its side, underneath a clothesline. Open up -- or cut away -- the top of the box (parents can use a utility knife).

2. Paint waves on the boat. Once the paint is dry, clip a sheet sail to the line, assemble some themed props, and it's anchors away!

Fishing trip: Bring a tackle box and wooden dowel fishing rods, construction paper fish and worms!

Pirate ship: Grab bandannas, a stuffed parrot, eye patches, broom oars and a map leading to secret treasure in the backyard.

Racing speedboat: Put on bathing suits, life jackets and goggles, then rev the engine and hold on tight.

Frozen Bananas -- Kids will go bananas for this frozen treat that's healthy to eat.

Ingredients:

• 3 bananas
• 6 ice-cream sticks
• Two 1 1/2 oz. chocolate bars
• 1 tbsp. chopped nuts, crispy rice cereal, granola or shredded coconut (optional)

1. Peel the bananas and remove any stringy fibers. Cut the bananas in half, widthwise, and push an ice-cream stick through the cut end of each half. Cover them in plastic wrap and freeze for about three hours.

2. Place the chocolate bars in a microwave-proof bowl and cook on high for about 2 minutes, or until the chocolate melts. Check after one minute. Stir in the nuts, cereal or coconut.

3. Using a butter knife, spread the chocolate mixture on the frozen bananas to coat them completely. Rest the pops on a plate covered with waxed paper and freeze until ready to serve. Makes 6 pops.

For additional summer ideas, visit http://familyfun.go.com/parties/holiday/minisite/summer-main-ms/ or contact Elisa at the CSU Moffat County Extension Office, 539 Barclay, 824-9180.