[TimJFowler]

How about Native Grasses?

Find a local nursery that specializes in plants that are native to your area and they should be able to tell you what grasses are available for planting.

I've planted a blue grama and buffalo grass lawn which are both native short prairie grasses in my area. It took a while for the lawn to establish as I started from grass seed and I (deliberately) don't water the lawn very much. I'm also looking at seeding in a few more varieties of native grasses to hopefully create a more resilient, prairie-like yard.

The mixed wildflowers are also a great idea - but I doubt they'd stand up well to wiffle ball games and active use. Probably better to use wildflowers in beds where they are away from foot traffic.

What kind of trees do you have around the house? If you don't have any fruit or nut trees, having a landscape that produces food is pretty great. Otherwise, I again recommend native trees - less care, less maintenance, and they can be quite unique in the usual suburban landscape.

FWIW,
Tim