If he is on the front porch behaving himself with you, I would continue to allow him to be there. And if you see him start to react, you have the perfect opportunity to correct the behavior.
Since you have alot of kids and ball games going on, I would also make it a habit to walk the dog during some of these times. Stop to say hello and allow the dog to see that kids and playing is normal in his world. He may even get a few scritches along the way!
When I garden, I leash the dog and allow him to lay or sniff near me. Bring something for him to chew or play with so he is not digging in your dirt.
It sounds like your dog is frustrated and gets his way when you walk back to him each time he behaves this way. Happy training!