Warmer weather is approaching which means more opportunities for outside play with our little ones. I believe outside play is good for so many reasons, but that’s a post for another time. Today, I thought I’d share some of our favorite toys for outside play. We currently have a three year old and one year old and I’m looking forward to spending many hours outside this year.
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Water Table
Water play is a lot of fun when the weather turns hot. I’ve found that my kids can play in water for quite some time. It doesn’t even take much – just a little water and a cup can go a long way. One of the items we’ll be purchasing this year is a new water table because our other one has lived it’s life. I’ve shared the one I’m looking at below. It comes highly recommended and we’ve played with it at a children’s museum in the past.
Slide
We got our slide when Toddler Fox was just 10 months old. It was one of his first Christmas gifts. Two years later and it’s still going strong. We bring it inside during the winter months and take it back out when the weather warms up. It’s been used as a slide, ramp, and so many other things. When you click on the picture below, you’ll go to the page for the slide we own and love.
Wagon
Our wagon is another item that we’ve owned for quite a while. It was a first birthday gift for our toddler. If I’m being honest, we actually have two wagons. We have a soft sided one that folds up for outings and a hard one with rugged wheels that we use outside on the grass. Below, you’ll find the one we use outside. The boys love riding in it and pulling it around the yard. It’s also helpful if you need to transport things to another section of the yard.
Ride On Toys
There are many different variations for ride on toys. We have two big wheels for the boys and I’m curious to see if our toddler can finally touch the pedals. They were given as gifts and have been quite the hit. You could also have a cozy coupe (linked below) or tricycle available for your little one. I remember using ride on toys to create many make believe situations as a kid.
Pool
I mentioned above that kids love water play. Our toddler enjoys having a pool to hop into on a hot day. One of our dogs even hops in with him and he thinks it’s hilarious. We have small pools that can be set up and taken down easily. It doesn’t take much water to entertain the little ones! I’m sharing a very basic one below but you can definitely find pools of all shapes and sizes to fit your needs!
Basketball Hoop
My kids love balls so we’ve found having an adjustable basketball hoop to be a good fit. You can find hoops in a variety of shapes and sizes. They are a great way for your little one to work on their gross motor skills and their hand/eye coordination. I’ve linked our favorite one below. It’s lightweight and we actually keep it in the garage and pull it out when it’s time to play.
Tee Ball Set
This was a popular toy for us last year. In fact, we need to get a new set because one of our dogs thought it looked like a fun chew toy. Our toddler loved hitting balls across the yard. This is another toy that works on hand/eye coordination at a young age.
Cars and Trucks
My boys have been loving vehicles lately. We have quite a few different ones inside so I’ve put a few aside to make into outside toys. I think they’ll have fun taking them through the grass and dirt this year.
Sand Toys
I labelled these as sand toys, but what I really mean are a bucket and shovels. I recommend buying an inexpensive beach toy set and keeping it around the house for play purposes. Kids love digging with shovels and carrying things around in a bucket.
Bubbles
Bubbles were a big hit last year! I even found a tiny bubble machines at Dollar Tree and my toddler loved popping the bubbles. With two active little ones, I might need to get a bigger machine this year!
Chalk
Chalk tends to be a hit with kids of most ages. It has a lot of potential from drawing to spelling words to playing games. I try to keep a set of sidewalk chalk around for outside play. It’s a great item to have out if you’re going to have kids of many different ages playing at once. (Just make sure you supervise if you have a mouthy little one!)
These are the toys that make the top of your list but this list certainly isn’t complete. I’m sure we’ll be adding toys to the list for years to come. In fact, I’d love to know what outdoor toys are popular with your little ones. Maybe you can give me some new ideas for this summer!
