It’s starting to get nice outside, so you know what that means – you need to have your outdoor toy situation figured out STAT!
I love it when the weather warms up enough to get the kids outside to play consistently. They just do better when they have a good chunk of time in the great outdoors (by which I mean the driveway). And when the kids do better, mama does better!
Some kids can play outside all day and entertain themselves with only dirt and rocks and sticks, but those are not my kids. We need a stock of outdoor toys to keep them busy. They like to spend five minutes on one toy, then switch to another toy for maybe 10 minutes, then play with a third for three minutes before going back to option number one. We hop from the driveway to the front yard to the back yard and back again in the span of 30 minutes outside, so we need toys strategically placed for easy access to all these places.
After a few years of outdoor play seasons, I have definite opinions on which are the best outdoor toys. I have a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old, so my expertise is confined to what works for toddlers and preschoolers. If you have an older kid, please drop your recommendations for outdoor toys for that age group in the comments. We will all need that intel sooner or later and we appreciate your advice and experience.
Best Outdoor Toys
Toddlers
Preschoolers
Both
Toddlers
Sand table
I know what you’re thinking because I also have a love/hate relationship with the sand table. It makes an absolute mess of your outdoor area and your children, and it just feels kinda gross, especially if you have a neighborhood cat that likes to wander. Despite these definite downsides, though, the sand table is my 2-year-old’s first choice for outdoor play. Every. single. time. Just as it was for her older brother when he was her age. So, I put up with the negatives to give myself 10 minutes to sit down. These might be the only 10 minutes I have to sit down all day.
I do have a few sand table tips to minimize those downsides.
- Get a dedicated sand table that has a cover. Many sand tables are marketed as sand and water tables, which sounds like a ton of fun for small children. But you know what sand and water make? MUD. What’s worse than cleaning up sand? Cleaning up mud. Even if you purchase a sand and water table because that’s what seems to have flooded the marketplace, don’t add water. Keep your water play separate (more on that below).
- Get a push broom and station it nearby. It’s the best way to clean up the inevitable sand that gets everywhere around the sand table.
- Have baby powder handy to remove the copious amount of sand from your children’s bodies. Sprinkle a little on the stuck-on sand, wipe it off, and voila! Your kid can now come inside without tracking sand all over your floors.
Slide
Man, I was late to the game on the cheap plastic slide, and boy do I regret it. As soon as we bought the slide it was an instant hit in our house. It lives in our garage and every time we go out to get in the car, my daughter asks if it’s time to slide. She loves it!
It’s also an insanely versatile toy. We most often use it just in the grass as a regular old slide, but it also sees action when we get the slip n slide out on the hottest days (more on that below). You can also clean it and bring it inside when the weather isn’t cooperating for outdoor play. Pop it on the carpet for regular fun or have it end in the ball pit to be the cool mom. You’re welcome.
Cozy Coupe
The Cozy Coupe is a classic for a reason. I had one as a kid, and I’m sure you did too. It was one of my favorites and now it has been a favorite of both of my kids.
My son got our Cozy Coupe for Christmas when he had just turned one. It was a miserable Christmas that year. Both my son and I had COVID (pre-vaccine), my husband was wearing a gas mask to protect himself from getting COVID, and we were quarantined. The Cozy Coupe brough the joy we all needed that Christmas. My son hopped in and my husband and I took turns pushing him around the house. Round and around we went all day long.
Since then, it has continued to bring joy to our family, but mostly outdoor joy. My daughter joyfully shrieks “my car!” every time we get it out and my son still tries to squeeze himself in it to take a spin down the driveway. You definitely get your money’s worth out of the Cozy Coupe. Just make sure to watch a YouTube video when you put it together. My poor husband had to take it apart and put it back together because he realized at the end that he had put the wheels on wrong. A rookie mistake we won’t make again!
Lawn mower
When my now-preschooler was a toddler, he had to “cut the grass” every day, warm or cold, rain or shine. This meant he had to take his toy lawn mower and “mow” the driveway and/or the walkway. It became an obsession that would occupy him for quite a bit of time every day. He has since grown out of this need to cut the grass every day, but his sister is slowly starting to become enamored with the lawn mower.
Preschoolers
Lawn equipment
My 4-year-old’s obsession with the toy lawn mower hasn’t really gone away. It has just transferred to other lawn equipment, most notably the leaf blower and weed whacker. He loves his dad’s full-size equipment, and hauls around the leaf blower like a champ until the engine is actually on. Because it’s unsafe and impractical for his 4-year-old self to use the regular leaf blower and weed whacker, he has kid versions that he uses. He was so excited when he got his leaf blower that he tried to go to bed with it. And his weed whacker is almost like another appendage. He even asked for safety glasses, which I happily bought him.
These toys are really instilling in my son a love of yard work, though, so I’m hoping that pays off in a decade or so when I actually want him to do yard work. I won’t hold my breath, but a girl can dream.
Gardening tools
Let’s keep it going with the yard work theme and talk about gardening tools. My son has been into gardening tools for a few years now (and his sister is following in his footsteps). He has a little plastic wheelbarrow that he wheels around the yard doing various tasks. If a storm rolls through and leaves sticks in the yard, he’s the man for the task. Need a hole dug to plant some flowers? He insists. Weeds are no match for my 4-year-old gardener. The only drawback to this outdoor toy is that we have a hard time keeping the mulch looking nice because it’s constantly being carted from here to there.
Sports equipment
If my 4-year-old isn’t doing pretend yard work, he’s playing a sport. Hockey, golf, baseball, basketball, tennis, soccer – whatever the sport, he’s up for playing it. I see travel sports in our future.
Scooter
What is it about scooters? Kids love scooters! My son zips up and down the driveway on his little Radio Flyer. He even stops occasionally and lets his sister have a turn, which is just about the cutest thing. He helps set her up on the scooter, gives her a little push, and then away she goes into the grass for a crash landing. Don’t forget the helmets!
Both
Balls
Balls are a no-brainer outdoor toy for kids and adults alike. I suggest a variety of balls – small ones and big ones, firm ones and squishy ones. And of course, make sure you have the appropriate balls for all the sports your kids want to play!
Bubbles
Who doesn’t love bubbles? I’m pushing 40 and I still love to play with bubbles, so it’s no surprise that toddlers and preschoolers are enthralled with bubbles too. Over the years, I have tried all sorts of bubble delivery devices. Some of them are absolutely terrible, but I’ve found some that are really great. Stick to these:
- Fubbles No-Spill Tumbler – When they say no-spill, they mean it! Each of my kids has one of these handheld bubble containers and we just refill them. No other individual bubble containers needed!
- Bubble machine – When we have other kids over to play, or even if it’s a random Saturday afternoon on the patio, we bust out the bubble machine. It just puts the kids (and the adults) in a better mood.
- Bubble bucket – If you have more than one kid or if you have other kids over to play on the regular, you need a bubble bucket. My sister-in-law gets the credit for discovering this ingenious device to nip fighting in the bud.
- Bubble guns – So I kind of hate these, but my kids love them, so I’m adding them to the list. They get a real kick out of shooting bubbles at one another. You’d think they would get mad getting soap directed in their eyes, but they giggle and shriek and ask for more. Warning: this is for outdoor use only. The bubble guns aren’t exactly leak-proof.
Sidewalk chalk
A few weeks ago, we had all the kids over and they were playing outside in the backyard. I was inside finishing the meal, and my mother-in-law peeked her head in the back door and asked if I had any sidewalk chalk. I laughed and told her she asked the wrong question. The better question was where was my sidewalk chalk.
Every household that includes kids or could have kids visit on a semi-regular basis should have a stock of sidewalk chalk. All kids love to scribble and draw with sidewalk chalk. I am not an artist by any stretch of the imagination and I still loved drawing with sidewalk chalk as a kid.
Sidewalk chalk, as wonderful as it is, does have some challenges, though nothing we can’t overcome. Most notably, sidewalk chalk breaks easily and gets everywhere. To lessen the impact of it breaking by looking at it, find a big vessel to contain all the sidewalk chalk. It’s easier to keep track of the tiny pieces in a bucket than in the package in which it is sold. My sister-in-law gets extra points for storing their sidewalk chalk in the bed of a giant toy dump truck. As for the mess it makes, bring a damp dishrag out with you for wiping hands, faces, and anything else that gets a little colorful.
Water
I’m sure you’ve heard that adding water can turn around even the crankiest kids. This is especially true when the weather is warm and you can add water and sunshine.
My kids love water play! They really enjoy when we get out the slip n slide or the splash pad and get in our bathing suits, but this isn’t always feasible. Good thing they’re just as happy with the hose or a dish tub filled with water. Make sure you have towels and extra clothes readily available no matter which water option you choose – they will get soaked!
I hope you’re enjoying the start of the warmer season. Grab some of these outdoor toys and head outside!