Are you ready to get the kids back outside to play? I sure am!!! I’ve been kicking the kids outside on every nice afternoon. After a long winter, every mom is ready to get the kids out of the house, but sometimes they need a bit of encouragement. If you’re looking for some new gadgets and gizmos for the kids, you’re in the right place—consider these outdoor toys to keep your kids entertained this summer.
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Gardening Tools
Do you have a child or children who enjoy playing in the mud? Purchase a kid-size gardening set so they can learn while having fun. This is one of my four-year-old’s favourite outdoor toys right now. When I say I need to do some yardwork, he’s very excited to “help” me! He has his own set of kid-size gardening gloves and comes along to help trim the bushes, mow the lawn, or pull up the weeds along the driveway.
You can also have the kids help you plant different flowers or a vegetable garden, and teach them how to water their plants and dig properly in the dirt. Your kids will love getting their hands dirty while developing fine motor skills. Joey was super excited to help plant our gardens and now enjoys checking on how the plants are growing.
Water Beads
Water beads are a huge hit in my house! They’re great for sensory play in a water table or large plastic container, or you can go big and fill up a kiddie pool. The kids will love splashing around with the water beads all day. They can squish them between their toes, lay in the beads, and enjoy the fresh air.
Electric Ride-On Toys
Most kids beg for these when they see one being used by other children or on display at the store. There are so many ways kids can use these incredible outdoor toys—set up obstacle courses, go on a treasure hunt, have races, and more! If you’re new to the electric ride-on toy world, ensure you know how to use and care for the new toy safely.
Stepping Stones
Do your kids love to pretend the floor is lava? Take the game outside with stepping stones! Set the stones up around the backyard and watch your kids leap from stone to stone. If your child enjoys doing crafts, there are many stepping stone kits that will let them make and personalize their own stepping stones for the yard or garden.
You can use these to create other obstacle courses around the yard or use them indoors when the weather is less than ideal. Find stones that have non-slip rubber edges so they will stay in place on virtually any surface.
Outdoor Swing
All kids love swinging. It’s not only fun, but swinging has many benefits for children, from sensory to neurological to calming when they are stressed or anxious. You don’t need a big backyard to install a swing set for your kids. At our condo (where the yard was shared and we couldn’t have any permanent outdoor toys), we had a large basket-style swing that we could hang over a tree branch (and then bring inside when the kids were done playing).
If the kids weren’t swinging in it, it also made a great place to sit and read a book.
Sidewalk Chalk
Sidewalk chalk is a simple but popular outdoor toy here. I stock up on boxes every spring (or every fall when its on sale). All you need is some chalk and a space to draw and your kids are entertained for hours. On rainy days, I’ve pulled my truck out of the carport so that they can draw on the cement floor there.
Now that the weather is nice, my four-year-old has made a huge map on the deck so he can drive his trucks around there. His older sisters have used the sidewalk chalk to decorate their little play house or to write signs for each other on wooden stakes and blocks around the yard.
Wooden Playhouse
A wooden playset or playhouse is pricey, but it’s an investment worth making for your backyard. Think of the imaginations your children will develop using the playhouse. Your kids will be able to use this for many years, and most are large enough to accommodate several children, so the neighborhood kids will love using it, too.
They can play house, restaurant, hotel, school, or any scenario their little hearts desire. These playhouses have various price points based on size and features, so you can shop around for the perfect fit. Don’t forget to check secondhand and used websites, as many people will sell their playhouses once the kids have outgrown them.
It can be challenging as a stay-at-home mom to find new and exciting things for your kids to enjoy. Try out these fantastic toys to keep your kids entertained and create long-lasting memories this summer. You don’t have to go far to have fun!
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