Outdoor toys

What are your kiddos favorite outside toys? We have a water/sand table, a mini-wheelbarrow, a little ride-on-car and a push trike. My kiddos will be 3 in July and I would really like to get them balance bikes for their birthday. It just seems so far away and the prospect of warmer, dry weather has me concerned that we are light on outdoor activities that will keep them occupied until then.

Unfortunately, we do not have the room to put in a swing set...the park is about a 10 minute walk which seems much more doable this year.

And FWIW, I also have two raised veggie beds in the backyard. I hope to give them a little space in one of the beds for digging and such...DS loved "helping" me with the gardening last year, so hopefully having their own space will keep them out of my precious veggies

 

I've struggled with finding good outdoor toys for our kids. Part of the problem is that we have no paved surfaces, so push trikes and ride-ons were out. The thing they seem to enjoy the most is just playing with water (so we can really only do it when it's warm) -- hoses, watering cans, buckets, etc.

When it's chilly, mostly we just go to the playground or ride bikes (if there's no snow on the ground). We also have a Step 2 slide/climber which is way too small for them now, but they still seem to enjoy it. They always enjoy being outside more if I'm actively engaged with them -- picking up sticks, investigating which plants are starting to come up, picking dandelions, etc. I wish I could just open the door, give them a push and say "Go play!" but it doesn't seem to work that way, at least not yet.

Anyway, I think getting your kids their own patch of dirt to dig in is a great idea!

 

We have a climber/slide too that we got off of craigslist last summer. I love it. It's a big one that we would not have been able to spring for brand new. The girls love it. It doesn't take up a ton of room either. Other than that, they have bikes, cozy coupes, and sidewalk chalk and bubbles (which they love!). We also have a swimming pool/sprayer thing for when it's hot out.

 

My girls got a see saw from the grandparents a few years ago and they love it! It helps that there are two to play with it Also, a tee with a bat and ball, soccer balls, golf balls and clubs, these types of sports toys have always been a hit outside with my girls. Second the sidewalk chalk and bubbles, these two things alone can keep my girls busy for a while.

 

We mostly have grass so no bike here... Cozy coupe, Step 2 climber, a plastic rocking horse, a couple balls, a couple tricycles (pain to move), the biggest hit last year was the sandbox. We have a water table but they don't seem that entertained by it.

 

ours got balance bikes for Christmas - and they do great on them! we actually keep them inside, and sometimes they ride cirles around the dining room table & couch! my dd is way better at it than my ds... and she'll even over take him on the curves sometimes!

I just planted "mommy's garden"!! and I love the idea of giving them their own spot... hmm great idea!

as for our outdoor toys, we do have room for a swingset/slide so that's great. ours also have the sand/water table which we've just done sand in... I'm thinking I might need some better accessories for that, maybe something that you can pour the water or sand in and it spins a wheel or something...

I don't really have anything to add, we have random balls they play with too.

 

Here is what we have:
Step 2 Playhouse(big hit when it's a bit rainy or
sand/water table combo and just water table(which is their favorite on hot days)
2 coupe cars
2 shopping cats(for accorns, rocks etc.)
balls
2 dustpans and brooms(they love to clean leaves)
basketball hoop
Swing
Slide
Wow seems alot but I am still looking for more just not sure what
Oh forgot to add: scooters and trikes.

 

Don't forget the small things... magnifying glass, small buckets for filling up with dirt, sand toys that can be used in the garden - like a small shovel and rake. We also have a plastic golf set that mine love to use outside.

 

Sticks and dirt!

Seriously, the things that played with the most are not toys. We have a big "dirt box" aka the garden that is used daily by all my kids- running water to make canals, blocking them with logs, etc. Through in a few pieces of pvc pipe, old yogurt containers, etc and you are set for hours of fun. You can make boats, people, towns, etc.

We live adjacent to 250+ acres of conservation land with streams, ponds, old bunkers, etc. The sticks that come back home with us are used as, well, just about everything, and for weeks on end.

For easily purchased items for entertainment- I'd rec a zip-line and a trampoline. We love both of ours and the age range is huge so you certainly get your money's worth. We use our trampoline year 'round- bouncing off huge ice chunks, napping on it in the summer with a breeze coming from underneath, reading books in the fall with the sun on us and of course- jumping and wrestling and being wild!

My 3 year olds have been using the zip line independently since the summer they turned two- climb the ladder, hold on, ride till your feet hit the ground, repeat. Older kids use it for combat and target practice- ie hit the kid on the zip line.