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I love being outside and getting my kids outside as well. I am a big fan of yard toys as well. Mainly because I enjoy games and exploration, and yard toys can help pass the time in fun ways. Some days we are more about playing in the dirt and what nature gives us, and other days we are all about games, water play, and activities. So today I’m going to share some of our favorite yard toys!
Yard Games
Jacobs Ladder
Such a fun tossing game that can be used by people young and old. My kids love practicing their aim, playing with friends and family, and using the parts for their own imaginative play as well.
Croquet
My kids haven’t mastered this game by any means since they are only 2 and 4, but it’s still a fun game to bring out here and there. They love trying to hit the boll through the hoops. It can get frustrating for them, but it’s a great way to learn about trying and improving.
Water Play
Water Tables
We LOVE water tables at our house. We originally got the Step2 Duck Pond Water Table as a gift when my oldest was about 18 months. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but it became a huge hit. Last year I upgraded to the Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table and the boys are in love. They will play for hours. Exploring, pouring, cleaning toys, splashing, and getting drenched. I know some people don’t like their kids getting wet and dirty, but we are all about it at our house.
Splash Mats
This is another great water toy. My boys LOVED ours, and I even wrote a post about it all on it’s own. Our first one, the BANZAI 54In-Diameter Sprinkle & Splash Play Mat, was left out in the elements during Winter and was never the same. Then last year we were gifted the 68in-Diameter Sprinkle and Splash Play Mat, and had a blast! Sadly, my 2 year old did not believe me last year when I said it would pop from too much pressure. He was too interested in his newly found ability to turn the water up and down to care. But it is STILL a house favorite. A word of warning, it can be slippery, so we usually wore water socks while using it.
Play Sets
Swings, Swings, and MORE Swings
Swings. What’s not to love?! We had a baby swing with the boys were small, we have a few regular swings as well, but our current obsessions are Web Swings. We have a black, foam lined one, and a teal, rope lined one. The rope lined one handles bums and bangs from the swing set better than the foam. It is also rated for up to 600 lbs, so it holds multiple people, including adults, very well. I love laying on it, swinging, and watching the sky sway past.
We also recently put up our cocoon swing that we got over a year ago. I simply kept forgetting to hang it. We don’t have a tree branch strong enough to hold it, so I just attached it to the swing set. They boys love it as well. They are often suggested for children with sensory issues, and can be used indoors as well. Assuming that you want to place the appropriate anchor into a ceiling somewhere. I think it would be fun to have them in their room when they get a bit older.
Forts
This one is always a wavering favorite for me. I love the idea, but also hate the idea of dealing with things that want to make forts and houses their homes. Also, some days my boys are all about them, and some days they hardly notice them. I will say that the play set that my husband and his father built, is truly a favorite of my boys. They may not always play with it, but they call it their pirate ship and they sail the seven seas with each other and friends.
Slides
Another love/hate relationship. Well, I mean I LOVED slides as a kid. We played so many silly games all centered around slides, specifically the spiral ones. My kids, however, have gone back and forth between loving slides and hating them. Both boys loved slides and went zooming down them without a care in the world until they each simply stopped. Not at the same time, just at some point they both became scared. Then my oldest got over it and loved them, then suddenly hated them again. More recently they went down some “water” slides at a kiddie pool area and were fine. Now they are back to loving their slides and going up and down over and over again. Who knows. So if your kid currently hates slides…there is hope!
Also, side note, I am the mom that lets her kids climb UP slides. I only recently started realizing that some moms highly frown upon that. I DID NOT know that. So interesting. My kids climbed up slides before sliding down them. I always thought it was a great ability. I also encourage them to learn to climb trees. So maybe I’m a weird mom?!
Yard Toys for Exploration
Buckets
Buckets! We love buckets. We have small metal ones, and plastic collapsable ones as well. They are so handy for carrying toys, collecting nature treasures, filling with dirt and water, and more. I love having buckets around for just about everything! They are the perfect multifunctional yard toy.
Watering Can
Watering cans make awesome yard toys as well. Between water play, our vegetable garden, our flowers, and simply watching the water pour out, they are used a lot. I’ve more recently switched over to cheap ones found online or in garden stores. Mainly because they get used a lot, as well as beat up a lot, so I’ve had a lot of “nicer” ones get broken pretty fast. Simple and cheap is just fine.
Spyglass Telescope
This guy comes in handy for the pirate ship. I mean you have to watch out for land, and icebergs and the like. I have a very serious pirate captain. He loves his telescope. His younger brother often uses it as a weapon though, so fair warning!
Binoculars
This is another one of our favorite yard toys. It came before the telescope, but is still a favorite for bird watching, sailing the seven seas, and just making people look funny for a laugh.
Nets (Large/Small)
Our nets, though often used as weapons like just about everything else my kids touch, are another great way to carry things outside. My youngest uses butterfly nets like a hobo bag to carry his toys around. My oldest likes to use them as a makeshift slingshot. They both like to try to catch things with them as well. You know, their INTENDED purpose.
Found Objects as Yard Toys
Rocks
My boys love rocks. They throw them (yay!), collect them, make patterns, count them, build with them, and more.
Sticks
Sticks are the best toy ever! They are swords, they build forts, they are magic wands, shovels, markers, and more. My kids love sticks.
Dirt/Mud
Some may not agree with me on this, but we love dirt and mud. I am often battling against my inner voice telling me to follow the HOA rules. I can’t wait to one day be on our own land, HOA free, letting the boys tear up a sot of their own. I grew up playing on a giant mound of dirt at my neighbor’s house, so dirt is a favorite for me. When we tore out some beds last year the boys had a couple mud spots while we waited to reseed. They LOVED it. This year I filled a play table with dirt and rocks for them to dig, play, and explore.
Flowers/Acorns/Leaves
Flowers are great for smelling, discussing, decorating, weaving, and more. Sometimes I plant flowers specifically for playing purposes. Having a rainbow of colors in your yard is always inviting as well. We love to collect acorns for counting and pretend play. We share leaves, pile leaves and toss them around, and more. There are so many fun things in nature to use as “yard toys.”
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