With the weather finally getting to be more summer like, our backyard is in full use again, and today I wanted to share our favorite things to do and toys we use on repeat outdoors. We aim to fill these warmer months with lots of “white space” on the calendar to enjoy the outdoors and love spending time on our deck, in our yard and in the cul de sac. I am trying to give my kiddos the space for lots of unstructured, free play too. It does wonders for the kiddos to be outside in the fresh air, they get to move their bodies and always seem to sleep better at night. When we aren’t at the park, splash pad or other venues, we can usually be found in the yard…so we have a simple collection of toys and resources that could be used over and over again.
I’m still on the hunt for finding a way to store these items, so if you have any ideas- let me know in the comments!
Favorite Outdoor Toys/Supplies
Picnic table // durable and collapses for easy storage
Outdoor pop and play // perfect for Blake to keep him contained when I am doing something with Bryce. You can also add a shade that blocks out sun! Both collapse easily and I can carry with one hand.
Bubble machine (and bubbles!) // the joy that kids have when they see and pop bubbles is top notch! We also got a big bubble maker from a local farmer’s market…it’s legit!
Backyard explorer kit // a great way to get up close with nature
Binoculars // Bryce asked for these for Christmas and loves them to spot birds and other wildlife
Ice pop kit // Love freezer pops? Make your own with this fun kit and make them with yogurt, or juice! A unique gift for a summer birthday too!
Gonge river stones // great for coordination and balance, we use them indoors and outdoors for obstacle courses, baseball bases and other play- the possibilities are endless!
Pop up goal & soccer ball // the former soccer player in me got excited when Bryce expressed interest in soccer- so cute!
Flying hoop // easier to use vs a traditional plastic frisbee and seems to travel so much farther!
Flying airplane // fun to put together and soar through the sky!
Water table // What littles don’t love water?!
Sandbox // Our old neighbors passed this on to us, and it’s a fan favorite…they love using their hands!
Sidewalk chalk // the possibilities are endless!
Recycled containers // I wash out our plastic lunch meat containers and have the boys play with them…Bryce uses them to collect or haul things, or create like “food” in the kitchen using grass, mulch, water/mud to make his signature “fluffy pancakes.”
Scooter & balance bike // we received these as hand-me-downs from friends, so fun for Bryce to get the hang of coordination & balance!
Lawnmower // loves to be like Daddy and mow the lawn…this thing has so many miles on it I lost track!
Ice cream set // I found a similar set like this cheap at our Aldi, and it’s a fan favorite. This is our favorite indoor version– both boys LOVE it.
Favorite Backyard Activities
In addition to the items above, we love to spend time outside doing things like this:
Picnic lunch // nothing better than eating meals outside on a blanket (and just shake out the blanket for easy clean up and a meal for the birds!)
Reading // we love reading books outside on the patio
Crafts // we take our art supplies and do projects outside. Bring on the mess!
Playground fun // my husband (and Bryce) spent last summer making this DIY playground built into our rock wall in the backyard. They had a blast making it and Bryce and his friends love to use it. We have plans to add things to it, like curtains to make the top platform more of a “fort!”
Outdoor scavenger hunt // I saw this idea on Instagram somewhere and loved it- Bryce did too!
Tend the garden // we have a raised box garden that we planted so the boys can learn about where our food comes from. It’s great to see them care for it!
For more ideas, check out my summer bucket list for toddlers!
[…] mornings, meals outside, afternoon popsicles, you name it. This post and posts I wrote here and here are great ideas I keep on hand for fun things to do.I gifted my husband a Traeger smoker as a […]