The Best Outdoor Toys for Summer
Summer is here and that means it’s time to spend lots of time outside with your family! We’ve collected some of our favorite outdoor toys for summer to help your family unplug this summer and have some fun!
My goal this summer is to get my kids to turn off the electronics and get out in the sunshine. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we can have some fun playing together as a family. You could make your own summer toys (like these DIY Pool Noodle Swords) or find some great options below.
I have some amazing memories of summers growing up and most of those involve being out on the lake or exploring the woods around my house. I want my kids to have the same experience and providing them with some great outdoor toys to get them outside and having fun is the best way I know how to start creating those memories.
Best Outdoor Toys for 8-10 Year Olds
Best Outdoor Summer Fun – The Stomp Rocket!
One of our all-time favorite outdoor toys is the Stomp Rocket. We take this everywhere from the beach, the park, or even just our own backyard. They have several versions you can choose from. Our favorite is the Ultra because it goes so high, but if you have younger kids, you may want to go for the Stomp Rocket Jr. (it even glows in the dark).
Bubbles are always a hit. My kids love making giant bubbles (check out our recipe here). You’ll need a giant bubble wand
Outdoor Gardening Kit for Kids
Have a budding gardener on your hands? This gardening toolkit for kids is perfect to get them started. One of my kids loves to garden and, now that he’s a bit older, it’s actually a huge help to me since he loves to help in the yard. For bigger kids, this garden tools set is the way to go.
Make Outdoor Fun More Exciting with Walkie Talkies
Forget the cell phones. These Walkie Talkies will keep your kids busy (and talking to each other) all summer. The sound quality on these is fantastic and they are perfect for smaller hands. Older kids may like these rechargeable walkie-talkies with an older look.
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This toy may require a bit of adult supervision but if you have older kids or teens, this will keep them entertained all summer (and beyond). The Holy Stone Mini Drone is the perfect entry level drone for kids. This has gesture controls so kids can use hand motions to control it. My husband has used this with his engineering students and it is a great drone at an affordable price point. It’s a great option for kids who are interested in learning how to flye drones.
If you want a mini-drone that requires a bit more skill, this one may be a good option.
Check out our full list of the best drones for kids here.
Old Fashioned Outdoor Fun for Kids with Kites!
Want to fly a kite? With so many high tech entertainment options, most kids have never flown a kite. There are some really fun options out there. This kite is easy for kids to use so it is perfect for beginners. These butterfly kites come in a pack of two and are adorable.
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If you have a balcony, my kids LOVE these tangle free parachute guys. We buy a few every summer.
They are a blast to use off the side of a deck or even a short bridge that gives you access to the lower level. The best part is, these ones don’t get tangled up like the ones that we had as kids!
Creepy Crawly Outdoor Fun with a Bug Vacuum
Any bug lovers? This bug vacuum can keep kids busy for hours. The best part is you don’t actually have to touch the bugs.
My boys had one of these when they were little and it was one of the most popular outdoor toys we owned. I loved it because they were always willing to reposition any indoor bugs into the wild outdoors for me without complaining.
Outdoor Games for Kids – Ball Toss Game
This Toss and Catch Game has been around for years but it is a classic for a reason. This is perfect for backyard parties or just playing with friends.
Kids love the simple game play and it is a great way to keep kids active during the summer. You can use this to play a simple game of catch or make up other game play to change things up if you want to get more creative!
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Best Outdoor Toys for Toddlers
Washable Sidewalk Paint and Brushes for Outdoor Summer Fun
If you want to get your hands dirty a bit, this washable sidewalk chalk paint (with foam brushes) would keep kids busy for hours. If you want to stick with regular sidewalk chalk, this combo pack gives you enough chalk and colors to last the whole summer.
Four-Way Play Tunnel – Best Outdoor Toy for Toddlers
If your kids like to get some energy out, this 4-way play tunnel is perfect (and can be brought inside for the winter months).
We had a version of these when my kids were little and it was their absolute favorite outdoor toy. We got so much use out of it when they were little!
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If you have a sandbox, these sand toys are adorable. Even if you don’t, fill a plastic container with sand and set it on your patio.
I love that there are so many play options with this set. Bury the dinosaur bones, pleay with the trucks, build a castle. This could seriously keep a toddler busy all day long in a backyard sandbox!
Best Outdoor Toys for Toddlers – Bubble Mower
For younger kids, this bubble mower is always a huge hit. Kids love to pretend to do whatever big job their parents are doing and this bubble mower looks nearly like the real thing with one very fun addition … bubbles come out of the top when you push it. This creates some very fun backyard play for toddlers and gives mom a very well deserved summertime break.
Outdoor Water Play
Water play is the BEST, especially when the temperatures reach over 110 degrees like they do at my house during the summer months. You definitely have to be careful with kids around water (as we learned after my daughter’s near-drowning) but water play can be so much fun.
Take running through the sprinklers to a new level with this cute flower sprinkler toy. You can really change things up with this beach ball sprinkler. How much fun is that?
Turn your backyard into a water park with the Banzai Slide ‘N Soak Splash Park. We bought this for my kids this year and it has already been so much fun for them. It’s easy to set up and we find that we pop it up every few days to enjoy a fun backyard water party.
This Grand Slam Baseball Water Slide would be a blast for kids to play with friends and is a fun variation on the traditional Slip ‘n Slide. For something a bit different, this Slide ‘N Splash Bowling water slide looks like a lot of fun.
Water balloons can be a pain to fill but with these water balloon bombs you can fill 100 of them in just one minute. We’ve used these many times before and they are always a huge hit.
My younger kids always enjoy playing in a water table. This Little Tikes Water Table has all kinds of things to play with and is a great price.
Nothing says summer more than water guns and this super soaker can shoot 8-10m away! If you want something a bit different, these water canon blasters are perfect for the pool or just some fun in the backyard.
Have you tried water beads? These are so much fun. You could fill a paddling pool or sensory table with them for some fun water play! They even make them in a larger size. Fun!
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Outdoor Games
There are so many great outdoor games to choose from. I’ve found that choosing games for older kids and teens gets a bit trickier, but we’ve found some great options for kids of all ages.
My older boys love playing Spikeball. The nice thing is it is portable so you can take it camping, to the beach, or to the park too.
This giant inflatable bowling game would be fun to play as a family. I love how big they are! If you want something more traditional, this classic lawn bowling set is perfect.
Everyone has played this classic toss and stick ball game before. It never gets old. If you want a good laugh, this Flickn’ Chicken game is hilarious (and sure to be a hit with kids).
I LOVED Jenga growing up and this Giant Jenga would be a blast played at your next backyard BBQ. Speaking of party games, this washer toss is a classic and always great when you are entertaining a crowd. This outdoor ladder toss would be a lot of fun too. For older kids or adults, horseshoes is always fun.
If you like croquet, this wooden animal croquet game is adorable. Older kids and adults might prefer this deluxe croquet set.
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I got my kids those water balloon bombs and they absolutely love it! We’re getting a water slide this weekend too!
Lots of fun toys in here. Definitely going to try out a couple of them.
Thanks for sharing
These are all great but some of my favorite outdoor toys are simple – like a kickball. They can be great for imaginative play all while keeping kids active.
You’re completely right when you say that the DJI Spark is great for children, however will 100% require adult supervision. Although small and cute looking, the drone can actually reach pretty fast top speeds, put that together with a child and 4 propellers and anything can happen! Having said that I definitely think it’s a great way to entertain and bond with your kids as it does make for endless hours of fun! (if you’ve got enough battery)
Thanks for the article!