Favorite Outdoor Toys for Toddlers

[BabyMonkeys]

I have two 24m and a 18m, and need some ideas for things for them to do outside. I have a few large balls and a couple of good size dump trucks for them to push around. All they want to do is pick up sticks and bang them on the tree, which works for me, but I feel like I should give them more options for outdoor fun. Any suggestions?

[Baby Beluga]

Bubbles and chalk are always a hit here. As well as our sandbox.

[Controlled Chaos]

I have things I rotate in and out outside just like inside.
Always Available:
Balls (I tape different shapes and pictures to the fence sometimes and they can practice throwing balls at them)
Trucks in the rock area
Push and ride on toys
Alligator teeter totter
Slide

Rotating Items:
A canvas tunnel (all ages love crawling through it)
Chalk
Tub of paper and crayons
Spray bottles of water and paint for the fence
Giant building blocks
Several large, shallow rubbermades with water and boats and other pouring things.
Bubbles
Plastic animals
Musical instruments

Santa brought our daycare a swing set and I can't wait for the snow to thaw so I can make dh assemble it ::

[Josiegirl]

snow and sleds

Good ideas already, just wanted to add cheap paintbrushes to the water play. If you have a playhouse or old kitchen set, you could get old pots/pans, utensils, loose parts. My dcks's favorite things to do are usually kitchen play outdoors. If you wanted you could bring plastic animals from indoors for outside play. We had a dinosaur world and fairy world this past summer that the kids played with a lot. Do you have a tree for toddler swings? That was definitely a coveted favorite.

[Alwaysgreener]

snow and sleds

Good ideas already, just wanted to add cheap paintbrushes to the water play. If you have a playhouse or old kitchen set, you could get old pots/pans, utensils, loose parts. My dcks's favorite things to do are usually kitchen play outdoors. If you wanted you could bring plastic animals from indoors for outside play. We had a dinosaur world and fairy world this past summer that the kids played with a lot. Do you have a tree for toddler swings? That was definitely a coveted favorite.

I have a good size back yard, dcb (18 months) would walk off with this small things and "lose" them in the grass. How do you prevent this from happening?

[Josiegirl]

I have a good size back yard, dcb (18 months) would walk off with this small things and "lose" them in the grass. How do you prevent this from happening?

Easy answer for me because I have yet to be able to grow grass from a foundation project 3 years ago.
Use the bigger size toys, I've gotten lots of dollar store dinosaurs and zoo animals. Fairies would probably be too small not to lose. Or somehow make a specific space towards the activity. We made a green bean teepee last summer and for some reason that became their primary fairyland.

[Controlled Chaos]

We do a big clean up before going in - "who can bring me the most dinosaurs?!" Etc. they get it pretty cleaned up or put it in a certain area and that's where it lives - crayons don't leave the little picnic table.

[Pepperth]

Rakes and shovels are the favorite here for that age.

[childcaremom]

Lately, the favourites are dinosaurs, kitchen stuff, and bubble containers (they're empty, they just like carrying them around). Now that the snow is here, buckets and shovels, too.

Also, ride on toys and the cube climber.

I have a ton of stuff for outside. It is stored in buckets on the deck (smaller toys must stay on deck) and in large deck storage boxes. It stays outside so I don't care if it gets dirty or wet.

[Baby Beluga]

Lately, the favourites are dinosaurs, kitchen stuff, and bubble containers (they're empty, they just like carrying them around). Now that the snow is here, buckets and shovels, too.

Also, ride on toys and the cube climber.

I have a ton of stuff for outside. It is stored in buckets on the deck (smaller toys must stay on deck) and in large deck storage boxes. It stays outside so I don't care if it gets dirty or wet.

Mine do this too, they pretend the containers are lanterns

[Jo123ABC]

My kids are obsessed with the strollers and lawn mowers. Push toys! They run around constantly with them. They also love cookware. I bought rummage sale serving spoons and small pans as well as toy dishes for outside. They love them! We have wood chips, sand, grass, leaves, pinecones, little wood slices etc readily available for them so they often use these as ingredients for their creations

[flying_babyb]

our hits?
The bubble machine
cheap ride on toys
dollar tree buckets ect.

The kids love to carry random stuff around in buckets.

[Jo123ABC]

tricycles, ride on toy, or Laser Tag Sets and Guns so you can play with your kids.

Huh! Laser tag sounds fun! Never would have thought of that. Mine also love the bubble machine in nicer weather!

[Alwaysgreener]

tricycles, ride on toy, or Laser Tag Sets and Guns so you can play with your kids.

I am all for the right to bare arms but there is no way I would ever let a group of Toddlers play with guns, they need to be taught that guns are not toys. At this age they don't see the color, size or weight difference from the real and toy guns.

Plus if that can't play with it in school, they can't play with it in daycare. Why encourage something that could get them suspended from school?

[Gemma]

I am all for the right to bare arms but there is no way I would ever let a group of Toddlers play with guns, they need to be taught that guns are not toys. At this age they don't see the color, size or weight difference from the real and toy guns.

Plus if that can't play with it in school, they can't play with it in daycare. Why encourage something that could get them suspended from school?

I have to agree with this, after a 6yr old was suspended from Kindergarten, for making a gun out of Legos and pointing it at a classmate.
Zero tolerance at school, means no gun play at my day Care Care