Best Outdoor Toys for Kids (from Toddlers to School Age)

Playhouses ignite children’s creativity by providing them with a versatile play space with endless possibilities. 

Kids have great imaginations and will transform their playhouse into anything from a castle to a spaceship or even a mini science lab for outdoor experiments. Plus, it gives kids a space of their own where they can hide out and enjoy some independence.

There are so many different types of playhouses out there from classic DIY jobs to full-on luxury castles. So if you want to make it extra special, try to pick a playhouse that is unique to your child’s interests, you can always give it a DIY makeover when they get older.

Whether your kids are 2,3,4 or even older, there is a huge variety of ride-on and push-along toys that are a super fun outdoor activity for kids. 

Basic push-along cars are a great start for little ones who want to get a taste of having their own wheels, but if you’re looking to win parent of the year, kids always love electric ride-on cars.

Alternatively, if your youngster loves to help you with your daily tasks indoors like vacuuming, they might like a toy lawnmower so they can pretend to help you in the garden too. 

Another great way to let your kid’s imagination run wild while also allowing them the space to get a little messy is to give them a mud kitchen. 

These play kitchens generally have pots, pans, utensils, a sturdy workstation, and most importantly a sink, so little ones can mix potions or create “delicious” meals with nature’s products. 

It’s a great way for them to learn about measurements, get creative and just generally enjoy being allowed to play with mud without consequence.

For something a little more physical, trampolines offer endless hours of fun and certainly help to tire out high-energy kids. There’s a reason trampolines have been a staple outdoor toy for many generations! 

Not only are trampolines a super fun way to do some exercise, but they also help improve coordination and balance in kids. Even toddlers can start bouncing at a pretty young age on mini trampolines.

And of course, there are plenty of games that kids can play together on trampolines like ‘crack the egg’ or follow-the-leader which adds a social and competitive element to the fun.

One more staple outdoor toy that has provided years of fun for many generations is the simple swing. These days there are a tonne of different options from tire swings to swing sets and baby swings or hammocks, so you can easily find something to suit your space. 

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how fun swings are, but there are physical benefits too. Most swings require a certain amount of balance and coordination, plus it’s quite the workout for youngsters who want to kick higher and higher with every swing! 

If your kids already like playing with toy cars indoors, getting them an all-terrain remote control car that can go almost anywhere is a guaranteed way to get them to spend more time outdoors. 

These cars can tackle various outdoor landscapes like sand, mud, grass, and even rocky surfaces making them an exciting toy for adventurous kids. 

Learning how to manage the car through all these different challenges also encourages problem-solving and hand-eye coordination in kids. Once they have mastered the basics, try setting up obstacle courses or races to turn playtime into an educational experience that enhances critical thinking and social interaction.

Stomp Rockets combine a little science lesson with the simple fun of seeing how high you can make it fly. After it’s set up, all you have to do is stomp on the air pad and see how high your rocket will launch. 

The amount of force you use to stomp will directly affect how high it goes which teaches kids a little about aerodynamics in a simple way while also linking effort to outcome. 

To make it a little more challenging you can have competitions, set goals or try different variables to find the best way to launch your rocket. 

For some magical outdoor fun, bubble makers enchant kids by turning soap into colorful, floating bubbles, promoting sensory play and hand-eye coordination. 

Bubble wands are great if your child likes trying different things to create their own shapes, and solving problems to create the biggest bubbles. 

Alternatively, bubble guns produce huge quantities of bubbles which are truly a magical sight and why they make the best outdoor toys for kids.

This simple joy encourages them to chase and pop bubbles, blending fun with physical activity.

Backyard games are fun for all ages, even adults! The great thing about it is that there is such a huge variety of games designed for the outdoors so you can try a jumbo version of a game your kids already love like Jenga, or find a new family favourite. 

Beanbag toss, croquet, and ball catch games are all great classics that your kids are sure to love, but if you’re looking for something a little more inventive you can find anything from kids’ archery sets to basketball hoops. 

Last but not least, a simple piece of chalk can give your kids hours of outdoor fun. Drawing on the sidewalk feels a little like drawing on the walls where the world is your canvas, but this one is allowed!

Since chalk easily dissolves with water, your kids can draw to their heart’s content and simply wash it all down when they’re ready for a clean slate. If you don’t want them drawing on the sidewalk, you can also get them an outdoor art easel.

Sidewalk chalk can also be used to create more fun games like hopscotch or racing tracks which opens an even bigger world of outdoor play.