If you have a small yard like we do, finding good summer toys for toddlers to burn off energy can be hard. But, they are out there!
This post is all about our favorite summer toys for toddlers! We’ve had a lot of fun with them and we hope you do too!
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our favorite summer toys for toddlers
1. Battery free bubble guns
For two or three summers in a row, I made the mistake of purchasing bubble machines and fancy battery powered bubble guns. They sounded fun! But, they ended up broken every single summer or the batteries needed changed constantly.
Since buying a friction powered one that doesn’t require batteries and is far more durable to my toddlers’ love of bubbles, I am never going back. We bought ours at TJ Maxx but here is a similar dinosaur bubble gun!
2. A butterfly garden
Feeding, raising, and watching butterflies fly away last year was one of the highlights of our summer. This butterfly garden is so worth it!
3. Chalk stencils
Chalk is one of those classic kid toys that even the parents enjoy. But, since little kids can’t really draw anything yet, my kids always got tired of chalk quickly (even though I wanted to keep playing!)
A grandparent ended up buying my kids chalk stencils last year and they made it so that even my not quite yet two year old could draw with us!
And don’t forget to hop on Pinterest and save these 27 sidewalk chalk games for later!
4. Instant fill water guns
These instant fill water guns have made our family water fights way more fast pace and fun with little kids. We don’t have to constantly stop and help our kids refill their guns. We just put out a bucket or a kiddie pool of water and then our kids stick it under the water for a few seconds and it’s filled. I seriously can’t stop raving about how cool these are to people. My daughter could fill these by herself before she was even two years old and the trigger is really easy to pull for littles as well.
5. Bug Vacuum
My kids love bugs of all kinds. But, I personally don’t prefer actually having to touch the bugs. So, I love bug hunting with their bug vacuum. You just suck them up, detach the spout, and then drop them right into the bug carrier. That’s my kind of bug catching.
Plus, I’ve also started using it to get bugs in the house too!
6. A compact water table
Our Little Tikes Easy Store Water Table was truly one of the best purchases I ever made. We don’t have a lot of space to store outdoor toys at our apartment and this table easily folds up and slides alongside our furniture on our porch. Plus, the two sided design and one side being lower than the other is perfect if you have two kids.
7. Baseball tee & foam ball
We got our Franklin Youth Baseball Tee last summer and it’s been a ton of fun for both my two and four year old. This set also came with a foam bat and ball which has come in clutch several times when my kids weren’t paying attention to where they were swinging. So, if you don’t want a real baseball or bat to the face, I’d definitely recommend a set with a foam bat and balls.
And once again, with storage being a huge thing for us, I love that this baseball tee can easily break down to be put into our small little deck box when we aren’t using it.
8. A flower press
One of my favorite ways to remember each summer is to press flowers with my kids. We’ve been using this microwave flower press for years and have loved it. The flowers dry within a few minutes, which is perfect for kids’ attention span. Plus, it preserves the color extremely well also. So good in fact, that I used it to preserve a friends’ wedding bouquet!
9. Sand box for 2
When I was a first time mom, I made the mistake of buying my toddler a tiny little sandbox to dig in. Not only could he barely fit in it, but there was no chance of his friends getting in with him and we quickly had to get a bigger one when his sister came along.
We’ve now had this Step2 sandbox for a year now and it is truly the perfect size. It gives plenty of space for two or three young kids to play but it is still compact enough that I keep it on my front porch.
10. This mini trampoline
This toddler sized trampoline is the perfect size for two or three toddlers. It gives you the safety of a net just like a full size trampoline and far more bounce than the little individual trampolines. My kids have loved it ever since we got one two years ago. They spent 45 minutes bouncing on it earlier today actually.
11. A small swingset
We have this exact swing set in our yard! It’s extremely easy to put up and take down so we can store it in the winter time and we love that it has three spots for swings. Having the three types of swings is a lot of fun and we also like having the space to switch out the swings for things like monkey bars and climbing ropes.
12. A foam plane (plus a string)
With a simple foam plane I got at Goodwill and some string we had at home, we created a new favorite toy. By simply tying the string on our foam plane, we can now fly it off our porch and reel it back in over and over.
13. A mini soccer goal
Soccer is one of the best sports for young kids and it’s a fun way to connect and play alongside your toddler. A mini soccer goal makes the game a whole lot more fun. Plus, you will wear them out at the same time.
14. Blow up kiddie pool with handles
After throwing out and returning several other kiddie pools, I bought this kiddie pool with handles. It is the perfect size, has a cushioned bottom, and also has handles to help kids get in and out.
15. Giant Tonka dump truck
If you have a little boy, this Tonka dump truck is a must. My son carries around everything from sticks and leaves to rocks to sand to mud in it and loves every minute. He even uses it to help me weed and carry the weeds away. Dump trucks just make everything more fun.
16. A squeegee
Okay not a toy I know… but I had to throw this in here because every mom needs this hack for the summer time.
Last summer at the park, a mom friend of mine pulled a squeegee out of her bag to clean off the slides. I couldn’t believe I’d never thought of that. It’s easy enough to throw in the diaper bag or keep in the car and it works like a charm.
Another mom brought along a squeegee when we went to the park last summer and I was in amazement. Bring a cheap squeegee along with you when you go to the park to quickly clean dew off of all the slides. Easy enough to throw in the diaper bag and works like a charm.
17. Something for picnics
I know…again…not a toy. But, picnics made my kids just as happy as a new toy. So, we’ve used this waterproof picnic blanket A TON!
18. A garden
We started a garden with our toddlers last year and I was honestly in shock how much they loved going out to weed and water plants. With gardening tools just the right size for them, they actually got excited to learn about plants. It got my kids outside, learning something new, and also gave us fresh fruits and veggies to enjoy!
Here are a few of my top tips to actually enjoy gardening with young kids!
19. This Radio Flyer inchworm
I’m sure your kids have had ride on toys, as they are a staple to summer with toddlers. But this Radio Flyer inchworm puts a fun spin on the typical ride on toy. Your kids will have to bounce to move the worm forward!
This post was all about summer toys for toddlers that both you and your kids will love. These out of the box toy ideas will make this summer one to remember.
-Beautifully Busy Mom
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Meet the Author
Hi, I’m Monica! I’m a former teacher turned stay at home mom of three! I started this blog after feeling very lonely at the beginning of my motherhood journey. My goal is that no other moms would feel the way that I felt. So, this blog is filled with free resources, fun activities, and answers to the not so easy questions. That way, you can enjoy the beautiful chaos that is motherhood. Let’s be friends 🙂
