Inside: A unique round-up of outdoor toys for kids that are recommended by MOMS and DADS. Wide range of backyard toys that get the kids outside and off tech! Affiliate links included for your convenience. If you make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
It’s getting harder and harder to motivate kids to get outside these days. With the competing demands of apps, video games and more kids staying inside, it can feel like a huge battle to get the kids to play outdoors.
It’s getting harder and harder to motivate kids to get outside these days. With the competing demands of apps, video games and more kids staying inside, it can feel like a huge battle to get the kids to play outdoors.
But here’s the thing.
Getting the kids outside is imperative to their neurological development.
If you read my post about why kids won’t listen, then you know that in order for kids to listen, focus and learn to sit still for a period of time, they must develop both proprioception and vestibular sense by experiencing many physical challenges during childhood.
Proprioception is what tells you where your body parts are without having to look at them. This is the sense that helps you make sense of gravity. It’s the reason you can switch from the gas pedal to the brake without looking at your feet, or bring popcorn to your mouth without taking your eyes off the movie screen. Without properly developed proprioception, kids can push too hard during tag, fall out their seat at the dinner table, or trip while walking up stairs.
Vestibular sense provides information about where the body is in relation to its surroundings. This is the sense that helps you understand balance, and it connects with all the other senses. Without a strong vestibular sense, kids will have no choice but to fidget, get frustrated, experience more falls and aggression, get too close to people when talking, and struggle with focusing and listening. Because they literally cannot help it.
Outdoor toys for kids are an amazing way to support your kiddos neurological development.
These are some of our favorite outside toys to get the kids BEGGING to go in the backyard and play. They will not want to come in. I promise!
1. Ninja Warrior Obstacle Training Course for Kids
The most versatile and customizable ninja warrior course there is! Enclosed is a unique assortment of the standard accessories, plus new and exciting accessories, including: extra long monkey bar, spinning wheel, climbing ladder, and ninja rings. And this one is cheaper than you’ll find on other sites.
2. Slackers Ninjaline Wheel
Add this to your Ninjaline for an extra challenge. Combines with the outdoor ninjaline above. Includes 10 inch heavy duty nylon rope and safety Delta carabineer.
3. Stomp Rocket Stunt Planes
Run, jump and stomp to launch stunt Planes; 100% kid-powered, no batteries required. Includes three different Planes (Looper, glider and Wildcat) designed by aeronautical engineers to perform a variety of amazing stunts. Looper plane performs giant loops, glider plane soars up to 100 feet and Wildcat plane does all kinds of crazy tricks that the kids love!
4. Ball Pit
This is a bright and vibrant ball pit playhouse obstacle course playset. There’s a cool target wall (3 dart balls included) that makes it fun for the kids to play with. Kids can customize the many different combination maze options, keeping this playset fun and exciting! Works indoors and outdoors.
5. Sand Table, Water Table or Both.
Sand or water tables provide several learning benefits to the developing child. They are primarily used for sensory play, but they can also be used for science projects, and pretend or imaginative play. The best thing about sand and water tables is that they will keep your kids busy for hours learning and having fun!
6. Outdoor Game Sets
There are a ton of options in this category, so I’ll put as many of them here that have held my kids attention. Game sets are a wonderful way to spend family time.
- Franklin Sports Combo Set: Badminton, Volleyball, Flip Toss, Horseshoes, Flying Disc
- Juegoal 54 Pieces Giant Tumble Tower Blocks Game (basically a big outdoor Jenga set)
- Potato Sack Race Set
- Ring Toss Yard Game for Kids
- Cornhole, Ladderball Game and Table Combo Set
- Giant Wooden Playing Dice Set with Bonus Rollzee and Farkle Scoreboard
7. BattleChip Versus Golf Game
This is a new hybrid between golf and cornhole for a really fun outdoor game that kids and adults like! It’s easy to learn and includes rules for several fun games. Also includes Two 3′ x 2′ Wood Framed Targets, Hitting Mat, 16 Foam Balls, Scorecard and Tote Bag. Set is fully portable and can be taken anywhere, which is nice.
8. Original Stand Up Surfing Swing.
Any child or adult can hop on and soar away. There are adjustable handles for any height. Overall, this is great for a little one looking for a calm swing and for big kids looking for excitement.
9. The Big Dig Sandbox Digger Excavator Crane
Great for the beach, backyard or playground. Pretend that you’re on a big construction site with this backyard sandbox excavator. This is a fun sandbox digger that can swivel 360° and has two-handed digging and dumping. Works for all-seasons.
10. Playtime Patio with Canopy Playhouse
This pavilion-style outdoor playhouse design lets kids get ready to host their own backyard party. Perfect for social and interactive play, the working doors open to let kids in and out to play with the included kitchen. Also has sand & water features which can dual-serve as a sand and water table.
11. Outdoor Climbing Net for Kids
This webbing climbing net is high strength polyester for fall protection, lightweight and durable. Works for kids 3 years and up, but it’s also strong enough to hold adults so you can climb right alongside the kids.
12. American Ninja Warrior Zipline
Glide like a Ninja Pro down the ANW Zipline. 50′ or 80′ Galzanized steel cable, turnbuckle secured with safety backup, (200lbs max weight). Set up in the backyard or take it with on your next camping outdoor adventure!
13. Rock Climbing Holds for DIY Rock Wall
Rock climbing is super motivating to kids going outside. Plus, it helps kids to exercise, improve their agility, endurance, flexibility, and strengthen the balance of the body. Use the climbing holds to make your own DIY rock wall at home. Pretty easy!
14. Outdoor Swing N’ Spin
Hang from a two points for your traditional back-and-forth swing or from a single point to spin merry-go-round style. We all know the benefits of being outdoors and then add the therapeutic benefits of swinging; sensory integration, exercise, body awareness and balance skills are snuck into the fun.
15. Pogo Stick
Close your eyes parents! Hahaha. Flybar Maverick Pogo Stick offers a great introduction to pogo stick jumping, the Flybar Maverick junior pogo stick is ideal for the young beginner. The Maverick has a rugged metal frame covered with foam. Also check out this Foam Pogo stick for parents peace of mind 🙂
16. Eight Station Sports Series Metal Swing Set
8 fun activity stations that will keep 9 kids busy at the same time. Includes a 36″ Trampoline, a 32″ Flying saucer, a slide, a glider, a monkey bar, a swing, a basketball hoop and backboard, a soccer goal with net, a basketball, a soccer ball and an air pump.
17. Tetherball Rope and Ball Set
Good ‘ole fashioned tetherball. Easily attaches to any pole or tree to create an instant tetherball court. Take the fun with you wherever you go. The rope length is easily adjustable too.
18. Bow and Arrow Set Archery Training Toy
The kids love this one. This bow and arrow archery set is simple designed for starters, best beginner bow for young people, but adults can practice archery as well. Also check out this wooden archery set.
19. Bounce House
This bounce house is ideal for active kids at play time or for a very special event. Small enough to use indoors or as a backyard toy.
20. EzyRoller Ride On Sitting Scooter
All the neighbor kids get very enamoured each time this toy is out on the community basketball court. By far our favorite outdoor toy for kids!! The EzyRoller ride on classic car has a foot bar allowing your child to get this racing machine moving with easy alternating leg movement on the foot bar. Comes with 2 steel extensions to grow with your child.
21. Balance Stepping Stones for Kids
Set of 8 stones combining and optimizing every size from the hilltops and riverstones in a single set for maximum value.
22. Giant BIG BUBBLES Wand
Makes 20 Foot bubbles. The huge 90-inch fabric loop is woven to absorb and release maximum bubble soap. The unique one-stick wand design with slide-control lets you creatively form bubbles of endless shapes and sizes not possible with other wand designs.
23. Large Outdoor Darts Game With Velcro Ball
Giant 29 inch dartboard with 12 sticky balls that stick to the board.
24. Giant Outdoor Connect Four Game
The four-to-score game set can also help little ones with counting, improved eye-hand coordination, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. The game set assembles quickly and can be easily transported. Designed for kids and adults.
25. Glow-In-The-Dark Capture the Flag
It’s the classic game of stealth, speed and strategy that people have enjoyed for over 90 years – now adapted for today’s generation using glow-in-the-dark lights! It includes battery powered game pieces for jail markers, territory lights, light-up wristbands and glowing crystals that serve as each team’s flag.
26. Laser Tag
These Laser Blasters light up and vibrate while shooting as far as 130ft! Each gun mode comes with a different range of life bars, available shots and booming sounds.
27. Sling Ball
Basically catch with a slingshot toy! A kid’s dream! Includes A Launching Hook, Catching Net And A Comfortable, Ergonomic Handle, 2 Racquets And 2 Balls.
28. Trampoline
Made of soft, safe play materials with a hook-and-loop breakaway rim to minimize damage to enclosure net and poles; includes 1 foam basketball. Patented enclosure eliminates gaps between the enclosure net and the jumping surface protecting kids from pinch points & openings.
29. Kids Seesaw Swivel Teeter-Totter
The Nova Spinning Seesaw can spin 360 degrees while going up and down! Like a merry-go-around, children can spin around and around or move up and down and side to side in a frog-like motion.
30. Eezy Peezy Monkey Bars Climbing Tower
Ideal size for indoor and outdoor use. Lightweight and easy assembly makes it convenient for unit to be moved easily so your child always has their favorite toy rain or shine.
31. Backyard Splash Pad
Connect the hose and wait for a while, you can see the child’s smile as the water squirts from the water toys. You can adjust the water pressure to determine the direction of the pool spray.
32. World of Watersports Super Slide
Zig-zag spray pattern sprinkler system runs the length of the slide for awesome water coverage for great sliding, connects easily to a water hose. Extra-thick, heavy-duty PVC, more than twice as thick as your typical Slip and Slide that breaks after one use.
33. Inflatable Slide Bouncer with Water Pool, Long Slide & Climbing Wall
34. Super Soaker Water Guns
Super 600cc large storage capacity and long range. The air pump pressure creates up to 33 ft shooting range.
35. Water Balloon Launcher Slingshot
Both kids and adults can have fun with water balloons cannons. Kids can team up and have a competition.
36. Heavy Duty Colorful Inflatable Rolling Wheel
37. Teepee Tent
38. Roller Coaster Ride On for Toddlers
39. OUTREE Kids Pod Swing Seat
40. Sit ‘n Spin Classic
41. Radio Flyer Ziggle
Or try the Radio Flyer Cyclone
42. Razor Dune Buggy
Traveling at speeds up to 9 miles per hour, the classic dune buggy design features a bucket seat and diamond plate floorboards. And with knobby tires and terrain following suspension.
43. Batmobile Pedal Go Kart
44. Wooden Bear Slingshot
Cute wooden toy with carved bear handle wrist rocket. The classic Y-shaped bear slingshot and the free wooden wolf whistle were hand carved from solid wood and hand-painted with utmost care to come up with well-made tools that are a joy to look at and use.
45. Balance Stilts for Little Kids
The E-Z Walk Handle design makes stilt walking simple to learn for younger kids and beginners, just step on, pull up and go! The bottoms have large durable rubber feet for max stability.
47. Bump N Bounce Body Bumpers
48. The Original AirFort
This inflates in less than 30 seconds. When the kids are ready to play, simply attach your AIR FORT to a fan and you’re ready to go! No cushions, blankets, pillows needed.
49. Butterfly or Fairy Wings
50. Spike Ball
Spikeball game is an active game for all ages and improves our eye-hand coordination, agility and body shape.
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- 10 Bath Toys for Older Kids for Fun in the Tub
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- 50+ Best Simple Games for 2 Year Olds and Up
- The Ultimate List of Board Games for 2 Year Olds
thanks Lauren, having been looking for an outdoor toys for my kids for our next vacation and i will like to buy surfing swing. so i dont know maybe you have a store i can get it from.
Could you assist me in finding the “Instant Fort” shown above?
Joan
Lauren, I have not heard back from you regarding the “Instant Fort”.
Please respond.
Thank you!
Joan
Hi, Joan, is The Original AirFort Build A Fort in 30 Seconds, Inflatable Fort for Kids (Starry Night) what you are looking for? if it is, you can find it in Amazon. I just saw it there. It cost $59.95.
Just click on the blue letters of each product Lauren is talking about, and you can find them.
Regards.
It’s a great list for kids’ fun! Thanks a lot!
A few more to add to the creative outside get moving theme: sidewalk chalk, bikes, and sports balls like soccer, basketball or football, Oh and badminton, kites, shovels and buckets, water guns.
I’m pleased to get such an amazing toy idea for kids. What’s about the trampoline?