Best Outdoor Toys for Summer Fun: Toddler Edition (2026)

Last Updated on May 28, 2026 by Jordyn Koveleski Gorman

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Summer is one of the best seasons to get outside and have some fun! Babies, toddlers, and young children love outdoor play and the warmth summer provides. There are tons of outdoor toys that allow for endless play opportunities.

We rounded up the best outdoor toys for kids and summer fun, ideas for how to play, and the developmental skills they work on, too. Because remember, so much learning for little ones happens through exploration and play!

How do outdoor toys support child development?

Outdoor toys support child development by encouraging movement, creativity, problem-solving, and independent play in ways that feel natural and fun. From climbing and running to pretend play and sensory exploration, outdoor play helps children build important physical, social, emotional, and cognitive skills.

Outdoor play gives kids the space to move freely, explore their environment, and engage in hands-on experiences that support healthy development. Spending time outside also offers important physical and emotional benefits — it can help reduce stress, improve mood, encourage better sleep, and give kids an outlet to release energy. Outdoor time also provides exposure to fresh air and sunshine, including beneficial Vitamin D.

Many outdoor toys also support:

• Gross motor development through climbing, balancing, riding, and active movement
• Imaginative play with open-ended toys like mud kitchens, water tables, and playhouses
• Sensory exploration through sand, water, nature, and hands-on activities
• Social skills through cooperative play, sharing, and teamwork
• Confidence and independence as children explore and problem-solve on their own
• Healthy physical activity through active movement and exploration

How We Chose These Outdoor Toys

When choosing these outdoor toys, we looked for:

• Screen-free options that support movement, creativity, and sensory exploration
• High-quality, open-ended toys that can evolve with children over time instead of quick-fix entertainment
• Battery-free fun that encourage more imaginative and independent outdoor play

Best Outdoor Toys for Toddlers

Read more for our favorite outdoor toys for toddlers and play ideas to support development.

01. Mud Kitchen

Hape Outdoor Mud Kitchen

Price: $199.99
Developmental skills: Sensory play, imaginative play, gross and fine motor skills

If you’re looking to take the play kitchen fun outdoors with a more sensory-based experience, this outdoor mud kitchen is a fantastic option. Little ones can cook, plant, mix, and explore while engaging in hands-on imaginative play.

Mud kitchens encourage both independent and collaborative play, giving kids endless opportunities to “cook,” mix, scoop, and explore outdoors. They support hands-on sensory play that sparks curiosity and creativity.

Why Kids Love It

There are so many ways to play! Children can experiment with water, dirt, leaves, and natural materials, making every play session feel open-ended and new.

Play Ideas

Nature Soup: Pull out the pots and pans and use dirt, water, sticks, leaves, flowers, and rocks to create yummy soup. Don’t forget to stir!
Construction Site: Mix mud and water to create “cement” for toy trucks and construction vehicles. Consider using sand or dirt to load dump trucks, too!
Outdoor Café: Pretend to take orders, cook meals, and serve food to siblings, friends, or even stuffed animals.

02. Kids’ Sprinkler

Spinning Kids’ Sprinkler

Price: $20.29
Developmental skills: Gross motor movement, sensory play

This spinning kid’s sprinkler may have a simpler design without flashy characters, but it delivers plenty of splash-filled fun. It sprays water high and wide, creating an exciting play area that encourages kids to run, jump, and cool off outdoors.

You can find all of our favorite sprinklers and splash pads here.

Why Kids Love It

Toddlers and kids of all ages love water play! It’s a fun and exciting sensory experience that helps little ones get their energy out while staying cool.

Play Ideas

Run & Chase: Let toddlers run through the sprinkler freely to practice balance, coordination, and gross motor skills. Or, turn it into a game of sprinkler freeze tag!
Dance Party: Play your favorite music and have a toddler dance party in the rain!
Color Hunt: Scatter colorful balls or toys in the grass and encourage toddlers to find them through the water spray.

03. Water Play Table

Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table

Price: $89.99
Developmental skills: Sensory play, gross and fine motor skills, cause-and-effect learning

This water table offers a larger space to play and splash, and it accommodates multiple kids at once! The upper tier allows kids the opportunity to scoop and pour to create rain showers, making water play more fun and interactive. Plus, it comes with accessories!

Why Kids Love It

Water tables combine sensory play, movement, and hands-on exploration in a way that feels exciting and calming at the same time.

Play Ideas

Rain Showers: Add measuring cups to practice scooping and pouring while your little ones create their own rain storms on the upper tier!
Toy Car Wash: Use sponges, brushes, and toy vehicles to create a pretend car wash.
Go Fish!: Float magnetic fish, balls, or small toys and practice scooping or “fishing” them out with measuring cups.

04. Remote Control Ride-On Car

Best Choice Remote Control Ride-On Car

Price: $229.99
Developmental skills: Gross motor skills, spatial awareness, problem-solving skills, imaginative play

Ride-on toys are a favorite for toddlers because they combine movement, independence, and imaginative play. Little ones love pretending they’re driving on open roads, going on adventures, or running errands just like grown-ups.

One of the best features of this ride-on car is the caregiver remote control option. If your little one is unable to steer, they can still have a blast with you navigating for them. As they get older, you can push the brake if they’re driving into something they shouldn’t!

Why Kids Love It

Kids love ride-on toys because they get to pretend they’re little grown-ups! Toddlers naturally enjoy mimicking what mom and dad do, and “driving” their own car feels exciting and empowering.

Play Ideas

Neighborhood Cruise: Take a slow “drive” around the driveway, sidewalk, or backyard while toddlers point out flowers, birds, or construction trucks.
Stuffed Animal Rides: Buckle in favorite stuffed animals or dolls for pretend road trips and adventures.
Obstacle Course: Use cones, chalk lines, pool noodles, or stepping stones to create simple driving paths.

05. Toddler Balance Bike

Chillafish Balance Bike

Price: $49.99
Developmental skills: Gross motor skills, balance and coordination, spatial awareness

A balance bike is a small, pedal-free bike designed for toddlers and young children to learn how to balance and steer before they ever deal with pedaling. Instead of pedals, toddlers sit on the seat and use their feet to push themselves along the ground. As they gain confidence, they start lifting their feet and gliding. This is where real balance develops!

These are our favorite toddler bikes for summer fun.

Why Kids Love It

Balance bikes give toddlers a sense of freedom, independence, and movement in a way that feels exciting and manageable. They allow little ones to master balance and make the transition to pedal bikes more seamless.

Play Ideas

Nature Ride: Go on a slow ride to look for birds, flowers, bugs, or interesting leaves.
Delivery Driver Game: Have toddlers “deliver” small items like toys, mail, or snacks around the driveway or yard.
Follow the Leader: Have a parent or older sibling lead while your little one follows along on their balance bike.

06. Sidewalk Chalk

Crayola Sidewalk Chalk

Price: $20.02
Developmental skills: Pre-writing skills, fine motor skills, creativity, imaginative play

Summertime calls for sidewalk chalk! It’s an affordable “toy” with tons of possibilities. Your kids can get creative and draw pictures, or you can draw a track on the driveway to support active play. It’s simple, hands-on, and instantly rewarding, which makes it especially engaging for young children.

Why Kids Love It

Chalk is colorful, accessible, and it allows for so many pretend play opportunities. Toddlers don’t need precision to make colorful lines and scribbles, and there’s no right way to play.

Play Ideas

Water + Chalk Magic: Let kids “paint” over their chalk drawings with water and brushes to watch it change and disappear.
Chalk Roads & City: Draw roads, parking lots, and buildings so kids can drive toy cars or ride bikes through their own town.
Name & Letters Practice: Write names, letters, or shapes for early learning in a fun, low-pressure way.

07. Bubble Toys

Bubble Machine

Price: $30.95
Developmental skills: Gross motor movement, finger isolation, hand-eye coordination, visual tracking

Bubble play may look simple, but it actually supports a wide range of important developmental skills for toddlers and preschoolers. It combines movement, focus, and sensory input! Pointing and popping bubbles works on finger isolation which is a milestone that comes around 15 months of age.

Why Kids Love It

Playing with bubbles is magical for toddlers! They float, shimmer, and disappear quickly which provides both surprise and delight for little ones.

Play Ideas

Bubble Chase: Let toddlers run, jump, and pop bubbles as they float around the yard.
Count the Bubbles: Practice early math by counting how many bubbles they can pop.
Blowing Bubbles: Add a bubble wand to the play and practice blowing bubbles together!

08. Sandbox

Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox

Price: $59.99
Developmental skills: Sensory play, gross and fine motor skills, open-ended play

Bring the beach to your backyard with this sandbox! Toddlers have so much fun building sand castles, digging for treasure, and exploring the different sensations sand provides. Add some shovels, sand toys, and trucks for added pretend play fun.

Why Kids Love It

Toddlers are naturally drawn to sand because it’s an engaging sensory material they can touch, scoop, pour, and shape. Playing with sand is open-ended and encourages imaginative play.

Play Ideas

Sand Bakery: Get some old cake pans and cupcake tins to make sand cakes!
Treasure Hunt: Hide small toys or shells in the sand for toddlers to dig up.
Construction Site: Add toy trucks, diggers, and bulldozers to dig, haul, and build sand roads and mountains.

09. Reusable Water Balloons

16-Pack Reusable Water Balloons

Price: $36.99
Developmental skills: Finger strength and dexterity, gross motor movements, sensory play

Reusable water balloons make outdoor water play even more fun. Simply open them, dunk them in water to fill, and snap them closed for endless splashing fun. They encourage fine motor skills like finger strength and dexterity, and foster gross motor skills like throwing and catching.

They’re a great addition to water tables, kiddie pools, splash pads, and backyard sensory play setups.

Why Kids Love Them

Toddlers love squeezing reusable water balloons and waiting for the water to pop out and splash them! They’re easy to refill, soft to throw, and endlessly repeatable, which keeps kids engaged.

Play Ideas

Color Sort Game: If you have different colors, have your little one sort or group them before play.
Water Balloon Bowling: Set up plastic bottles or cups and knock them down by tossing water balloons.
Toss, Catch, Splash: Stand close together and gently toss the water balloons back and forth. When you’re done, pop them on each other to cool off!

10. Playground Balls

8.5 Inch Playground Ball Set

Price: $22.90
Developmental skills: Gross motor skills, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, cooperative play

Balls are so versatile, especially for outdoor play and gross motor activities. Toddlers can practice throwing, kicking, rolling and catching. Learning to bounce them around is fun, too! Playground balls like these encourage active play and movement. They’re a great size for tossing and catching as little ones develop more coordination.

Why Kids Love Them

Balls are simple, fun, and always in motion! They encourage the active play that toddlers love.

Play Ideas

Obstacle Roll: Roll the ball through tunnels, around cones, or between objects.
Simple Team Games: Encourage gentle group play like passing, rolling in a circle, or “keep the ball going.”
Roll & Chase: Sit on the ground and gently roll the ball back and forth, encouraging your toddler to chase and return it.

11. Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

Melissa and Doug Scavenger Hunt Set

Price: $14.99
Developmental skills: Gross motor skills, sensory exploration, observation, language skills

We love scavenger hunts because they’re engaging, and they get kids moving! Outdoor scavenger hunts immerse little ones in nature and foster observation, exploration, and language skills.

This Melissa and Doug scavenger hunt set is perfect for summer because it has outdoor and indoor cards. If the weather is too hot, take the search inside!

Why Kids Love It

Scavenger hunts turn everyday environments into exciting adventures. They feel like a game or mission, and the activity works for all ages.

Play Ideas

“I Spy” Walk: Take a slow walk and call out things to spot along the way.
Nature Hunt: Look for leaves, rocks, flowers, sticks, pinecones, or bugs.
Sound Hunt: Listen for birds, cars, wind, or other outdoor sounds and identify them.

12. Gardening Tool Set

Children’s Garden Tool Set

Price: $24.95
Developmental skills: Gross motor skills, sensory development, responsibility, patience

Kids’ gardening sets support a wide range of skills by combining hands-on work with sensory play, responsibility, and exploration. Simple activities like digging, planting, and watering help children learn through real-world experience.

Summer is a great time to plant seeds and watch them grow! Consider getting a bag of soil and a few planters for your little one to dig in and explore.

Why Kids Love Them

Toddlers love independence and being able to do the same things mom and dad do. Gardening is hands-on, sensory play! It feels like “real work,” but it’s also playful, messy, and full of discovery.

Play Ideas

Planting Station: Let toddlers help plant flowers, herbs, or seeds in pots or garden beds.
Watering Routine: Use the watering can and allow your little one to care for the plants each day and water the garden.
Rock & Stick Garden Design: Use natural materials to create patterns, paths, or “garden art.”

13. Outdoor Playhouse

Outdoor Kids’ Playhouse

Price: $279
Developmental skills: Imaginative play, creativity, social skills, cooperative play

This outdoor playhouse for kids truly has it all. A doorbell, flower pots, stove, kitchen sink, and telephone all come together for realistic pretend play. Every day, the playhouse can be something different. One day it’s a house, the next day it’s a food truck serving lunch.

Playhouses like these are great for solo play, or cooperative peer play. There’s plenty of room for multiple little ones to have fun together. The roof adds some nice shade, too!

Why Kids Love It

Toddlers love to mimic everyday routines and playhouses allow them to do just that. They love having a space of their own to cook, clean, and pretend.

Play Ideas

Post Office or Delivery Hub: Pretend the playhouse is the local post office. Sort and “deliver” letters, packages, or small toys around the yard.
House & Family Play: Pretend the playhouse is a real home—cook meals, clean, and take care of “family” routines.
Food Truck Central: Take orders, “cook” meals, and serve pretend food to customers.

Kids’ Picnic Table

Little Tikes Picnic Table

Price: $109.99

A toddler picnic table is a simple way to bring everyday indoor activities outside. When the weather is nice, bring your favorite snacks out for a change of scenery. Or, bring out coloring supplies, puzzles, and your favorite books for fresh-air play. Picnic tables also make a great space for building with blocks and Magna-Tiles!

Outdoor Toy Storage

150 Gallon Storage Box

Price: $199.99

With all of these fun outdoor toys, you need somewhere to put them. This is a great option for outdoor toy storage if you don’t have a garage or other storage options outside.

It has a 150 gallon capacity, is weather-resistant, and has the option to add a lock. And you don’t just have to use it for outdoor toy storage, it can also house patio cushions, sports equipment, gardening supplies, etc.

Looking for more?

Explore the best outdoor toys for toddlers that encourage active, imaginative, and screen-free outdoor play all year long.

Learn more about toddler balance bikes and scooters, including our favorite picks for every age and stage.