Outdoor Toddler Toys And Activities

Cicak Junior's Favorite Outdoor Toys &Activities

I would like to share with you to Cicak Junior's favourite outdoor toddler toys and activities.

We use the garden a lot during the summer months so we have invested in quite a few outdoor toys for our two year old toddler. But don't worry if you only have an indoor space, or you are worried that these toys will not get played with during the colder months  as they are mostly suitable to be played with indoors or in a garage or conservatory too.

If you are looking for ideas for water play, ball games, arts and crafts and bouncing toys I have it all covered.

I hope that you enjoy reading about Cicak Junior's favorite summer toddler activities and toys as much as he enjoys playing with them.

                                               Wet and Wonderful Water Play - Part 1

If you are only going to invest in one outdoor activity for your toddler then I would recommend that you choose water play. You can buy either a water table or a paddling pool – or let them use their old baby bath or a large bowl or bucket.

Water play has many educational advantages for young children:

• It encourages the development of their eye to hand coordination. Being able to scoop water out of one container and pour it into another container needs a huge amount of skill, and it is an essential skill for pre school age children to make.

• Water play encourages young children to learn about mathematical and scientific ideas. They learn that it maybe takes 5 scoops of water to fill a small bucket, that as they fill one container the other is becoming empty and that some objects float in water whilst others sink. 

Cicak Junior received this Little Tikes Sandy Lagoon Waterpark as a gift almost one year ago and I can honestly say that it was an instant hit and has been used every day.

The table is divided into two - one half has a drain hole and is designed for water while the other side is designed for sand and has a removable lid.

The table comes with two figures that are a similar size to Little People, two round plastic floats for them to sit in, a double ended scoop/rake and a cup.

In the center of the water table is a tower with two chutes and a water balance. If you place one of the figures inside the top of the tower and pull the lever they speed down one of the chutes and splash into the water - cue for lots of toddler laughing.

There are also diving board on two corners of the table, and if you place a figure on one of them you can flick the board to make the figure dive into the water - again a cue for much giggling.

The water balance and the sand spinner allow toddlers to explore how water and sand can make things move, and Cicak Junior spends hours tipping water onto these and driving his diggers through the sand.

Before I bought this my friends told me all we needed was a basic water table, and Senor Cicak was advocating for a large bowel of water rather than a table, but I can honestly say that this table was money well spent, and of all the toddler toys and activities that we have and do, this one is by far the most popular.

Cicak Junior loves playing with his Little People and the water table has become an extension of that imaginative play.

Top Tip - if you want to use this indoors either place a plastic sheet underneath it to protect the floor, or just allow the sand and not the water.

                                             Wet and Wonderful Water Play - Part 2

Whether you invest in a water table or padding pool or let your youngster use containers you already have to hand their are other things that will help them to get the most out of their water play experience:

• Collect a variety of different size containers that they can fill with water. These can be children’s buckets, clean empty containers from the kitchen – for example empty yoghurt pots and plastic jugs.

• Give them a variety of scooping utensils – for example spoons and scoops of different sizes, maybe beach spades. A sand sieve is good too, as they watch the water drain through the holes and a sponge can provide endless fun as it is soaked and squeezed repeatedly.

• Let them play with toys that won’t get damaged when wet, for example plastic vehicles, Little People, balls. Children love to see how different objects react to water, how some things float others sink and others absorb water. 

A few months back we bought a similar paddling pool to this blue pool, as Cicak Junior had outgrown his baby pool. With three inflatable rings this pool inflates to a size that is large enough to comfortably accommodate three or four toddlers.

We only fill our pool to a depth of about 15 cm's maximum - often less than that. This is partly because we are being kind to the environment (and our water bill) but also because we empty it out after each use and to be honest - 6 inches of water in a pool this size is more than enough to allow water play.

Top Tip - if you want to use this pool indoors, or fancy a change from water play - fill it with plastic balls and let your little ones enjoy!

                                                        A Rainbow of Possibilities, Part 1

You might not think of painting as being as outdoor activity, but if you have ever tried to paint with a toddler you will know I am right. And if you haven’t had the joys of toddler painting, trust me when I tell you that one toddler can manage to get paint in places that you would have never thought possible.!

We bought our easel last summer as an end of summer present to keep Cicak Junior occupied when his beloved Daddy returned to work after his long summer vacation.

It’s permanent home is outside on our covered verandah, where he is allowed to use his chalks (which we banned from the house after he “decorated” my lounge suite!!

When we want to paint I move it out onto the lawn, strip Cicak Junior down to just his nappy, put on some old clothes and let the fun commence.

The joys of painting outdoors are that you can turn your garden into a temporary art gallery – I peg his paintings to dry on our washing line.

This Crayola Magnetic Double Easle is double sided, with one side having a chalk board and the other a magnetic white board. Each side has a clip at the top to hold sheets of papers for painting or drawing and compartments to hold your little one's art supplies.

The easel comes supplied with a  board eraser and a set of 77 magnetic numbers and letters.

The easel is sold as being suitable for age 3 plus, but average height toddler has been using it since he was 18 months old with no problems.

With the easel able to be used for chalks, dry markers, painting, drawing and magnetic letters it is excellent value for money.

Top tip - if you are worried about the mess when using this indoors limit it to chalks and magnetic letters.

                                                    Rainbow of Possibilities, Part 2

As well as improving eye to hand coordination, painting and drawing allows a child to explore their creative side.

Creative activities such as like painting are important in helping brain development, and in particular the right side of the brain.

It is the right side of the brain that is responsible for creativity and emotions, with the left side responsible for analytical and logical actions.

Painting uses both sides of the brain simultaneously and the benefits of this are believed to help children to achieve their full potential and to improve their self esteem.

Painting and drawing are also an excellent form of stress relief, and in the ever stressful world that we are bringing our children up in it is important that they are allowed time to kick back and do something that’s fun.

Bouncy - Bouncy!

It is important for young children to develop their gross motor skills, and one way to do this is to encourage them to bounce.

By the age of two most toddlers should be able to:

• Jump down from the bottom step
• Jump to a distance of approximately 6 to 8 inches (15 – 20 cm’s)
• Bounce on a trampoline while holding someone’s hands

My two year old is more tan capable of doing all these, and I’m sure that the fact that he walked at 9 months helped, but even if your toddler is not so advanced there are exercises you can do to help.

I would not advocate buying a trampoline, even a small one, for a two year old, unless you are prepared to provide constant supervision. An alternative would be this bouncing horse. By bouncing up and down on it your toddler will strengthen their leg muscles whilst having oodles of fun.

Cicak Junior loves to jump, run and generally bounce around.

We bought him this inflatable Red Horse Hopper for his second birthday and he absolutely adores it.

He is not an overly tall two year ld but he can easily sit astride the horse, with the ears giving him something to hold on to.

We also bought him a space hopper, but this is by far more age appropriate for him, as the shape is much easier to sit safely on.

There is nothing better that Cicak Junior enjoys than to sit astride his horse while we sing "Horsey horsey don't you stop" while he bounces to the rhythm, and he is able to use this in the garden, on the grass, and also in the house.

The Wheels on the Trike

Learning to ride a tricycle is almost a rite of passage for toddlers, and by the age of two most toddlers should be able to at least attempt to ride a trike.

Cicak junior received his trike a month ago as a belated 2nd birthday parents from his grandparents, but as yet he is not able to pedal it.

He has learned how to climb on it, his feet can reach the pedals, and he loves to be pushed around the garden. I am sure that before too long he will have mastered the whole pedalling concept – and in the mean time he is having a whale of a time learning.

This Kettle Primatrike is similar to the one that Cicak Junior has, and if this one had been available in El Salvador then we would have bought it.
It is not a very  expensive trike but it is very well made with wide quiet running wheels and a low centre of gravity that makes it safe to ride without the fear of toppling over.

Please read the Toddler Trike Reviews for more reviews of trikes that are suitable for toddlers.