The Best Outdoor Toys for Kids

Function-wise, this five-inch ball from Crocodile Creek is just a regular playground ball. But its size and therange of adorable prints(Dinosaurs!Unicorns!Outerspace!) make it a knock-out gift. It’s small enough and light enough that my son could hold it in one hand and throw it starting at around 7 months old.It’s also durable, easy to wipe clean, and has a texture babies and toddlers love investigating with focused intensity. (It also comes in aseven-inch size,if you’re shopping for older kids.)

I love that you can now buy certainLovevery toysà la carte or in smaller bundles without having to commit to the brand’s subscription boxes. When my son was about a year old, he was very into playing with these stacking cups at the Prospect Park splash pad. They all have different numbers of holes in the bottom so you can experiment with different kinds of water drips.

For very little kids, playing outside often just looks like a baby picnic. From the time my son was crawling until he started confidently running, I would bring this quiltedplay mateverywhere we went. It was easy to pack in astrolleror tote bag, and I would lay it out on the grass or sand and plonk down a bunch of toys for him to get into. I have washed and dried it dozens of times and it still looks great.

Indestructiblesbooks are great for summer outings because they’re as engaging as any board book with the added benefit of being tearproof and chewproof; that means they are also immune to spilled drinks, getting buried in sand, and being tossed into the baby pool from time to time.

Sidewalk chalk is a year-round classic that can keep kids of all ages entertained. This oversize chalk is the perfect size for small hands — my son and I still use it, but I would say it first “clicked” for him at around 16 months — and easily washes out of clothing and rinses off the sidewalk in the rain or with a hose.

It may be obvious, but kids thrive in a sandbox, whether they are making tracks with trucks orscooping up pretend ice cream. The Little Tikes Turtle sandbox, with its pleasingly familiar design and easy-to-secure cover, has been a favorite among parents for decades.

This expandable crawl tunnel is a perfect “bring to the park” toy and has long held a spot in our guide tothe best toys for 1-year-oldsbecause of the way it elicits giggles while teaching young toddlers about spatial awareness and object permanence. The tunnel offers six feet of play space, and collapses into a flat carrying case when it’s not in use.

Though it’s not technically a “toy,” this toddler-size color-changing umbrella will delight any young kid who gets excited about having “grown-up” tools and accessories of their own. It will encourage them to get out and explore on rainy days.

As soon as he started confidently walking on his own between our apartment building and Prospect Park (rather than holding my hand the whole way), my son began asking to bring his baby stroller along with us. Ours is a hand-me-down, but this is the one Strategist senior writerLauren Robought for her younger son when he was turning 2, and she’s since bought the same one as abirthday gift for several other kids. “Solomon still uses it and can even sit in it at age 4,” she says.

Crucially for beginning bubble blowers, this endearing “bubble pal” won’t spill when tipped or turned over. The dispenser comes filled with bubble solution, and you also get a refill jar, an extra wand, and a quick-release cord so your child can safely wear it around the playground or backyard. Once you run out of solution, you can buyconcentrated refill packetsthat conveniently mix with water.

As far as sports go for the toddler-to-preschool set, there’s nothing quite like classic T-ball. “Children at these ages love to master new skills, and using a large bat to hit a ball off the tee is a fun challenge for them,” says child psychologistDr. Nicole Beurkens, noting that it helps develop gross motor skills and hand-eye coordination. It can also be played alone or with others.

This bug-catcher set is an essential outdoor toy for any kid interested in worms, ladybugs, ants, or snails. The included habitat has two magnifying glasses built into its lid, and the kit comes with tweezers, a net, and a transparent bug catcher.

I especially appreciate how this classic Radio Flyer tricycle lets parents guide young toddlers via a push bar in the beginning. My parents inherited one from a neighbor, and it’s still the number one toy my son asks about whenever we visit his grandparents. It’s stable enough to prevent most tip-overs, and the bar can be removed once kids master pedaling on their own. It even has a little storage trunk for collecting rocks and other treasures. Add ahelmet— it’s important to establish good safety habits early! — and you’re all set.

Cruzee’s aluminum balance bike weighs just 4.1 pounds, making itone of the lightest balance bikeson the market. For kids just starting out, a lighter bike builds confidence fast because it’s easier to control and pick up when they eventually fall.

If you want to nurture social and emotional development, a playhouse like this wooden one from KidKraft with a real ringing doorbell allows siblings of varying ages to engage in parallel play, enjoying the same space while not necessarily doing the exact same activity, explains children’s librarian Lesley Siegel of thePort Washington Public Library. Kids can set up all sorts of pretend scenarios using the house’s café window, chalkboard, clock, and mailbox.(If your little ones have a wide age gap, you can consider the larger, two-levelKidKraft Cozy Escape Playhouse, which has everything from a kitchen on the bottom level to a climbing wall and twisty slide for the bigger kids.)

This mini-trampoline is a favorite play station during movement class at my son’s preschool. During the colder months, it lives indoors, but come spring, the teachers bring it out onto the playground too. He loves telling me how high he can bounce or reporting on which of his classmates were bouncing next to him that day. We have a similar one in my apartment building’s shared playroom, and kids from 3 to 6 line up to take turns on it. It’s also easily stored in a garage or shed when you’re done for the night.

This ride-on sand dumper would be a great addition to a large sandbox.

My son was obsessed with this water-and-sand sensory table last summer. It has a clear board that kids can draw on or use as the backboard for a suction-based build-your-own water run. According to Beurkens, playing with water and sand teaches multiple skills, including experimentation and spatial awareness. (What happens when I try to mix this with that, or pour water from this cup to that one?)

This backyard roller coaster is a great way to get little kids acclimated to going fast and being up high without much risk of injury. “I knew this toy was going to be a hit with my toddler the minute I saw it,” says Annie Young, former 15-year New York City educator and owner of theLittle Gym of Roslyn, where she has become an expert on kids who love action. Step2 also makes slightly more expensivedinoandunicornversions of the coaster for kids with more specific interests.

This stackable set of colorful stepping stones from German brand Stapelstein is a true open-ended toy that can be used indoors or out. Kids can climb or balance on the pieces, turn them over to use them like a bowl, play them like a drum, take them in the sandbox or the pool (they float), and even sit on them like a chair — each individual piece can hold up to 396 pounds.

Before Stapelstein, there was the more affordable and equally open-ended Moluk Bilibo. The plastic stacking bowls come inmultiple sizesand a rainbow of bright and pastel colors, and can be used as a seat, a hat, a step stool, a snow shovel, a boat, a doll bed, and so much more. This recently launched midi size is a perfect fit for toddlers.

This mesh butterfly garden is a nice way to bring the outdoors in, letting kids watch the entire process of metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly as it happens. Just be sure to make it clear that they’ll eventually have to say good-bye to their winged charges once they’re ready for release in the wild.

Wehear about the Micro Kickboard all the time, from toy-store owners, parents, and kids. “These are one of the best scooters on the market, and really one of the best-selling toys around,” says Debbie Imperator, manager and toy buyer ofFunky Monkey Toys & Booksin Greenvale, who attributes the scooters’ popularity to their exceptional stability and how easy they are for kids to turn and control. Scooters give kids a sense of freedom, and because this one is foldable, has adjustable handlebars, and a 110-pound weight limit — plus flashy LED wheels — it can grow with them from age 5 to well into their tweens. Again, just add ahelmetand you’re good to go.

If they already have a scooter, here’s a doll seat that fits perfectly on a Micro Kickboard and most other scooters too.

Some aspects of nature and science can really only be observed come nightfall, which is where this cute headlamp comes in.Dr. Alexandra Figueras-Daniel, the associate director of Bank Street College of Education’s Straus Center for Young Children & Families, told us that her own kids use it on walks or while playing outside at night with their friends. “We have gone on night hikes, and the headlamps offer a way to keep your hands free for exploring,” she adds.

Playing with walkie-talkies is a core memory for me, so I can’t wait until my own kid is old enough to use them with his friends. They’re fun to play with inside, too, but really shine outdoors, during games that span the whole neighborhood or on a family camping trip.

Stomp Rockets, which we included in our guide to the best toys for5-year-olds(and which kid whisperer Ms. Rachel included on her list ofthings she can’t live without), are the kind of toy that draws hordes of neighborhood kids willing to wait in line for a turn. “Any child really any age can do it,” saysMarissa Silva, digital and social content manager at the Toy Insider. “And bigger kids, or even adults, can send it soaring.” This set comes with three kinds of planes — looper, glider, wildcat — that perform varying tricks in the air, as designed by aeronautical engineers.

Large-scale play equipment like a swing set not only requires space, but a fairly long-term commitment. I like this “in-between” climbing tower because it isn’t as huge or, for that matter, permanent: The pieces come together very securely but can be disassembled at the end of the season or to move the structure between indoors and out. Strategist senior editor Jen Trolio says her kids played with it in the basement for years before handing it down to a neighbor to use in the backyard; the sweet spot for maximum enjoyment is between 3 and 5 years old.

I love that these water blasters are soft-sided and look more like light sabers than actual guns. You can suck water up by pulling the plunger back like you would with a syringe, then spray it by pushing the plunger forward. At this point the blasters are ubiquitous at most Brooklyn playgrounds and easy enough for smaller kids to master while still pretty popular among older kids and adults like me.

By age 4, according to Beurkens, kids have mastered the gross-motor and balance skills needed to go nuts on this modified pogo stick, which has a foam base and handles for added comfort and security. “They can set up races, create paths to navigate around, or jump to the mailbox,” Beurkens says. Silva is also a fan of the young-kid-friendly design: “A lot of kids even 5 or 6 years old don’t have the balance to be on a traditional pogo stick,” he says, but the wider base here “encourages the kids to have success, to continue, to get active.” This is another toy that can also be used indoors, provided you have the space.

Senior writer Lauren Ro discovered this adorable surfer toy while on a family trip last summer on Montauk. The premise is simple: Throw it into the ocean waves and watch it surf back to you. Her then-5-year-oldwas obsessed with tossing it into the water and running to retrieve it, which also made him braver about playing in the waves.

This packable, hammocklike swing is easy to set up between two trees and can hold up to 220 pounds.

I have been inspired by all the kids on the beach and in our local sandbox who are using serious shovels to dig big holes and move a ton of sand. My son is still little, so I’d only let him use an extra-heavy-duty model under supervision. But for older kids, it’s a summertime essential.

According toBike Whisperer NYCinstructor Andree Sanders, learning how to shift gears while riding abikeis a key milestone for kids, and Woom’s bikes are specifically designed to help them master the concept. The Woom GO 4 has 20-inch wheels, seven gears, and a twist mechanism that’s designed for smaller hands. It’s also newly available inpowder pink. Wooms are expensive, but many parents and experts say they’re worth the cost thanks to their lightweight frames and sturdy construction. Plus, when your kid grows out of it, you can usually sell it for close to the original purchase price.

I just added this black leather baseball glove to our list of the bestgifts for 10-year-oldsafter hearing about it from Ro. But it can work for many ages — she bought it for her 7-year-old as an upgrade to his previous glove, and so far he is loving it.

This jumbo-size version of the classic gameConnect Fourstands almost four feet tall and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. My son and I tried it out on a trip to Miami, where our hotel had two of them set up by the pool, and there were often lines of kids and adults waiting for a chance to play. I like that the pieces are doughnut shaped rather than coin shaped, so they’re easier to pick up and can be conveniently stored on each corner when you’re done.

If you know a child who is endlessly intrigued by earthworms and colorful rocks, Silva recommends this journal full of nature-related prompts that “challenge kids to find different things outside like leaves and bird feathers.” Once they’re done scavenging through the backyard, they can use the 500 included stickers to attach their new treasures and record their findings.

While it is a splurge, this bouncy backyard water slide is an epic summer toy that will keep kids busy for hours. Trolio bought it at a deep discount during a Black Friday sale and says it’s worth the investment if you have the space to store it and are are willing to deal with the setup and maintenance: It’s heavy, requires electricity and a hose, and you’ll need to leave it out to dry for a while before you can put it away. But it can easily accommodate multiple children playing together; Trolio’s kids and their cousins — five girls ranging from 3 to 10 — spent hours bouncing and splashing on it last summer.

For a much less pricey bounce experience, I love this giant soccer ball that Trolio and I recently played with at theToy Fair.It has a soft mesh cover, so it won’t hurt even if you bounce it off your head.

I included these tangle-free jump ropes in my guide to thebest toys for 7-year-olds; they come recommended by Milk Teeth co-founder Catherine Newell-Hanson, who says her daughter started to get the hang of playground classics like jumping rope around that age. They come in a three-pack, making them a good toy to have around for playdates or a nice cheap gift for a couple of friends.

Here’s a clever gift for flower children. The braided leather necklace lets kids thread flower stems through the strips, and it has a magnetic clasp that makes it easy to put on when their masterpiece is done.

This beginner bike ramp turns any driveway or parking lot into an instant obstacle course.

I came across one of these super-fun water-skipping balls last summer while visiting family in the Hamptons. It looks like a regular ball, but somehow it magically bounces off of water.

In addition to being nice-looking, this pineapple pool float is durable and hassle-free. It’s covered with quick-drying mesh fabric and filled with lightweight foam beads, so there’s no inflating necessary.

Cornhole may have a name I don’t like to say out loud, but it’s an undeniably fun way to get kids and adults playing together. This set is nice because it flattens for easy storage.

Cameras that aren’t part of a phone have become a major trend among tweens, teens, and college kids. This digital camera is special in that it doesn’t have a screen to check whether your hair looks nice or your smile was just right, which ends up yielding a lot more magic. I pack mine for beach trips and days when I want to be more in the moment with my family, and even my son can use it.

This part-juggling, part-catch game “encourages kids to move their hands and brains in a unique way,” says Hirsch. “It engages both sides of the brain to develop bilateral and hand-eye coordination and visual-spatial planning.” The kit starts with a ball tossed in the air, then caught and sent looping back into the air time and again; the funky-looking set can be used anywhere, from the beach to the pool to the porch. “When you see it,” Hirsch adds, “you immediately want to try it.”

For thrill-seeking tweens, Silva recommends this lightweight remote-control stunt jet that can fly up to 35 miles per hour. She says it’s remarkably easy to steer and can do loops and barrel rolls at the touch of a button. It also has removable landing gear and can be flown up to 600 feet away.

Like Magic 8-Balls and Tamagotchis, this new version of an “ankle skip ball” that most people will fondly remember asthe Skip Itis making a comeback.