When my toddler starts getting a little bit whiny and bored and destructive (parents know what I mean) I know it’s time to grab a jacket and go outdoors. I have a small backyard, which used to frustrate me— I had always dreamed of having a big lawn where my kids could play. But as it turns out, kids don’t need to have much space to have fun—as long as they have imagination (and a parent who’s ready to play!) Here are some great outdoor games for toddlers.
Jump into the action
One of the best toys I ever bought was a trampoline. The kids love it, and it’s a great way to work off their excess energy. Toddlers do need to be supervised, though.
If you don’t have a trampoline, try other jumping games. Hop scotch is a favorite (all you need is chalk to draw on the sidewalk).
Get a sandbox
You can use a flexible planter border to separate the sand from th rest of your hard, or just fill up a wooden box. Both my kids loved this. My son would line up his toy trucks and dig up his plastic dinosaurs. My daughter enjoyed making little towers and moats with plastic cups and shovels.
Blow bubbles
It’s amazing how a $1 bottle of bubble solution can make a child so happy! I even got one of those bubble guns—my son uses it to fill the yard with bubbles, while his sister runs around chasing them.
Treasure hunt
We have a whole bunch of plastic eggs left over from Easter. I plant them around the yard for my toddler to find. She really doesn’t care if there’s candy in them or not, just looking for them and putting them in a basket is thrill enough for her — and the sense of accomplishment when she finds all the eggs builds her self-esteem.
Balls and a basket
My toddler’s too young to play real basketball, but we have our own version of it. I get a large plastic laundry hamper and place it in the middle of the yard. She throws in balls (we have a lot at home) and a couple of small bean bags that we have lying around.
Teddy bear picnic
On really fine days we spread a blanket, bring out a tea set and cookies, and invite the stuffed animals for a little picnic. She thinks it’s a treat because I let her fill her teacups with and give her food coloring to use while she ‘cooks’ her dishes. I’d never allow her to do this inside because of the mess—but the backyard is the perfect place!
Photo from 123rf.com