30 Best Outdoor Activities for Toddlers

Summer is right around the corner, and the weather is showing it! Summers with toddlers are not always easy, but sending them outside for that vitamin D with some activities can make it a little bit easier. Here is a list of some of our favorite outdoor summertime activities that are cheap and toddler friendly!

Back Yard Activities

Nothing beats being able to have the time of your life in your own backyard. Allowing toddlers to play at home gives them more freedom to run, and gives you less stress. Rather than worrying about where your kid is amongst all the others or wondering if you remembered to pack the snacks, you can be assured that you have everything you need, and your child is always in your vision. (or at the very least, easier to find!) Here are just some of the many fun activities you can do at home in your own backyard:

1.) Sidewalk Chalk

I love this one because there are SO many things you can do with chalk; the possibilities are endless. I do not have an artistic child, so giving him chalk to color with would not be his jam. However, there are multiple ways to make chalk more exciting for your “wild child.” Some ideas include:

Draw circles using different colors. Have your toddler run, jump, skip, walk or dance over to the color you call out! You can also do this activity using letters, numbers, and shapes. For older children you can even do this with words or number sums/differences/products/quotients
Hopscotch
Create an obstacle course (Draw thin roads to balance in, lily pads to hop on, etc.)
Draw a target, and have your toddler try to land a bean bag on it
Make chalk paint

Chalk Paint Recipe:

What you need:

1 Cup of Water

1 Cup Cornstarch

Food Coloring

Directions:

Mix together the water and cornstarch. Depending on how many different colors you want, divide the mixture into that amount of smaller bowls. Ex: if you want 3 colors, divide the mixture into 3 bowls. Using a different color for each bowl, stir in food coloring until you get the desired color. Then, you are ready to paint! Easy peasy!

If you prefer to not use cornstarch, you can make it with just sidewalk chalk and water. Start by placing sidewalk chalk in a ziplock bag, and let your toddler help crush it gently with a hammer. Then take the powdered chalk and pour it into a bowl and slowly stir in water until you get a good paint-like consistency! Repeat using different sticks of chalk to make different colors. *May need to use a blender to get the chalk to a powder for a smoother paint.

2.) Go for a Bike Ride

I know what you’re thinking – my toddler can’t ride a bike! Hear me out, there are so many options with this! There are small bikes made for toddlers to sit and scoot on without tipping over. My son’s favorite bike is similar to a normal bike, but it is his size and without the pedals, so it still requires balance to stay up! It’s a great training bike before moving up to bikes with pedals! Another option, that is a bit more expensive, is to get a pull-behind bike trailer for your kids to sit in while you pedal. If you are trying to get your workout on and entertain your kids at the same time, this could be a great option for you!

3.) Bring Out a Ball

How a simple bouncy spherical object can be so entertaining is beyond me. But this proves to be true even beyond childhood. People go to college to be professional ball players: football, soccer, volleyball, baseball, tennis, you name it. When it comes to balls, there are all kinds of things to do, and your toddler will love exploring all of it! Let them kick, throw, chase after, and roll whatever ball you may have laying around: and I know you have one. If you have a child, between sports balls, bouncy balls, bath toy balls, foam balls, beach balls, stress balls, etc. I know you’ve got it. If you have a kiddie pool, you can also bring that out and fill it with various balls and let them play in a ball pit.

4.) Nap Outside

Fresh air is so good for kids! Although this may sound strange, it is not new or unheard of. Many countries regularly practice having their children nap outside. Sleeping outside can have many health benefits for both adults and children including improved sleep and boosted immune system. However, it’s important to note that it is recommended for children to nap on their backs on a flat surface. You want to make sure they are in a safe place and not directly in the sun or out in hazardous weather. Use sunscreen, shade, and good judgment with this one. You can bring out a pack n’ play, bassinet, or put down an outdoor mat for them to lay on!

5.) Blow Bubbles

What toddler doesn’t love bubbles? They are cheap, easy, and can be played with SO many different ways! Letting my boy go ham with a bubble gun is a sure way to get at least 20 minutes (or until the bubble liquid runs out) to myself uninterrupted. Another fun way to play is to make gigantic bubbles! You will have to buy or make a DIY a large bubble wand, but here is a simple Super Bubble Solution recipe:

6.) Play in the Dirt

There’s not much in this world that my toddler loves more than dirt, mud, puddles, rocks, and everything in between. It sounds simple, but just letting them explore the ground outside is SO exciting for them. You can dig a small hole and let them find twigs, rocks, and other treasures to throw in there before burying it together. You can also let them jump in some puddles or throw rocks in them and watch the splash! How about making some mud soup in a bucket with rocks for meat and grass for herbs? While you’re at it with the mud, grab your junk mail papers to use as a canvas for mud paintings. If mud is too messy for you, you can stick to making dirt castles or rock picking. Honestly, it doesn’t matter what you do with it.

Letting kids get out, explore new textures, and release their energy without so many boundaries is a great way to grow their creativity, learn about their environment, and simply enjoy some sensory play in the great outdoors.

7.) Scavenger Hunts

Rocks
Leaves
Pinecones
Birds
Butterflies
Trees
Clouds

Wildflowers
Twigs
Sticks
Bugs
Animal prints
Squirrels
Acorns

Basically anything you see, have your toddler find. This also helps them practice spatial awareness. I like to include distinguishing parts of our property to help him learn the land as well as include things around him that are not necessarily a part of nature. For example, you could ask your toddler to point out where the pond or garage is on your property or ask them to point out their sibling.

8.) Mow the Lawn

Your child may need some ear protection and sunscreen for this one! My boy loves hanging out with dad as they mow the lawn together! If you know me, you know I love being productive and making the most of every opportunity. The facts are: your lawn needs to be mowed, and your child needs love and attention: mowing the lawn with them is a win-win. Toddlers love going for rides, and mama loves a mowed lawn! So, next time you go out to mow the lawn, consider making it a fun parent/child activity rather than a chore!

9.) Frozen Treats

If you have toddlers, you know that popsicles, freezies, and ice cream are all activities in themselves. They are a sticky sugary mess! Make the most of the summertime weather by treating your kids to a frozen treat OUTSIDE! I highly recommend that you don’t even try to do this one inside, ever. The drips of slobbery melted sugar stays outside, and sticky hands can get washed off with the hose!

10.) Go for a Walk

You can walk in the yard, on your driveway, or down the road. I love this one, because no matter the situation, this is a great outdoor activity. If you need your toddler to burn some energy, go for a walk with them. In the yard, you can let them lead, run, and explore.

On the contrary, maybe you need your wild child to calm down or even fall asleep. Strap that little guy (or gal) in the stroller, and let the fresh air and calming sights and sounds of nature lull his active tireless brain to a simmer. Walking is another one of those dual purpose and productive activities, because not only is it amazing for your toddler, but it is so beneficial to your overall physical and mental health.

11.) Freeze and Find

You will need to do a little bit of work ahead of time for this activity, but it’s free and fun! Get a bin or baking dish of any shape or size. Gather a couple small plastic toys, shells, or other fun objects. Last but not least, you will need some dirt or sand that is slightly damp.

Mix the toys and dirt in the container of your choice. Pat it down so the dirt and toys are packed in tight, and pop it in the freezer for a couple of hours. Once it’s frozen, take it outside, flip the container upside down so the frozen dirt can fall out. Now you can give your child a shovel, spoon or fork to start picking away for buried treasures! * If it is too solid, let it sit in the sun a little bit to thaw and soften.

12.) Have a Picnic

Throw together an easy lunch like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or meat, cheese, and crackers with apple slices for a fun backyard picnic! This is a classic summertime favorite that we will be practicing a lot this summer! Less clean up means less stress for this mama, and the kids have a blast with it.

13.) Make a Sensory Bin

I see these all over on social media! They look so cute and fun… and messy and complicated and like a lot of work. Let me tell you, these do not have to be aesthetically pleasing or have fancy magical toys with glitter and sparkle dust. Remember: you are trying to entertain a toddler, which means anything new you put in front of them will be the most exciting thing in the world (even if it’s only exciting to them for 5 minutes).

You can fill a bin with water, sand, popcorn kernels, dirt, dried beans, field corn, dry pasta, or cheerios to use as your base. This container can be an entire tote, an old 5 gallon bucket you have laying around, a baking sheet, popcorn bowl, you name it. Like I said, it does not have to be fancy to be fun! Once you’ve filled your container with a base, incorporate some little objects for your toddler to discover. Things you can include are little toys, rocks, shells, feathers, Easter eggs, measuring cups, and spoons. You will want to keep an eye on them for this activity depending on what is in your bin to avoid choking.

14.) Pinecone Bird Feeder

Around here, we love watching the birds! What better way to show our appreciation than to feed them, encouraging them to stick around! The birds love it, the toddlers have fun with the activity, and you get to reap the benefits of watching the birds enjoy your work.

All you need for this activity is:

Peanut Butter
Pinecone
Bird Seed
String

Directions:

Start by tying a string around the top of the pinecone for hanging. Then, you can begin smearing a layer of peanut butter around the pinecone with a butterknife or popsicle stick. Once your pinecone is coated, you can cover your pinecone with birdseed. This can be done by rolling it into the birdseed, pouring the seed over it, or pressing it directly onto the pinecone. Find a fun spot outside to hang it, and have fun bird watching! I like to put feeders somewhere near a window so we can see the birds even when we are inside the house.

15.) Fly a Kite

Flying a kite can be tricky for a toddler to do on their own, so your help will be needed with this one. However, this is such a fun and fascinating activity for kids of all ages! Some of my favorite childhood memories as a child were flying our kites with my dad right in our backyard.

16.) Wash the Car

Toddlers love feeling like they have helped you accomplish something. It feels good for them to believe that they are truly of value to you. For you, washing the car is a chore, but for them, it is an invigorating task! Hand them a rag and their own bucket of water. This activity will require a lot of supervision to be sure they do not damage your vehicle and more importantly, that they do not ingest any soap or cleaning chemicals.

There are so many other things you can do outside with your toddler; these are just a few of my favorites to do from home. Not all of these will be entertaining to all toddlers, and you know your child best! So pick things that will spark their interest, because the more they like it, the longer they will do it- which means more time for you to kick back and relax in the summer heat!

Going Out Activities

Getting out of the house can be a super exciting experience for littles! Changing up the routine of being at home, school or daycare is like showing them a whole new world. Although going out generally requires more work and a watchful eye, it still makes for a great time. Whether it’s the park, a lake, or the zoo, there is something fun for everyone to enjoy!

1.) Fishing

There is nothing like floating out on a boat on a breezy summer day to fish! The suspension and excitement from catching fish is exhilarating for toddlers! Heck- grown men still feel this!

Even if you don’t end up catching a single fish, the memories made on a boat are incomparable. No boat? No problem; you can go fishing off public docks or aside a river. As long as you have a lifejacket and a trusty fishing pole, you are set to have some fishing fun!

2.) Watch a Parade

Summertime brings all kinds of parades and block parties! Check your town’s website to find out about the community events and upcoming parades. Between fire trucks, marching bands, fun floats, music and candy, both you and your child are sure to have a great time!

3.) Take a Hike

If parades are too overstimulating for your little one, try something a bit more peaceful and relaxing like a nature hike. Depending on where you live and the place you pick, you might want to prepare by bringing along some bug spray, just in case! With a toddler, you may not get too far on your hike or move fast, but you both will get some exercise, bonding, and the opportunity to explore in a place where nothing is breakable!

4.) Play at the Park

Take a trip to a local park! This is a great place to allow your child to play and interact with other children. Not only will your child get an opportunity to socialize, but you will get the chance to meet other mothers who are in a similar season of life as you.

Parks are a really great option, because it gives your child an environment to climb, play, be loud, and test their own capabilities without the boundaries and rules of being inside. Here, they will be able to grow their creativity, fine and gross motor skills, and their physical and social development.

5.) Visit a Farm or Zoo

What better way to learn about animals than with a trip to the zoo or farm! It is fascinating to watch and learn about the nature of different animals. Toddlers generally don’t understand their own strength or recklessness when it comes to other creatures (or younger sisters😉). So the zoo is a great safe place to see and learn about different animals!

6.) Go to the Beach

I am all for activities that are enjoyable for the WHOLE family, and the beach is one of our top favorites for this! No matter how you play, be it swimming, fishing, volleyball, building sandcastles, collecting shells, or kicking back in a lawn chair with a cold drink in hand, the beach is always a good time! It is also a great way to wear the kids out for a solid nap or a great night’s sleep.

7.) Check Out an Aquarium

Similar to the zoo, this is a fun place to learn about different water animals and fish! Your child will undoubtedly love watching the sea life swim, play, and eat.

Water Play

I saved the best for last: Water Play! Kids love water. There is something so calming and healing, yet exciting and reviving about water. Since there are so many activities and ways to play with water both at home and out and about, I thought it deserved its own section. Let’s dive into it! (Ha. Couldn’t help myself with that one.) Anyways…

1.) Learn to Swim

This is a really great skill to have, especially if you have a body of water on your property or live in a place with multiple lakes. If your child does not yet know how to swim, make this the summer they learn this valuable and life saving skill!

There are always swimming lessons happening in the community, but if you can also teach them yourself. The more you acquaint your child with water, the more they will understand the physics of it, and thus be more comfortable submerged. This will make it much easier for them to learn to swim. You can take your child to a public pool, beach or outback in your own pool or pond! Oftentimes, public pools have a shallow toddler pool to help acclimate your child to water and give them a safer place to play!

2.) Find a Splash Pad

Splash pads are a really great option for kids of all ages. Since splash pads do not have any standing water, you can let down your guard and relax more than you can at a pool. The variety of spouts, sprays, and other water configurations are sure to keep your toddler busy!

3.) Squirt Guns

It is ridiculous how much fun can be had with these little plastic toys. They are great at the beach or right in your backyard. If you prefer not to use squirt “guns”, there are other water spraying versions that are just as fun such as water blasters!

4.) Run through Sprinklers

This is so simple. Hook it up to your garden hose, pop up a lawn chair and watch your toddler go nuts running around the sprinkler. If you like a nice looking lawn, move it around a few feet every so often to water the whole lawn, and prevent one area from turning into a mud pit.

5.) Invest in a Water Table

I will admit, these can get pretty spendy. However, my son has never been disappointed by a water table. It’s a great way to play with water without needing a swimsuit or being fully submerged. If you don’t have a water table on hand, but still want to join in on the fun, find a large tote or other wide container to fill with water. Then all you need are some cups to pour with, bath toys, and other objects. You can even add food dye to jazz it up if you’d like. When it comes to water play, it doesn’t take much to excite and entertain a toddler.

6.) Turn on the Hose

Just yesterday I was watering my plants. It was a very peaceful evening, as my toddler was running around finding all sorts of rocks and things. While I stared down at my last tomato plant, about to switch the hose over to the peppers, my not even 2 year old child darted in front of me full speed right through the hose. I had it at the perfect height to completely take off his head with freezing cold hose water. As I looked at him, startled at the disruption of my peaceful moment, he bursted out into laughter, and came charging back at me to run through the hose again.

That was the beginning to a delightful evening of spraying down my toddler with a hose. This went on for 2 hours straight. He tried to run from the spray before I got to him. Other times I simply held the hose as he ran through it. I could hold my thumb over the top to make the spray more direct and fast, or make it spread out to mimic rain. He loved it. And I loved it! We laughed and giggled. I got to let out all my inner anger of his toddler meltdowns by spraying him down with the hose, and he enjoyed it. It was great. He even got the hose a time or two, and I had to run past without getting sprayed. Turns out those little guys are faster than you think they are with it.

All this to say, sometimes it’s the simple things that are the most fun. Don’t underestimate the power of the simple things. Toddler’s are not fancy creatures. Your play does not need to be expensive or aesthetic. Your play does not need to look “magical” to feel supernatural. Your play can be as simple as turning on the hose.

7.) Fill up the Kiddie Pool

This is the most used outdoor item we own. We are always putting our kids in swim diapers and letting them play in the kiddie pool. It seems to be the best solution when the toddler is having meltdown after meltdown. Playing in the pool allows him to splash and get out energy, as well as calm him down and lull his busy mind. Not only are these easy, but they are cheap and can be used for many activities.

I like to use the opportunity to have my toddler help me wash his toys by adding some non-toxic soap. No matter what you do, using a kiddie pool is sure to be a good time!

Something to think about when it comes to doing activities with your toddler is that they will rarely ever play the way you want them to or think they should. They might try to dump out the bubble solution, be distracted on their scavenger hunt, get bored with the sensory bin, or try to eat the peanut butter instead of spreading it on your pinecone bird feeder. That is okay. Toddlers can be very frustrating, especially if you have perfectionist tendencies. To help relieve this stress ahead of time, try going into activities with the mindset that they will play how they want, and that it’s okay for them to play the “wrong way.” Toddlers are learning and discovering new things with every turn. So do your best to be patient with them as they take the time to do this.

I hope that you enjoy some of these activities, and have a great summer with your littles! Let me know in the comments what activities you will be doing with your kids! I would love to hear more ideas!

Let me know in the comments what you will be doing with your toddler this summer!

Thank you so much for being here! I hope that you got some great ideas to kick this summer off to a great start! Share this post with someone you know who has little ones!

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