outdoor play toys

Even though I explicitly stated on our first birthday invites that people DID NOT need to bring gifts, people were very generous and I now have an insane amount of toys r us gc's. Now that the girls are walking and the weather is warming up, I though maybe we should get some outdoor toys. But I have no idea what they would like and what will be interesting for more than a couple of minutes. Do your kids like to play in those play houses? Swings? Little red coup (this seems like they are still too young for them though)? Sand box (ug- litter box for neighborhood cats)? Any other suggestions? When did your kids get into play kitchens? I think 12 months may still be too young for that too, but we just finished the den and I'm sure DH would be thrilled to see this beautiful room get filled with a bunch of plastic c**p, um sorry.. I mean fun toys!

 

Mine turned 12 months last March, and they liked the following outdoor toys last summer:

playhouse (We have this one with the swing extension)
http://www.littletikes.com/toys/endless-ad...earch&LBC=1

sand table
little "pool" that didn't really fill with water but sprayed it from various things
wagon
sand toys

They'd have probably loved a water table too. I hope they get one of those for their birthday party this weekend.

 

Sand and water tables were the biggest hits here and the Kangaroo Climber w/slide. The wagon was a definite hit as was the coupe car that they still fought over last summer and I'm sure will this summer as well. At that age, we got the boys some little indoor ride ons and just brought them outside to scoot around on. They faded a bit when we forgot and left them out but they loved them. Our boys were little water babies though so the sprinkler hose attachment toys and water tables were their favorites.

 

We have the Neat & Tidy Cottage that the girls play with alot. We are also getting them a sand & water table for their b-day. They also have the picnic table that they sit at and have "smacks" when it is nice outside.

That is great about all the G.C. Go have fun!!

 

We have a big swing with a toddler seat on it. My kids are from three to eleven though... Kind of grows with them. We got a playhouse from our cousin that outgrew it. LOVE it. It's in the activity room now as we are getting through the winter. I have a "crab" sandbox. I've seen them as turtles, crabs, fish etc... Toys R Us has them. They are lidded. I wouldn't have a sandbox without a lid. We have a small plastic slide in the house. They love it. When they are going down it, their toys are. At E/I preschool they had the cozy coupe. They adored it. Played in it every chance they had. I prefer to get things that they can grow with or into so I get my moneys worth.

 

Just ordered a sand and water table for mine...from what everyone has told me, they're a great hit!

 

water table (don't get a sand/water combo unless you're fond of mud)
buckets, shovels, rakes
small climber
playhouse

 

My girls are 13.5 mos. and love little plastic balls. this weekend I'm going to get one of those turtle / crab pools for outside and fill it with balls! I've heard this is a hit. I've seen the water table too and thought that'd be great too. I've run into the same problem with toys holding their attention for about oh - 5 minutes. and then they seem bored with them. BUT - this past weekend I got them each one of those little chairs. I've only seen them at Walmart and they have princess ones, or Dora etc. They are foam with a covering. They are light enough for the girls to pick up and move anywhere, and I tell you what - they love these! This has been the only thing I've bought them that has held their attention and got many laughs and giggles out of them. It's darling as they will sit in them and watch their Blues Clues in the morning with their sippys. Or even being able to "move" them around where they want, I think makes them feel a little in control of something. Carley's favorite place for her chair is in the kitchen *sigh* - she'll set them both up in the kitchen and sit in her chair and "call" sissy to sit in hers. It's great. and they'll last them for quite some time too. Sorry not an outside toy, but also not plastic c**p in the den. - boy do I know how you feel there.... Good luck and have fun!!

 

We have a Little tykes basket ball hoop, a little tykes slide (it is a square with one end open to climb in and the other end is the slide. We also have a water table they can use only when I am outside, but they love it. And we also have swings. So between all those things and the other toys they drag outside, they have plenty to play with.

I tried looking for the slide on the Little tykes website, but couldn't find it. I found our on Craigslist for a great price.