Which outdoor toys are worth it?

[haloflo]

Hi with the impending sunny spell (fingers crossed) I'd like to get some toys for DD to play with in the garden. Currently all she does it run round the house down the drive, heading for the street. Clearly a fence/gate is my number one priority but I'd like some outdoor toys to keep her occupied round the back of the house too.

She is only 15 months so would like things that she can play with now but have some longevity for next summer (and even bright winter days)

I am thinking of a sand/water table and a small slide at the moment. Any other recommendations?

Definitely a water table. We have a storage box of sand (but it got soaked from the last few months so is really gross). We have lots of diggers and trucks that can be used with all the stones in one area of the garden. A little tent and tunnel are great, I got them both for £15 at argos a few years ago. A big tub of chunky chalks are fab too for drawing on the patio (rain washes it off), or you could go one step further and use some blackboard paint on a fence or wall.

We have a slide and sandpit (the lid of the sandpit can be used as a paddling pool too), but dd's favourite toy at the moment is a ball. It's football-sized and bouncy and she dribbles it around, throws it and drops it down the steps. Dd is 15mo too.

Little Tykes cosy coupe, they are fab.

A ride on car something like this?

Depending how much you want to spend, playhouses are also great, gives you somewhere to store everything else too.

depends how precious your plants are but mine loves his little watering can. I second cosy coupe, sand/water table and slide. My 3 yr old loves his one of these
www.amazon.co.uk/Childrens-Tractor-Loader-Detachable-Trailer/dp/B0002HZPUG/ref=sr_1_3?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1343042330&sr=1-3
perfect for hauling random stuff up and down the garden. He could't peddle it when we bought it so he just scooted about
instead.

Meant to add toys r us sell an non John Deer version which is cheaper and seeing it in the shop would give a better idea of size.

sand/water table or those green turtle things that can be a sandpit / paddling pool
chunky chalks
basketball hoop set low down
lots of balls
little tikes slide (my one year old got it for her birthday and can climb up the three steps and do it on her own)

Sand and water table - you have to switch off any OCD tendencies however as they will mix the Sand into the water and generally coat your patio!
Little tikes cosy coupe
Watering can
Chalks
Tent

I'd recommend one of those shell/turtle shapes that allow one half to be a sand pit and the other to be a paddling pool. You can then bring some of the toys you already have to play with those. Ball pit balls floating in the paddling pool made my DS (15mth too) laugh and have a great time throwing them in and out. Little cars and diggers are great to play in the sand pit as well as some of the just some household pots, jugs and tubs.

If you're feeling creative there's lots of patterns about to make your own wigwam, or I think you can buy them at some kid stores. These are great as dens to go in and out of now and then as little reading nooks as they get older.

As simple as a paint brush and a bucket of water to paint the patio or walls. Sand and water table
bubbles
pop up tent which you must learn to fold
balls
car/digger/truck
ride on toys
small slide

how about a blow up paddling pool, my dd (15m) loved hers yesterday! it was the first time she had used it and she threw herself and wasnt at all bothered that it was cold. I put about 30 ball pit balls in there for her too and she had a whale of a time.

POP up tents and tunnels, mine used them for many many years.

We got the little tykes cube slide things for ds's 1st birthday. It's still going strong almost 12 years later. (4 year old dd plays on it now, not my almost teenage son I should point out)

OP the cozy coupe is on sale in Home Bargains for £30 now (usually £70). We'd but one for DS but our garden's on a slope so we'd have to keep pushing him up hill! Maybe wait until later in August as Argos often have a big outdoor toy sale then - we got DS's play tunnel and pop-up tent for £15 off this time last year.

my sil has a fantastic thing but it's a bit pricey - it's like a mini roller coaster ting for a ride on car. All the dc love it.

www.amazon.co.uk/Step2-Up-Down-Roller-Coaster/dp/B00005KBVD

Dunno where she got it though. I am mightily jealous of it, but as dd is 4 I thought it was a lot, for a limited time. If I were back at dc 1 of 4 I would def buy it.

She also has a paddling pool filled with balls. Kids of all ages love it (deteriorates into ball wars for the older ones) but not sure I could be bothered to pick everything up

Tesco have some fantastic reduced garden toys at the moment. I got my nieces a pop up 'shop' tent for £7 and a sand/water table for £15. :)

Ruby

And also a paddling pool for £4 and balls to go inside for £2.50 :)

Ruby

At 15months I would think a Sand/Water table is the best option. Or maybe one of those swing sets which you can just change the seat, or have multiple seats. There is some information on outdoor toys on this website, www.childrensfunkyfurniture.com/blog/best-outdoor-toys-to-benefit-your-childs-development/ not sure if its of any help to you

we have a mini slide and trampline...which actually live in the lounge! I have 3 very energetic boys so the phrase I use a lot is "don't jump on the sofa, jump on the trampoline!" Ds1 couldn't do a slide on his own till he was much older but my 18month old has been climbing up and sliding down on his own for months.

My 18month old has a mini broom, rake and lawnmower - I do a lot of gardening and he's always trying to copy using my big stuff.

They have a patch of soil to dig in with a big pot, smaller pots, trowel and mini fork.
Water table, but he throws water all over the patio. Bowl of water and paintbrushes.
I gave in and bought sand which they love but it went everywhere!

My DD is the same age. We live in a tiny flat but are currently summering at GPs in the States and DD is having a whale of a time in the paddling pool. Also loves the sand pit and any ball she can get her hands on. I tried ride-on toys and she likes the push along things but not the sit-on ones.

A toy shovel, a pile of gravel and a bucket has kept DD entertained for 2 solid hours this evening.