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What are your toddlers favourite garden toys?

19 replies

DashDotCom · 03/01/2022 11:30

My little boys about to turn one and at Christmas he got far too many indoor toys and clothes from our families so he’s pretty set on that front.
I know they’ll all insist on getting him something for his birthday too so was thinking outdoor garden toys for the summer could be good.
But I have literally no idea what toddlers actually enjoy to play with in the garden? Can anyone recommend their little ones favourites to give me some inspiration? Open to anything, big or small!
Our gardens not huge but it’s big enough for a couple of things on the grass and then we’ve got a decent patio we could probably fit a playhouse or something on.
Any guidance appreciated as I’m sure I’ll get asked soon for present ideas


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Tjsmjs · 03/01/2022 11:34

My little boy loves his water table. He is now 2. We got it for him for Xmas when he was 14months. I didn’t get a sand pit because of cats but my friends little boy has one and the both love playing in it when we visit theirs. You can get ones with lids but we don’t have the space.

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PinkWaferBiscuit · 03/01/2022 11:35

A slide, a cozy coupe car and a playhouse would be my top 3 played with outdoor toys.

Maybe get them to keep an eye out on fb marketplace for some bargains as it won't be long until people are spring cleaning and looking to get rid of this sort of stuff and it's all so expensive if brought new.

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SarahWoodruff · 03/01/2022 11:37

Definitely a water table. You can get dual sand and water tables with lids, that's what I'd go for. Or a mud kitchen arrangement. Or both if you have room!

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WalkingOnSonshine · 03/01/2022 11:38

DS has just turned one & we asked for outdoor toys that he could use in the summer.

We got a Little Tikes car, a small standing sand pit & a climbing frame with slide.

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LaTomatina · 03/01/2022 11:46

We have 4 boys and a garden full of (mostly ignored) plastic garden toys.

The most useful bit has been a child size picnic table, great for feeding them outdoors whenever possible in warmer months. They think it's fun, and I love it because feeding them outdoors is easier to clean after.

As for toys, they have played a lot with the pedal tractors (because we live at the top of a hill) and digging things. But they definitely play more with sticks and rocks and general rubbish than actual toys.

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Kayjay2018 · 03/01/2022 11:56

Water table and play house. Our garden is not particularly child friendly so we picked up a secondhand plastic play pen so my daughter could have a little area to play in

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Mysterian · 03/01/2022 12:01

Sand pit, something to 'drive', something to hide in (playhouse?), some way of being up high like the little tykes cube slide.

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Bim2021 · 03/01/2022 12:09

Agree with the child size picnic table! We have one with a lid that doubles up as a sandpit and it’s great.

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stripetop · 03/01/2022 12:20

Water table

Homemade mud kitchen. Old plastic kitchen from FB, a collection of pans and spoons, hours of play.

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Sausagesausagesausage · 03/01/2022 17:07

Little table & chairs for picnics
Tuff tray if you like doing activities
Sand/water table
Little slide
Child sized spade, fork, watering can

Or could you ask everyone to club together and buy something more substantial?

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ifellintoarabbithole · 03/01/2022 17:18

Toy lawnmower - I think it's a Little Tikes one. He got it at one, and still loves it now at nearly 3! It is noisy though, we've made the mistake of bringing it inside. Def don't recommend doing that haha.

Otherwise the cosy coupe and sand/ water table or mud kitchen are good suggestions.

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APurpleSquirrel · 03/01/2022 17:21

We've had:
Playhouse
Slide
Seesaw
Sand & Water table
Mud kitchen
Dome climbing frame
Cosy Coupe

Of those the most played with by my 2 DC have been the sand & water table & mud kitchen. We've now sold on all the rest as they're too small or not played with anymore.

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YoComoManzanas · 03/01/2022 17:23

Depends on the kid I suppose but my two had hours of fun with a push along mini mower, ride on/cosy coupe type thing, sandpit, water table. Football, playhouse, slide, trampoline, mini wheelbarrows and gardening set. Outdoor ball pit.

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PeacefulInTheDeep · 03/01/2022 19:05

Lots of great suggestions here! Mine have loved a toy lawnmower and gardening set (wheelbarrow, trowel, watering can etc).

Nobody has said paddling pool yet! Truthfully they're a bit of a pain as you can't take your eyes off your child for even a second when they've got water in, but it's rare to get a warm enough day and my kids love splashing outdoors. If you get ball pit balls you can stick them in the paddling pool and "hide" treasure like toy cars and dinosaurs in there for them to look for.

Also, a ride on toy if you have space - scuttle bugs seem to be very popular. You can always take it out when you go for a walk too.

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Eileen101 · 03/01/2022 19:07

My DC love:

Sandpit
Water tray
Paddling pool (doesn't often come out though)
Slide
Balls
Trike
Bubbles
'helping' with the garden
Watering stuff
Kids golf
Skittles

Basically all the outdoor toys 😄

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Letsallscreamatthesistene · 03/01/2022 19:23

Honestly? The hose

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Dsisproblem · 03/01/2022 19:27

Cosy coupe car. Still using it now and DS is 5.

Also water table is great too.

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fighoney · 03/01/2022 19:53

Cosy coupe car
Sandpit
Slide
Loves water as well - we have attached a piece of guttering to the wall with toy boats.

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DashDotCom · 03/01/2022 20:05

These are all fantastic ideas thank you so much everyone!
He’s already water obsessed so a water table is definitely going to have to happen, I didn’t even know they existed! And loving loads of the other suggestions too, I might need a bigger garden GrinBlush

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