Garden toys for 3 year old?

[wishIwasonholiday10]

Looking for ideas for garden toys for 3 year olds. This is the first summer my DD can walk so I hope she can enjoy the garden a bit more than last year. So far we have a water table, sand table and she likes watering things with a watering can. Garden is mostly flat grass. She is still behind other kids with gross motor skills but otherwise a normal 3 year old.

Coupe car or other ride on.
A slide.

I wouldn't bother with a wendy house type thing.

Small slide.
Chalk.
Bean bag throwing games.
Balls.
Ride on vehicles.

I've never really known kids that have big play equipment in the garden use it that much, apart from maybe trampolines but that comes with a whole host of other issues.

I think for maximum enjoyment per £ you are best with smaller things such as the things you have, maybe a balance bike, garden games such as bowls, a sprinkler for warm weather is often better than a paddling pool. chalks, bucket and paint brush so she can 'paint' the fence if patio with water etc.

Mud kitchen
balance bike
swing/climbing frame
all good for physical development too

The thing that our kids play with for longest is water and a paintbrush- they like painting things, especially anything that changes colour when wet (patio slabs etc).

swing slide and climbing frame also good but probably for an older child. Slide was useful at the youngest age out of those.

I cannot tell you how much fun mine had pushing a toy lawnmower round. No idea why. Borrowed one on a campsite and loved it so much that I bought one.

There are loads out there, some of which are really cheap and blow bubbles. Might be worth a look.

We had a climbing frame with a tent and a little wooden shed and they were worth every penny. We also had a real tent one summer. Mine just loved having a den to hide in and use for pretend play. A blanket over a couple of chairs would have done the trick but be less stable.

Mine had less than zero interest in any kind of golf, bean bags, quoits etc.

Mine love their playhouse (but I have two and they play out there together in it). Mud kitchen another hit. Sandpit and of course paddling pool. Smaller things: I made a chalk board from sheet of ply wood and chalk paint which they love. Chalks for patio. Bubble machine. Any ride on cars.

Yup another shout for a bubble lawnmower here. Little un loves helping me keep the garden tidy!

Sandpit, balance bike, chalks, ride on car (we play going to the shops for things which she then pretends to bring to me....but I have forgotten the milk etc so she goes again). Mini footballs, scooter, slide and swing set.

My boy is 3.5, a few weeks ago I got him a mud kitchen & a pop up target game with bean bags which he loves! He gets bored easily so i wanted lots of little bits so I went down to The Works yesterday and they had lots of little garden bits so I got him a pop up goal to play football, Frisbee, whistling rocket, a foam bat and ball, skipping rope, bowling set, bubble machine, a click and catch ball set & ring toss with cones

We have a few 3yo friends with those little bouncy castles. They always come out on play dates and bonus get packed away when they're not being used so they don't take over your garden.

Tuff trays are always popular too, great for imaginative or messy play outside.

Or yes just some chalk and water!