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Original poster

Outdoor toys that will keep 10 month old ds entertained and stop him wrecking my garden

22 replies

MuffinMclay · 10/03/2007 17:17

I don't know where to start. Sandpits, ball pools, toy cars? Which sort of toys are worth the money and which aren't?

I'm looking for ideas for things that will distract him from scooting around pulling all my newly planted flowers out of the ground, and keep him amused and entertained throughout the spring and summer so that I can potter in the garden (so no slides or bicycles with handles that require me to entertain him). How mean am I....

OP posts:

BettySpaghetti · 10/03/2007 17:20

Our sand pit was a good buy -it gets played with daily in the summer. In fact DS has been playing in it today whilst we were clearing the garden.

The only thing is your DS might be at the sand eating stage -makes for interesting nappies I can tell you!

SoupDragon · 10/03/2007 17:54

Don't kid yourself - nothing will be as interesting as the things he isn't allowed to touch.

ChippyMinton · 10/03/2007 18:04

a sand/water table (that can be covered when not in use) is less messy than a sandpit.
A sturdy plastic rocking horse
Some gardening tools and a patch of mud all his own

Original poster

MuffinMclay · 11/03/2007 09:20

I like the idea of a sandpit. Maybe I could get one with really high sides that he can't climb out of.

OP posts:

colditz · 11/03/2007 09:24

perhaps a large bottle of Gin, to stop you caring?

seriously, get used to this, it's for the next 10 year

Elk · 11/03/2007 09:32

I was too stingy to buy a sandpit for ages.(I was given one by a neighbour when my dd was two)

I gave dd1 a couple of old tubs filled with earth/mud to dig in and lots of stones and twigs and that suited her fine. dd2 now plays with them as well. They both have watering cans and love watering everything (literally). I did get dd1 a little gardening set with trowels, pots, rakes and watering cans in a little wheelbarrow and that it still being used 3 years later.

paulaplumpbottom · 11/03/2007 09:34

Sand pit is a very good buy, so is a playhouse (the ones from Great little trading company are great) or what about just a tent.

A better idea might be to let him help you in the garden instead of trying to create diversions. My DD loves pulling weeds, potting plants and so on. She likes watering in particular.

Original poster

MuffinMclay · 11/03/2007 13:43

I like the tent idea - I'd never have thought of that.

I took ds outside this morning. He didn't destroy anything, just sat and whinged. Inside he'll happily play with things for ages, and doesn't seem to care if I'm in the room or not, but it all changes outside. I tried putting inside toys outside, but he wasn't impressed. The moment they (and him) were put back inside he wanted to play with them.

I think he's a bit too young to 'help' in the garden, but perhaps by late summer that might work.

OP posts:

accessorizewithbabysick · 12/03/2007 12:09

My ds is very keen on his tent from toys r us, you can buy them with tunnels to attach as well (he's 3 now, but still plays with it). Also a teaset (about 5 quid from mothercare) is still in use! Also just letting him pour things from one container to another (I bought a set of funnels, I think) is quite entrancing! But I do agree that it's a bit impossible to keep them entertained for long at that age so you can potter!

LilyLoo · 12/03/2007 12:13

How wonderful that you believe that you can have a nice garden. Just wait till the football starts bare lawn and running through flower beds retrieving ball. I have given up and got myself a hammock!

princessmel · 12/03/2007 12:13

My 2 love our trampolene. Its not one of those giant ones but one with a handle to hold on to. Its great. We've got it in playroom at the moment but it goes out in nice weather.

A cosy coupe car is good too.
We have a water /sand table aswell. It was dd's bday pressie from inlaws last year.
And a play house and slide! Our garden is like a park!!

Don't forget balls.

BizzyDint · 12/03/2007 12:14

ELC do teepees. they'd look good in the graden too.

Original poster

MuffinMclay · 12/03/2007 14:10

I will have a nice garden, somehow (need a naively optimistic emoticon here). The house is always in a state, but my garden is my pride and joy.

There will be no football, rugby or cricket taking place here. We live opposite a football pitch and playing fields, so he'll be going there to play when he gets to that stage.

He is far too young for a trampoline, thank goodness (my old neighbours' child's non-stop bouncing used to drive me nuts).

I bought a very cheap paddling pool and some balls today from ELC and plonked ds into it. He promptly crawled out and off to the flowerbeds, and the dog climbed in instead. He thinks it is wonderful.

I think we'll get a sandpit of some description for his birthday.

Thanks for all the advice.

OP posts:

scotlou · 12/03/2007 14:16

A toy lawnmower went down very well with my ds(and his sister, come to that!) even now they'll follow me round the garden when I'm cutting the grass. FWIW, I could not do any gardening myself until my youngest was about 3 - they just wouldn't let me as they needed constant entertainment. (and that's with a sandpit, trampoline, large swingset etc!)

Original poster

MuffinMclay · 12/03/2007 14:17

Like the lawnmower idea. I'm just beginning to realise that I know nothing about toys.

OP posts:

Enid · 12/03/2007 14:18

10 month old dd3 will not crawl on grass so stays happily on a rug in the garden

she plays with her plastic stacking cups out there

when she is brave enough to try the grass, I expect she will like the sandpit

tbh I just take a box of her normal toys out there

Original poster

MuffinMclay · 12/03/2007 14:21

Enid - I tried that. Apparently indoor toys are not acceptable outside. Then, the moment I put him back inside with stacking cups, train, whatever, he plays with them happily again.

OP posts:

Enid · 12/03/2007 14:22

tbh dd3 loves to crawl around on the patio pulling herself up on everything and eathing twigs

she has become an adrenaline junkie

Enid · 12/03/2007 14:22

oh she loves the dds ball - not the big football, a small melon sized one

CantSlimWontSlim · 12/03/2007 14:28

I just knew that this thread would be you from the title!

We bought dd a sandpit for her birthday, and finally built it over the weekend. I'm going to fill it with balls until she gets past the eating sand stage. It's this one , but if you search on MN you'll find my thread all about sandpits and the relative merits of different models!

I want to get some more garden toys for dd too though, so thanks for this thread. At the moment she is drawn to the bark chippings over the flower beds, and the stone chippings on the drive, both of which she appears to think are edible.

Original poster

MuffinMclay · 12/03/2007 19:16

Looks very solid and well made. Dh is a sucker for anything German too. Is it very heavy? Would you be able to move it around once it has got sand in it?

Can't decide if I like the roof or not. It might block my view of all the wonderful flowers that will fill my garden by summertime. I'll check out the sandpit thread at some point.

LOL at dd and the bark chippings and stones. I can just see her doing that.

OP posts:

CantSlimWontSlim · 13/03/2007 14:46

You know you won't have any flower heads left once ds starts walking don't you ?

You're welcome to come up and have a look at it in the flesh after toddlers on Thurs if you want. When you say 'full of sand', I should clarify that it has no base, so moving it would be a problem for more than just the weight. I think most people just put some sort of plastic liner underneath.

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