Best Outdoor Toys for 2 Year Olds

By admin

Having a toddler often means they are on the move all day. It can be exhausting trying to find ways to entertain them.

Especially when their curiosity grows and they begin to ignore their toys in favor of the household items and furniture they aren’t allowed to touch.  

So having an outdoor space can not only help them blow off steam but stop them from turning your house upside down. However, it can be difficult to find ways to keep your toddler amused in the garden, particularly all year round. 

We have listed great outdoor toys for 2 year olds that can be used at any time of the year, will withstand bad weather conditions, and can be used both on grass and on hard ground. 

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Summer

During the summer months when the days are longer and the temperature is hotter it is often a good idea to let your toddler immerse themselves in messy play.

Sand and mud are great textures for your toddler to explore and can be easily cleaned off as the warm weather means you can strip off their dirty clothes before they go back into the house.

Water play has the bonus of keeping them cool whilst out in the sun. We have also included a pop-up tent in the list that can be used both inside and out and offers some shaded protection from the sun. 

Water toys are a great way for your children to cool off in the summer months whilst playing outside. If your children are aged between 1 – 5 years old invest in a sprinkler pad play mat.

Sprinkler Pad

This playmat connects to your usual hose pipe and squirts water out of tiny holes on the inflatable lining around the mat. The mat only fills to 10cm so your toddler can sit in there with no risk of drowning.

However, please do not leave children unattended when playing with water toys. The Peradix Sprinkler Mat has been positively reviewed for its easy assembly and durability.

Sandpit

A sandpit allows for your 2 year old to have hours of messy play outside of the house. The Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox has many great features making it perfect for toddlers.

The two front legs of the turtle are moulded into seats so your little one can sit on the edge whilst playing with the sand. There is a design engraved on the bottom to encourage your little one to dig through the sand and explore what’s hidden underneath.

The lid seals tight so you can leave it outside in the winter months and the rain won’t leak through and ruin the sand. For a non-messy alternative, fill it with balls and turn it into an outdoor ball pit.

Mud Kitchen

A mud kitchen is a perfect tool to help your developing toddler explore their senses through messy play. They are perfect for older children too so your 2 year old’s siblings can join in the fun.

All that is needed is a little imagination. The TP Muddy Maker Mud Kitchen has wet and dry activity areas, removable splash tub, storage, hanging rail with a chalkboard and stainless steel pots and whisk.

They can pretend they are really in a kitchen and write down their favourite mud recipes!

Pop up Tent

An inexpensive outdoor toy that is sure to be a hit with a toddler is a pop-up tent. A pop-up tent will help your 2 year old develop their motor skills as they crawl or perhaps toddle in and out of it.

Most tents can be used either indoors or outdoor meaning your toddler will get the full use out of it all year round. The pop-up tent by UTEX features not one but 3 pop-ups that attach together, two houses, and a connecting tunnel.

The pieces are easily connected or can be used individually. Each piece can be easily wiped clean and flattened down for easy storage.

Try adding some balls to turn one of the tents into a ball pit for added entertainment.

Doodlemat

If your toddler enjoys drawing then an aqua doodle mat is a great investment. These nylon mats come with special pens that only work on the water mat.

Drawing encourages hand-eye coordination as well as an understanding of colours and shapes.

If you feel understandably nervous about giving your toddler the tools needed to draw all over your furniture and walls then a large doodle mat can help them understand that their scribbles need to be confined to paper.

The Jasonwell Aqua Magic Doodle Mat comes with four different coloured pens and a stencil to help your toddler learn to draw shapes. It is easy to clean and folds away for compact storage.

Autumn/ Winter

As the weather starts to turn, with the days getting colder and it raining more frequently it can be hard to find ways to entertain your children outside but the winter weather doesn’t have to be a reason to keep your children in.

Outdoor toys can often provide a source of shelter and the majority of them are made of durable materials that keep them from being damaged if left outside. With the rain making grass muddy we have also factored in toys that can be used on hard surfaces to minimise the mess your toddler makes in the wet weather. 

Wendy House

Wendy houses are a perfect addition for outdoor play in the autumn/winter months. They encourage your toddler to tap into their imagination, pretending they have their own house where they can take their dollies and teddies but have shelter from the wind and rain.

You can buy wooden or plastic wendy houses. Wooden wendy houses have the benefit that you can paint and decorate them and they retain a little more heat than the plastic but the plastic wendy houses fair better in the rain and are easily wiped clean.

The Smoby Pretty House linked here has a sliding door and window to replicate a real house as well as a tiled roof and a sweet cat engraved on the side, making it look like a quaint little cottage. It does not come with a floor so your toddler can either use grass as a carpet or you could simply add foam mats underneath.

The benefit of not having a built in floor is that the wendy house won’t permanently ruin the grass or leave an obvious mark if you choose to move it. Customers have also praised this wendy house as being a perfect ‘chill – out’ spot for children who suffer from autism or sensory issues.

Car

One of the highest rated outdoor toys for toddlers is the Little Tikes Cozy Coupe. This ride-in car has been manufactured for over 30 years and has received over 10,000 reviews online.

Children move the car by using their feet or a removable floor piece can be placed in the bottom to push the car for your toddler to rest their feet on should you want to push your children around in it. This is a perfect outdoor toy for your toddler if you have very little grass in your outdoor space.

The Little Tikes Cozy Coupe is made of plastic making it easy to clean and it is weather resistant.

Swingset

Having a swing set in your garden brings the park a little bit closer to home when it is too cold to make the trip out. Toddlers love the motion from swings and toddler swing sets are reasonably priced.

This toddler swing set from HLC is foldable which means you can fold it down for easy storage inside and you can also take it on holiday with you. It would make for the perfect camping accessory with your little one.

Toddler swings help with flexibility, balance, and coordination and this one can be used up to 36 months old.

Summary

Come rain or shine there are many toys and activities available to keep your energetic toddler entertained in the garden all year round. Garden toys are great for developing your two year old’s motor skills, hand-eye coordination and it actively encourages creative play.

Our list includes garden toys that are easy to clean, easy to store, and easily affordable. The majority of the garden toys on the list can be brought inside for indoor use and won’t be damaged by harsh weather conditions over the winter months.

 If your outdoor space does not include a grassed area then don’t worry, the toys we have listed above can be used on any surface making them accessible for everyone.