Welcome to my ultimate guide to summer fun! As a mom of two sets of twins under four, I've discovered the best toys to keep my kids entertained, active, and happy outside. If your kids are like mine, they could be outside from the time they wake up to the time they go to bed. I work in public education which allows me to spend my entire summer with all four of my babies. However, this requires a lot of tricks up the sleeves to keep them entertained. These outdoor toys have turned our backyard into a haven of laughter and adventure. In this post, I'll share my top picks in a variety of price ranges that have brought endless joy to our family. Let's dive into the fun!
I recently purchased this bounce house in anticipation of the summer with four very mobile toddlers. I was trying to come up with easy ways to burn some excess energy while still keeping them contained in the backyard. I did a lot of research and read a lot of reviews before purchasing this one. I have been so impressed. Our kids are obsessed! It successfully entertained an eight year old, five year old, three sets of twins, and a set of triplets at the same time. You can set it up with or without water. It has a spray hose that hooks up to a "water cannon" and above the slide to create a water slide. My favorite thing about this bounce house is how easy it is to set up and tear down. I can have it set up in less than a minute and takes less than five to deflate and fold up. I purchased a large tote with wheels to store it in when it is not in use.
We purchased these reusable water balloons last year and have been obsessed ever since. Our three year olds love to fill them and pop them on themselves, the playground and each other. The water balloons will entertain them for hours. I pull them out with any water activity we are playing. I love these simply for the fact that I don't have to fill up balloons or pick up the tiny pieces balloon afterwards.
We were gifted this water table as a birthday present when our oldest set turned one. This table gets used on a regular basis during the summer. The sensory table is extremely easy to put together and is durable. It sustained the weight of my forty pound toddler when they decided to crawl in it. This water table is at a height that is accessible for my one year olds but not too short for my three year olds. It has many attachments that help sustain their attention. My personal favorite is the frog flinger.
We absolutely love our splash pad. On the really hot days, we hook ours up to the hose and let it go for hours. When our youngest set of twins were six months old and sitting up, they loved to sit in the splash pad while they watched their brothers run through it. We would also put it right under the slide and set up a little water slide situation. The bigger the splash pad the better! Do make sure your kids are wearing water shoes or sandals while running through it as it can get slippery.
Our three year old boys LOVE these scooters. I got these for the boys last summer and became masters of these within a couple tries. The boys ride these everywhere. We go on walks to the stream by our house and our boys always beg to bring their scooters. They go everywhere with us around the neighborhood. The boys are constantly begging to go on scooter rides together. I pop the babies in the stroller, click helmets on the boys' heads and go on a scooter ride. I love these because it is something I can easily do independently with two sets of twins while getting out of the house.
If you have twins, you need a teeter totter! All of our kids are obsessed with this. My husband's boss gave it to us due to their kids outgrowing it. Both our three year olds and one year olds love the teeter totter. It is a great way for both sets of twins to interact with each other. The older boys love to bounce on it with the babies and the babies usually giggle non-stop. It has ground stakes to keep if from moving and tipping. It is also light and easy to move if needed.
Yes, this is a high ticket price item, but it is hands down the most played on toy/equipment we have. There is always at least one kid swinging or playing in the sand box. It has been a pirate ship, combine harvester and mountain. Our kids are constantly on, in or running around the swingset. The one that is linked is not an exact replica of what we have be is extremely close. This is our third summer with ours and it has worn well. I love that there is a place for a shaded sandbox and the kids love the rock wall. There are so many different swingset design options out there in a wide range of price points. Identify your budget and what you want most in a swingset. This will help you drastically narrow down your options.
Our toddlers are obsessed with all things bubbles! They love the bubble mowers and follow behind daddy whenever he is mowing. They will push them around the yard even if they aren't filled with bubble solution. We have gone through a couple versions of bubble mower and these have been the most durable and have not clogged up. I would try to avoid any bubble mowers that require batteries. We have found that they break easily.
I have found the bubble machine of all bubble machines! This thing shoots bubbles out at an alarming rate! It's simple to use and has few breakable parts. The space where you put the bubble solution is open which makes it easy to fill and easy to clean. It also keeps it from clogging easily. It is also pretty small and easy to store. The only down fall I have found is that it goes through bubble solution pretty quickly due to making so many bubbles so quickly.
Like the scooters, our toddlers love their balance bikes. It has helped them develop balance by pushing, scooting or walking on the bike. The adjustable seat makes it so that our three and one year olds can both ride it. They love to ride their balance bikes around the driveway. It is very lightweight for when your toddler ultimately decides to be done riding it in the middle of walk and you have to carry it home.
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