School is officially over, and the summer season begins! Will you and the children be spending a lot of time outdoors? Do you want to find things to keep them engaged and entertained outside? Do you have a summer birthday and need ideas of what to gift? I’ve compiled a list of the ten best outdoor toys for 2 year olds. My children loved these things when they were two, and I hope this list is helpful to you.
*Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you; when you buy through the links, we may earn a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks!
Why is playing outside important?
It is undeniable that spending time outdoors has excellent benefits for children (and adults). Unfortunately, we spend a lot of time cooped inside during the year. But with the good weather and more free time it is the perfect excuse to be outside more than ever.
Some of the great benefits of enjoying time outdoors:
- Chance to explore the natural environment
- Possibility of having adventures
- Increases physical activity, and they can test their limits
- Improves motor skills: coordination, balance, and agility
- Unplugged time (less screen time)
- Can play games and explore
- Connecting
- Build their self-confidence
- Develop a sense of independence
- Health benefits – activity, breathing fresh air, developing strength, and more
Let’s go outside!
Our 10 favorite outdoor toys for 2 year olds
The following is a list of what my children really enjoyed playing while outside when they were two. And I must admit, some they are still using two years later (I’ll let you know which ones below). But they’ve been great buys and a source of fantastic memories together.
I’ve also selected items that are not humongous. These are things that I feel almost anyone would have enough room to store. Nothing with immense structures that require you have a giant garden (which we don’t have). If you were expecting oversized play frames, sandboxes, or water tables, I am sorry to disappoint you as you won’t find them here.
But, you will find a curated selection of things we have played with and loved a lot. So, I really hope it can be helpful.
1- Bilibo – Moluk
Bilibo is a fantastic, innovative, versatile, open-ended toy that will blow you away. It looks so simple (and, to be honest, quite strange the first time you lay your eyes on it) that you can not imagine all the things you can do with it. Spin it, stand on it, use it as a bed for dolls, a target for balls, balance on it, and so much more. With its iconic shell shape and all its bright colors immediately charm children. Check out how we play with it at home in this post!
2- Bilibo minis
The mini version of the Bilibos is just terrific. They come in a set of 6, each of a different color: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and pink. They are fantastic open-ended toys you can play with in many ways. You can buy them by themselves or get the Game box (which comes with pixels). The pixels are for three-year-olds and older, so I recommend you store them for a year and use them when they grow. They are so much fun! Here is a blog post filled with ideas about the Bilibo Game box so you can see its potential 😉
3- TinyTot 2-in-1 Wooden Balance Bike and Tricycle pedals – Kinderfeet
This Tricycle from Kinderfeet was our gift for his second birthday, and he has enjoyed it so much. Indoors and outdoors. It gave him stability and made him get comfortable with feeling the wind on his face. When we thought he was ready, around halfway through the year, we evolved it to have two wheels, and he also had a lot of fun with it.
You can find it in natural, like the one we bought two years ago, or other colors: sage green, pink, blue, and white. Take your pick!
4- 3in1 Scooter – Micro
My daughter had a scooter, and my son seemed interested in it. So we got him the evolve version from Micro so he could enjoy it sooner and grow with it (the handle evolves). It was particularly great for us on those occasions when we didn’t want to take the pram/buggy but still wanted to know where he was and not have to carry him ourselves when he got tired. So now it is just a scooter, and they enjoy it a lot when they go together. He still uses it today.
Micro Kickboard – Mini 3in1 Deluxe 3-Stage Ride-on Micro Scooter Toddler Toys for Ages 12 Months to 5 Years
5- Ball
This one will sound very obvious. Playing with a ball – any ball – has many benefits for children this age. It helps them develop eye-hand coordination, grasping skills, and tracking. There are so many fun ways to play with them, and it is fascinating for them to discover that they bounce, roll, you can throw them, and that it is not easy to keep them still because of their shape. Great for boys and girls alike!
6- Ice Cream Sand Toy Set – Hape
This ice cream set is great to play at the park, at the beach, or your sand table at home. We use it for role-playing, one is the owner of an ice cream shop, and the other pretends to be a customer. It is excellent imaginative play and helps him with his fine motor skills, learning to use the scoop and create beautiful gelatos. Our ice creams are the best in the world 😉
7- Bubble machine
Who doesn’t like a bubble machine? Toddlers are fascinated by bubbles, and let’s face it, it is pretty tiresome to be blowing all the bubbles they want – because they never have enough. We got a bubble machine, and it was life-changing. They could have bubbles when they wanted them and chase them without me having to blow them. So it is a fabulous thing to have at their second birthday party. It will give you 5 minutes of “me time” 😉 Enjoy!
8- Chalks
We live near a park with the most fantastic pavement to draw on, and they’ve enjoyed it so much! Being creative outdoors is a lot of fun. So we bought some more chalks for his birthday party, and it was an excellent activity for the kids to grab some, doodle, and draw freely on the floor. We just threw some water on the floor at the end to clean up after our creations and it went easily. Highly recommendable for parties with toddlers.
9- Trucks & Diggers
If you are going to the beach, a sand park, or have a sandbox outside, you need to invite some trucks and diggers into your life. My toddlers were fascinated by moving sand from one place to another. Load the truck, make it go down an imaginary road, and drop the pile of dirt in a new spot. He would repeat the operation countless times and had him really engaged. It is a fabulous thing to have. We have a few, these are the ones he played most with (and he still does at almost four). I can’t recommend them enough.
We were gifted the John Deere truck set, which my son loved well.
But we recently discovered the trucks from Green Toys, which are made from 100% recyclable plastic and are lovely. They also have a character sitting in the front seat, allowing for more play. We now have the mixer, however, I would now get their whole set of trucks if I didn’t have the other trucks from John Deere. They are fabulous and more sustainable. Check them out!
10- Cape / Playsilks
Oh my! Capes are magical. All superheroes and princesses need capes. You don’t need much to get children’s imagination flying. My son found a cape in a box and has been wearing it ever since. And even though it was light blue, he pretended he was the Highway Rat, a Musketeer, Superman, Batman, any superhero, really. I bought more for his birthday party, and my friends with 2-year-olds sent me pictures of their little ones with the capes on all day long the following weeks. They love them, and they are great for imaginative play.
Extra things you need to enjoy the outdoors and be safe
The following are not toys, but they are must-have companions to be safe and enjoy the outdoors more freely. You’ll want these if it rains, you are near water, or your little ones enjoy speed.
Rain Boots – Wellies – Hunter
I know this is not a toy – but it is a must for outdoor fun. The rain boots have been an absolute discovery this year. Indoor, he used them to complement his Highway Rat or Musketeer attire. Outdoors have been great for dancing in the rain and going to a farm. They have been invaluable – and also hand-me-downs from his sister… it’s great that he’s given them a much-loved second life.
Helmet
When our children ride their scooters or bikes, we always want them to wear helmets. Because you never know what could happen. Accidents are always unexpected, and it’s best to be safe and prepared. So we bought them a helmet that matched their scooter so they would always wear it when riding it. We’ve been lucky, and they’ve never hit their head, but they’ll keep wearing them just in case. Safety first.
Life-vest for the pool
Having a life-vest was terrific during the summer when he was two, and we used it the summer he was three. (We’ve now bought him a larger one since he’ll be turning four). It gave us peace of mind at the pool and the beach. Luckily we’ve had no accidents so far, but he enjoyed wearing his life vest and didn’t want to go near the water without it. It allowed him to float independently and helped him build confidence when in the water. What is also great is that it has a safety buckle that goes between his legs so he won’t slip and go underwater. It is excellent to enjoy being together around the water.
Outdoor toys for 2 year olds to create magical memories!
Summer is a fantastic time. I remember my summers as a child, and they were magical. I spent a lot of time outdoors with my cousins playing all day. So now it’s my children’s time to create those beautiful memories outdoors. And I believe that all the things on this list have contributed to creating magical moments they will cherish forever.
Enjoy your summer outside. Join the fun, let the child inside you come to life, and connect better with your children. Many of these buys have been with us for more than two years and are still being played with regularly. So I wish you tons of happy moments together. You are doing great!
Happy playing!
