Open-Ended Outdoor Toys For Endless Hours of Outside Play

The benefits of outside play for kids are both numerous and well-documented. It’s one of the best things for their physical, emotional, and mental development! Encourage endless hours of outside play with these open-ended outdoor toys and games (including some non-toy ideas!).

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Our family is pretty big on outdoor play. Levon and the kids always have been, and I’ve been working on getting outside more, myself, since reading Until the Streetlights Come On and There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather. There are so many benefits to outdoor play including cognitive development, physical activity, emotional well-being, and boosted immunity. And as we head into the spring and summer months, my kids will be spending more and more hours outside. I love the sound of the front door closing behind them, because I know they’re about to soak up the blessings of nature!

Want to encourage your own kids (or the special kids in your life) to spend more time outside? Check out this list of 40 open-ended outdoor toys and games for HOURS of outdoor play!

40+ Open-Ended Outdoor Toys For Kids of All Ages

The benefits of outside play for kids are both numerous and well-documented. It’s one of the best things for their physical, emotional, and mental development! Encourage endless hours of outside play with these open-ended outdoor toys and games (including some non-toy ideas!). There’s something for all ages and budgets!

1. Any of these the water toys 
2. Outdoor climbing dome
3. Tree climbing holds — We have these and love them!
4. Scavenger hunt cards — I’m getting these for my kids’ “Summer Kick-Off” gift this year.
5. Mud Kitchen
6. Stepping stones
7. Backyard jungle gym
8. Sidewalk chalk
9. Outdoor adventure set
10. Wagon – You’d be surprised how much use kids can get out of these! My kids have had hours of fun with ours.
11. Obstacle course, ropes course, zipline, or slackline
12. Outdoor lawn games – These aren’t necessarily open-ended, but they will encourage hours of outdoor play.
13. Parachute
14. Saucer swings, disk swing, or surfer swing
15. Gardening tools
16. Field guides (we love the Peterson Field Guide series!) and nature skills books (I highly recommend the Bushcraft series)
17. Tent
18. Multitool
19. Flashlights, headlamps, and lanterns
20. Nature journal
21. Camera – I swear my oldest DOUBLED his outside time when he got his first camera! For older kids, consider a Gopro alternative for great action shots/videos.
22. Fishing pole
23. Pocket microscope or BugView
24. Bow & arrows
25. Sandbox
26. Sun art paper
27. Activity table
28. Outdoor Maker Lab book — We have this book, and it’s full of fantastic (mostly easy) ideas.
29. Binoculars
30. Hopscotch Ring Game
31. Bikes and scooters
32. Jump rope
33. Rock painting kit
34. Inflatable giant easel
35. Toy construction vehicles — My kids have spent hours playing in the dirt with these, digging and working on pretend construction projects.
36. Stick-lets
37. Telescope or pocket telescope
38. Hammock
39. Bird call
40. Collapsible Bucket
41. Nature bags
42. Lawn darts
43. Inflatable water slide

 

 

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• 20 Non-Toy Gifts {For Every Age and Budget!}