It’s the middle of summer and it is HOT, your kidos are bored with being inside and you need some ideas to keep them entertained and busy. My toddler needs a lot of entertainment and is in the stage of life where he loves for you to “watch this” and “come outside.”
If he is outside and does not have something of structure to do after too long he is getting into something he shouldn’t be. So here are some of my go-to toddler outdoor activities you can do right from home and all are cheap (or free)!!
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Sprinkler or Backyard Pool
You don’t always have to visit the public pool for your toddler to have fun in the water. In my house, we like to fill up our cheap baby pool (like the hard plastic one from the dollar store) so mama can put her feet in and cool off too! And have our favorite backyard splash pad set up next to it. My toddler could run back and forth for hours! Our exact splash pad is not currently in stock but click HERE to find one very similar. And under $20!
Gardening
So hear me out, gardening might not exactly be as easy or enjoyable with a toddler (hello type-A personalities) but for them it is so much fun and a great way to learn! I love watching Rhett get excited when he finds a red tomato or big cucumber ready to be picked. Have them help you with watering, weeding, harvesting. Toddlers LOVE to help and be praised when they follow instructions. What a great learning opportunity to take advantage of as a parent and a fun way to spend some outdoor time for your little one.
Have a Picnic
Eating anywhere besides the kitchen is a fun thing for toddlers to do. Mine LOVES to have picnics, especially outside. We also do rainy day picnics indoors but there is something way more fun about an outdoor picnic. We pick the food together, gather our favorite drinks and find a shady spot outside to eat lunch. Super simple and a great way to get outside.
Feed the Birds
Buy a birdfeeder and fill with seeds. We love this one from amazon because it has multiple places for birds to land and we always get so many different kinds to look at. My toddler really enjoys looking at our bird identifying book and seeing what kind of birds we have in our backyard. Another great learning opportunity plus a way to stay busy outdoors.
Another thing to try is making your own bird food! If you have a little crafter, there are tons of ideas out there.
Backyard Baseball
A lot of different ways you can play baseball with a toddler and you don’t even need a lot of players. We have this toddler sized tee and bat which is fun all on it’s own.
Another fun idea is to set up your own baseball field using the tee as “home plate” and some cheap baby pools as the bases. A fun way to play ball and get wet!
AND my toddler’s personal favorite (we call this the dad hack) fishing pole baseball. I’ll just post a photo for your viewing pleasure but basically my husband attached a ball to the end of a fishing pole for Rhett to hit off of. Instead of having to go get the ball he just reels it in like a fish (insert face-palm emoji here) Honestly I have to give him all the credit for his creativeness and Rhett could do this for hours. He asks to play fish baseball literally every single day.
“Paint” the Deck
Or “paint” anything outside really! My toddler absolutely loves this activity and it is super easy. We fill up a bowl with water, grab a paintbrush and he goes to town “painting.” He uses the paintbrush on the wood deck, the house, the table, his toys, you name it. Super easy, zero cleanup and a fun activity that makes toddlers feel accomplished.
Fun Stepping Stone Craft
We had so much fun doing this one. We actually made a stepping stone for my dad for father’s day and it turned out so cute I plan to do it every year and watch my baby’s little hands and feet grow. Check out my blog post, Easy Toddler Garden Stone Craft for step by step instructions. Prepare to get messy and there is some cleanup involved but the whole thing cost me under $20 and it made two big garden stones. Plus my toddler had a blast getting messy and helping mom make a gift for his “pop.”
We love coming up with new, fun activities we can do at home. Especially with a newborn due later this summer we will be spending a lot of time in our own backyard. I’d love to hear your ideas for cheap summer fun!
