To be honest, I always envisioned myself being super picky about what toys we had in our backyard. I wanted them to be wooden, neutral, and aesthetically pleasing. Well, let me tell you…that’s not practical with toddlers, especially when you’re on a budget. I have found a bunch of very affordable toys that the girls love and play with constantly. And guess what – I don’t even care (that much) that they’re very plastic and very brightly colored ;).
Kiddie Pool
It’s seriously crazy to me how much fun/hours of entertainment a kiddie pool provides! I’m loving these pools – there are 6 different patterns that are so cute, and they’re only $39! We got the “That’s Banana Leaves” print, but I miiiiight have to get another before the summer is over…ya know, cause we should probably have an “adult” kiddie pool, too ;).
Swings
The girls were given this swing as a gift (thanks to my sister-in-law!) and they love it. We used to have them up higher, but recently moved them lower so the girls can climb in and out of them themselves, practice with the buckles, and push each other – it’s so cute and keeps them busy forever! I had big dreams of getting them some cute/fancy macrame swings like this one, but it’s just not practical and I love that I can just wipe these down when they get wet or dirty.
Slide
My sister-in-law also gave the girls this slide. They’ve had it for months and still never get sick of going on it! It’s tall enough to be fun for them but not so tall that I worry much about them falling off. Which is nice because they like to stand all the way up on the top and then look at me and say “Sit down!”
Water Table
My girls have this water table which we love, but we have friends who have this one and I like it a lot, too. It’s a little bigger/sturdier with more space for multiple kids to play around!
Basketball Hoop / Balls
My sister’s family gave them this basketball hoop and the girls play with it SO much. They used to just barely be able to reach to place the balls in, but now they are starting to stand back and actually try to throw them in! She also got them a bunch of extra balls, which has been awesome. And speaking of balls, the girls also LOVE these soccer balls she gave them, and they’re the perfect size for them to kick around.
Roller Coaster
We played with this little ride-on roller coaster at a friends and the girls never wanted to stop! I have had it in my Amazon cart and am waiting for a special occasion/excuse to finally buy it! (If there are any grandparents reading this looking for a gift idea for the girls…ahem!)
Lounge Chairs
We actually found this double chaise lounge chair free on the side of the road from our neighbors. I imagined it had been handmade by someone’s grandfather and they’d eventually grown out of it and no longer wanted it. However, I quickly realized that it’s actually available on Amazon, and now I want another (new) one, along with the matching table/umbrella/bench situation and the single lounge (for R & P’s friends, obviously!) There’s also a matching sand box…gah! And from this same brand, I have big dreams of getting the girls this play house someday….
Bubble Machine
We’ve had a couple bubble machines (including the $15 one from Costco) totally not work or break in 2 seconds. My friend Lisa swears by this one for $35, so I’m going to try it next! My girls LOVE bubbles, so it’s worth it to me to have a good one!
Bounce House
We went to a birthday party recently where they had this little bounce house. A lot of our friends rent bounce houses for their kids’ parties, but I was surprised to find out these friends owned this one! If you’re renting bounce houses a lot, this one would definitely be worth the money. The girls had a blast in it!
Trampoline
And speaking of bouncing, we don’t have a trampoline yet but Romy and Piper LOVE jumping on our friends’. Since almost everyone has a net now, it’s actually so nice to zip them in there and not have to worry about chasing them around…it’s like a huge play pen ;). I haven’t done the research to figure out which is the best ‘big’ trampoline, but I’d love to hear from any of you who have one that you love!! I’ve also heard people love these little toddler tramps that have a handle for the babies to hold while they practice jumping!
Activity Garden
They’re getting a little big for it now, but a friend let us borrow this Activity Garden and the girls LOVE it. They call it their “house” and have literally spent hours playing in and around it!
Music
Music makes everything better, and I love using this blue tooth speaker outside because it’s got great sound, it’s super durable, and waterproof! We’ve had this one forever and I can’t say enough great things about it!!
Do you guys have any backyard favorites I’m missing? I want to hear about them in the comments below, and keep scrolling to shop everything mentioned above!
xx
Jen
OOTD
