34 Outdoor Toys To Beat Screen Time

Buzz Feed

08-06-2025

A four-pack of reusable water bomb balloons for families who would gladly have water balloon fights every day if their resources would magically replenish. Look at you, making summer magic happen.
A DIY kaleidoscope kit — if you have a child who loves arts and crafts and you would love to get them out of the house, then look no further than this gorgeous toy! They'll use up their energy hunting for unique things to put inside and then enjoy looking at different backdrops once it's full. This can be used over and over to create new kaleidoscopes, so the fun won't stop!
And a personalized nature hunt board perfect for keeping inside their mushroom home. Gathering a number of these items could be dinner for their little gnome neighbors, the ingredients for a magic spell, or simply be lovely outdoor decor. Imaginations run wild outside (literally).
A roller coaster for kids that's so durable you can leave it outside, rain or shine, and it's gonna be just fine! This thing is gonna safely entertain your kiddos through all the ups and downs of summer vacation.
A bubble toy lawn mower that'll be a hit with your kiddo if they love working in the yard right alongside you. Watch them bubble up inside with excitement as this little gadget blows actual bubbles all over the yard! Ugh. I wish mine did that.
A Little Tikes Spiralin' Seas water table so well-reviewed you just might feel FOMO until it ships! Honestly, ~water~ you doing without this in your home?! It's an instant hit!
A giant Jenga set for your extra competitive older kids who always take game night with their friends to the next level.
A sailing ship kite is gonna make all the kite flyers around your fam totally jealous. Why? Because this thing is the ship!
A pair of GeoSafari Jr. binoculars your observant, pint-sized bird watcher is sure to adore.
A *cleaning* Go-Kart (you read that right!) designed with adjustable speeds from 0-5mph, a three-hour battery life, and a quirky mopping function! Gift your baby driver this toy, and they can use the blue "headlight" to spot dirt on the ground while the added mop attachment cleans the floors of your home! When they're ready for a faster ride, remove the mop and take this outside for some extra fast fun.
Or a Bella Velio bike from Early Rider (the OG balance bike creators) with a bubbly design that's almost *too* darling. Get this heirloom gift for your child and plan on keeping it around...forever. You're gonna be so attached to this sweet thing you won't be able to get rid of it — your future grandkids are gonna love it.
A bocce ball set sure to entertain your kids *and* your babysitter — this classic game is *truly* great for all ages!
A rocket ship swing that's astronot your average rope swing — with a setup this fun, your kids will be swinging off into space (and giving you *your* space).
A terribly charming toadstool tent sure to be beloved by imaginative kids who prefer pretend play to structured sets and games. If your family has too much energy for your *regular* house, send your little faeries off into the "forest" and have them scavenge for things to fill up their toadstool home.
A cornhole set reviewers are raving about because they can customize it! Throw on stickers of your child's favorite characters (I'm personally picking Bluey), and you *may* convince them to take a break from the TV to play a game of toss outside.
The Floor is Lava! board game that'll be a fan favorite with kids who practically jump out of their skin with excitement during summer break. To play, they can leap across foam tiles while you declare which color tile is safe.
A pair of Wackadoo dice for Bluey fans who jump up and dance every time the intro song turns on. One die has a direction, like "dance," "jump," or "floss," and the other has a selection of critters your child will pretend to be while doing the action. Get ready to see a bunch of flossing kangaroos in your backyard when you get home!
Waldorf woodland creatures — each open-ended shape is designed with holes that'll easily fit different twigs, stems, petals, and leaves you find while on nature walks. If you wanna spend more time outside but need a *purpose* to get yourself on a walk, creating tiny woodland creatures may be just the thing!
A 36-piece set of sidewalk chalk, including 12 tie dye, 12 glitter, and 12 neon styles, so your kids can get their angst out by (legally) tagging your entire patio. There's nothing more gratifying than graffiti if it gets your kids outside for an hour.
Flickin' Chicken might be the next big thing in Olympic competitions, and certainly the biggest hit in your own backyard! This ridiculously silly game is safe for all ages and may even make grandpa laugh! That is, if he's not to ~chicken~ to play.
A toss-and-catch ball set sure to bring back memories of playing with a similar set as a child. Now you can pass on the fun (and the ball) to your kids!
A jumbo four-to-score game for encouraging your kids to play outside for half a second, even if they aren't the sporty sort. Giant strategy games FTW!
A splurgeworthy rechargeable laser tag set so your kids can re-create their favorite video games IRL. The best part? There won't be any ammo covering the floors of your yard at the end of their matches!
Twister Splash for fun-loving families who are more than happy to slip, slide, and laugh their way through a super-sprinkler version of this classic game.
A mini golf set to make your very own mini golf course as hard or easy as you'd like! Change up the positions to keep things interesting far longer than you're children's attention span usually lasts.
Banzai Bump N' Bounce Body Bumpers for kids who like playing rough and parents who would like them covered in bubble wrap 24/7.
A bean bag toss game for kids, your child and their friends are certainly gonna spend ages playing with. Keeping the kids entertained outside? You've got this in the bag.
A Fat Brain two-in-one musical "Jump 'n Toss" game for kids who seem to never run out of (ahem, destructive) energy. This toy involves jumping, running, tossing, and exhausting them in the great outdoors.
And a Dino Blasters rocket launcher, because when your kids are cooped up and about to erupt, shooting a dinosaur 100 feet high in the sky from a volcano is the only solution!
A durable metal Big Dig sandbox digger crane with 360-degree rotation for some serious excavation projects. May I please, PLEASE get one in adult size?! I dig it.
A 6-foot-long inflatable remote-controlled T-Rex that'll turn, spin, stomp, and make all the neighborhood kids roar in excitement (did I mention it also roars?!). Why wasn't I a kid when this thing existed?!
A budget-friendly 3-in-1 sprinkler, splash pad, and wading pool decorated with colors, letters, and numbers so learning isn't just an indoor activity. Plus, this thing looks so satisfying that on a hot day, you might just join in with your kids!
A mud kitchen for little chefs who would happily spend *hours* preparing literal mud pies for those lucky enough to spend time at their exclusive restaurant.
And finally, a surprisingly lovely modern playset (a biiiig ol' toy!) with a climbing ladder, rock wall, slide, covered clubhouse with two circular windows, hanging bars, and a swing that'll give your kids (honestly, probably all the kids in your neighborhood) hours of endless entertainment while *you* get to keep the elevated aesthetic you've worked hard to create in your backyard.