Are you looking for ideas for outdoor games for toddlers? When it comes to finding things to do with our toddlers one of the best things you can do is get outside. Playing games is the perfect outdoor activity for kids of all ages. Find more ideas for outdoor games for children here.
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It may feel like a lot of hard work, but there are so many benefits for your little one, and even for yourself. We all know that getting outside in the fresh air can help improve low mood and anxiety. Not to mention it helps with sleep. Well, all of that can be said for your toddlers, and let’s face it, we all want happy and thriving children.
But getting outside is just the first step. What should you do when you are outside? Playing games is a great way to engage with your toddler, and I have got a list of suggestions for fun outdoor games for toddlers that will be perfect to try. There is something for everyone on this list and I hope you enjoy them.
Hide and seek
One of the first games you might like to play would be hide and seek. It’s a classic outdoor game and perfect for younger kids. This is a great game to play with your little ones and they will enjoy hiding from you as you try and seek them. It is also a great opportunity for them to be the seeker and to start counting from 1 to 10. You can do this easily in your garden or park area if you feel comfortable doing so. It is also a great game to play if you have any friends over for them.
Kicking the ball about
Toddlers associate the ball and kicking it quite early on, so this is a great game to play with them outside. It gives them more space to enjoy kicking the ball around and running along with it. They could kick it into a makeshift goal or you could look at passing between one another. This is such a fun way to develop gross motor skills.
Throwing and catching
Similarly, you can also play catch with a ball in your garden or a local park area. It is a great opportunity to help them develop hand-eye coordination. Catching is a difficult skill to master, so starting close to one another will be a great way to help them learn and build confidence with it. You could also count how many times you throw it at one another.
Bowling
Bowling is something that many of us will enjoy doing, especially if we have older kids, but it can be a fun outdoor game for your toddler as well. You can buy bowling pins and a ball as a toy these days, or you could look to make a set yourself from old plastic bottles you might have in the recycling.
Roll the ball to see how many pins or bottles you can knock over. Your toddler will not only love rolling the ball to knock them down but equally setting them back up again for another turn. This is a really fun active game for kids of all ages.
Jumping in muddy puddles
I think we all know who is to blame for this wonderful outdoor game but when the weather starts to get wet and rainy there is nothing more pleasurable to a toddler than jumping up and down in muddy puddles. You can do this in your garden, out for a walk, or in your local park. It is a fun little game to play that your toddlers will love.
Chalk drawing
If you like to get creative with your toddler then you may want to consider chalk drawing. This is something you can do on your patio or even on your brick walls. All you need is sidewalk chalk and you can let your little ones’ imaginations run wild. The best thing is that a little rain or some water from the hose pipe will wash away the creation and leave a blank canvas for the next time.
Chalk drawing can be one of many great educational ideas for toddlers.
Painting fences
Equally, you can also give them a bucket of water and a paintbrush and ask them to “paint” your fences. The water will make the fence colour appear darker and they will think they are doing a great job for you.
Water play
Many toddlers love to play with water, and you can set up some great water play ideas outside. You could use a tuff tray and some water in cups or jugs and they can create a tea party. Or you can set up a water table specifically for them to play with. They will love it, especially on a hot day (in the shade).
Water fights
On a warm day, there is nothing better than playing with cold water to cool you down. You could make this a fun game with the use of water guns (squirt guns) or water balloons. You can run around your garden trying to squirt each other. This is the perfect game for the whole family to get involved with. Even older children won’t be able to resist the temptation of a water fight.
Simon says
This is a really simple game and is great for 1 toddler or for a group of kids. Either you or your little one will be “Simon” and that person needs to instruct the other to do things by saying the phrase Simon Says. For example, “Simon says stand on one leg”, but if that person asks you to do something without saying the phrase, and that person does it then “Simon” is the winner. This is a great game to encourage listening skills and to develop imagination as they try and think of different things to ask you to do.
Bug hunting
If your little ones like to seek out bugs then you can use this as a game for the garden. It is a great fun activity where you can discuss not only different types of bugs but where they live and what they need to survive. You could even get creative and make bug homes or bug hotels. There are plenty of tutorials and blog posts online that could help you with this.
Go on a scavenger hunt
Scavenger hunts are great fun and picture-based ones are perfect for toddlers. Find a nature walk scavenger hunt free printable for every season here.
Set up an obstacle course
This is a classic game for kids and it’s perfect for toddlers if you keep it simple. You can use toys that you already have like a hula hoop to throw a bean bag into, tunnels to crawl through and chairs as markers to run between.
Catching bubbles
There are lots of bubble machines on the market and of course, you can pick up bubble wands and tubes cheaply. Toddlers absolutely love bubbles and popping and catching them is a great outdoor game.
Musical chairs
I bet you remember this game from your own childhood. You can play this game with any number of players as long as you have one less chair than toddlers. The object of the game is to be the last person playing as one chair is removed each round so there is always one child more than there are chairs. When the music plays the children walk in a circle around the chairs and when the music stops they all need to sit on a chair. Whichever child doesn’t get a chair is out.
Find more Outdoor games for a kids party here.
Relay race
This one the entire family can get involved with and have a great time. Players line up at the starting line and take it in turns running to the opposite side and back.
Have a teddy bears picnic
Finally, while not essentially a game this is a great fun outdoor activity for your little ones. Setting up a picnic for you and their teddys and bringing out their toys will keep them occupied and having lots of fun outside. You can join in or let their imaginations run wild with some independent play.
I hope this has given you plenty of inspiration for outdoor games for toddlers and that your little one enjoys them.
More outdoor activities for toddlers
Find more outdoor activities for toddlers here. It includes over 30 ideas for things you can do outside with toddlers. There are so many things that toddlers will enjoy doing in the great outdoors.
If you want to buy a few outdoor toys for your little one, I have just the post for you. Read it here – Outdoor activity toys for toddlers. It includes ideas for water tables, simple games and bikes, all perfect for toddlers.
