It’s still summer here in Georgia, and I’ve been blessed with a toddler who demands to be outside as long as the weather permits. Actually, sometimes, she demands to be outside even when the weather doesn’t permit. Over the course of the warm weather, we’ve visited every park, lake, splash pad, and attraction within driving distance. Now, we’ve still got warm weather, but I’m out of ideas for having toddler fun. Enter Little Tikes!
We’ve always been fans of Little Tikes products. They’re high quality, durable, and loads of fun. Little Tikes sent us a Light ‘n Go 3-in-1 Sports Zone and a Quiet Drive Buggy to help us have some late summer fun. Although we received the products for free in exchange for this post, all opinions are our own, as always. Thanks to Little Tikes, I’ve come up with some fun ideas for these last few weeks of summer. So how do you keep toddlers busy when you’re out of ideas?
1. Take a nature walk In our area, there are a lot of great nature trails. Critter is obsessed with animals, so a nature trail is a great way to kill some time. We like to read a story about animals before the walk, and point out any and all animals we see on the walk. Bonus points if you try to mimic the animal noises! We like to push Critter in her Quiet Drive Red Buggy while we walk, but this is also a good time to let your kid walk to get out some energy! Sometimes she likes to push the buggy herself too.
2. Visit a splash pad You’ve probably done this about a million times by now, but once the big kids are back in school, it’s a great time to do it again. My toddler doesn’t love the splash pad when it’s covered in big kids who like to push and shove, but when it’s just small kids, it’s a toddler free for all!
3. Have an indoor picnic During the rainy days of summer, Critter doesn’t understand why she can’t go outside. Those days, we plan an indoor picnic for lunch! I make sandwiches in fun shapes, cut up some fruit, and lay down a picnic blanket. You can also make fruit kebabs, or any other fun food you can come up with.It’s a great way to make her feel like she is doing something special and sneak in a little mommy and me time!
4. Be a sports star. Play some sports with your toddler! Sure, they’re not ready for the NFL, but your toddler might like playing ball! With the Little Tikes 3-in-1 Light and Go Sports Zone, your toddler can play soccer, basketball, or even bowling! Critter loves playing soccer with her friends, even if she doesn’t understand the rules yet, so the tot size goal on the Sport Zone is perfect for kids learning the rules and learning to play together. You can also toss a ball back and forth, or practice some tee ball! It’s the perfect height for her and she loves carrying the balls around the yard and “shooting” them into the hoop.
5. Get wet. Don’t want to pack up the car and head to the neighborhood pool? You can have fun at home with the hose! You can soak sponges to use as reusable water balloons that don’t pose a choking hazard. Maybe your toddler is in the “pouring things from one container to another” stage and would appreciate a day of container play! Put some water in a bowl, and offer a variety of implements like ladles, cups, and spoons for your toddler to move the water into another bowl. This entertains Critter for quite a while!
Although the official end of the summer is fast approaching, we still have weeks of warm weather ahead. We’re going to head outside and enjoy it. How are you spending the final weeks of summer?
So cute little girl! Those lists of activities are really fun..Playing together like this cute kid,is such a great and fun moment..great article!
Yes the weather has been great here in Georgia, and your baby is having so much fun with those toys!! How cute is this!!!
My kids LOVED being outside as toddlers but also tended to get into trouble digging in mud piles and getting a hold of our garden hose. At least they had fun getting messy!
Playing outside is a great activity for kids to develop their motor skills. It’s nice that you are very supportive too. Enjoy your time with her while she is young.
Awww…Those are the sweetest photos ever! How fun is that little car and bowling set? I would never want to go inside if I were your daughter. 🙂
I think kids enjoy walks the most. They get to experience so much new stuff!
Aww, that 3-in-1 set rocks! Going on walk and rides is always nice. I like the buggy your daughter gets to ride in!
I loved splash pads when my kids were little. And a nature walk seems like a great idea.
As much as I love my sleep, I do miss the toddler days. I used to take a lot of walks with mine when they were little.
I miss these days with my little one. Now I have a teen that I have to drag out of the house!
I miss those toddler days when you can bring your kids outside with their toys and both of you can have a blast. Having an older days can be challenging when it comes to outdoor activities.
Aww what some lovely ideas, I remember having lots of fun in splash pools when I was a child.
It’s still summer here in north Florida too. My daughters grew up using all sorts of toys like this! Your daughter is adorable.
We have one more family road trip planned before Fall arrives and it should be pretty as the leaves are already beginning to change colors. So we’ll have the best of both seasons.
When my kiddos a toddler we would go to little splash parks and take a nice long walks. One of his favorite things to do was going down the slide at the park. We love being outdoors.
The days and nights are getting cooler but that wouldn’t stop the grandkids from enjoy playing outside with these toys. Just put a coat on them and let them enjoy.
When my kids were tiny, they loved to go to splash pads. Basically anything that had to do with getting wet. That buggy looks like so much fun!
We love Little Tikes at our house! The toys are so sturdy and last forever. I remember the little cozy car – it held up through four kids and was still going strong when my kids outgrew it. They have the best outdoor activity toys.