100+ Free Outdoor Activities for Toddlers

This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own.

Summer is here and I couldn’t be more excited. Last Summer was all a blur, I had just delivered baby Bryce a month before the Summer heat hit Texas and the last thing I wanted to do was be outside with a newborn. Those first few months postpartum were rough in so many ways with the struggles of breastfeeding, the sleepless nights and the anxiety that I was doing everything right for my baby.

Since last year Summer was a bust, we’re going to take full advantage of the warmer weather this time around.  The only thing is that it gets hot in the South, I’m talking in the 100’s where you can cook an egg on the sidewalk.  Bryce loves to be outside playing in the yard and I encourage it any chance we get. Some of my best childhood memories are playing outside and I hope that Bryce has the same so I’m motivated to keep things fun and interesting during our playtime.

The sun in the South is no joke so we have to take extra precautions when we play outside to protect our children. Summer safety for toddlers is imperative. Our children need us to make sure they’re being protected from the summer sun, no matter where you live.

 Summer Safety Tips for Toddlers

Stay Hydrated – Being outside in the heat can make anyone at any age dehydrated. If you have a toddler, many times it’s hard for them to tell you exactly how they feel. It is our job to make sure we are constantly watching for cues to figure out what is going on with their little bodies. Don’t wait for your child to ask for a drink, offer water as often as possible.  Get your child in the habit early on by scheduling frequent beverage breaks during activity, about every 20 minutes or so in hot weather. If you have a hard time convincing your child to take a break from play to drink a beverage, offer a Popsicle.

 

Water Safety – Drowning is a scary subject. The best way to prevent it is to keep a watchful eye on your children and teach them water safety from an early age. I have a pool at my house and it is a scary thought to think of how accessible it is to my toddler. Because of this, we’ve signed up for swim lessons and are proactive with Bryce in the water. Many schools in our area offer free classes until 6 months, so it’s worth checking out!

Keep Cool – This may seem like a no brainer but it’s amazing how fast our little ones can get overheated. Their bodies are so new and still getting acclimated to the heat so we have to constantly check their bodies to make sure they are staying cool. Offer water often and cool them off with wet rags when possible. Also make mandatory breaks where children cool off in a shaded area.

Protect Your Skin – This is imperative. As a family that has had multiple skin cancer scares, we are adamant about sunscreen and protecting our skin as much as possible. I keep sunscreen with me at all times because it is so important to protect my skin and my baby’s skin. Our family is a huge fan of AVEENO®  Baby CONTINUOUS PROTECTION Sunscreen Lotion with Broad Spectrum SPF 50.

This sunscreen offers an effective, natural solution with 100% mineral sun blockers with 100% Zinc-Oxide UVA/UVB mineral protection. When we are putting products on our skin, we want to make sure it’s only the best which is why we choose AVEENO®  Baby CONTINUOUS PROTECTION Sunscreen Lotion with Broad Spectrum SPF 50. 
Bryce has very fair skin so we’re picky about what goes on it. AVEENO®  Baby CONTINUOUS PROTECTION Sunscreen Lotion with Broad Spectrum SPF 50 is hypoallergenic; free of parabens, phthalates, dyes and fragrance. It’s very easy to apply and I love that it’s tear-free with non-whitening formula goes on without stinging.

Purchase the AVEENO®  Baby CONTINUOUS PROTECTION Sunscreen Lotion with Broad Spectrum SPF 50 twin pack at your local Walmart and get an Ibotta offer for $5 back! If you’re looking for sunscreen at Walmart, check in the beauty section.

Safety first, fun second. Since we all know toddlers are very busy sometimes it’s hard to keep them entertained for long periods of time. I started making a list of free outdoor activities for toddlers to make sure we never get bored.

100+ Free Toddler Outdoor Activities

1. Go on a nature walk and explore sights and sounds
2. Splash in a water table
3. Take a ride on a swing
4. Have a picnic with your favorite foods
5. Play hide and seek
6. Collect acorns
7. Splash in puddles
8. Make a kite from string, paper and sticks
9. Go to the zoo and identify each animal
10. Visit an aquarium 
11. Make a bird feeder
12. Practice making shapes with leaves
13. Make a river out of a rain gutter
14. Count trees in your yard
15. Plant flowers in a garden
16. Dig in the dirt for worms
17. Play games with a bubble machine
18. Color your sidewalk with chalk
19. Splash in a kiddie pool
20. Visit ducks at the park 
21. Make a ball pit outside
22. Use edible paint to draw a picture
23. Break down cardboard boxes and let baby draw on them
24. Wear Sunscreen
25. Practice kicking and throwing balls
26. Take pictures of your adventures
27. Paint with leaves
28. Draw shapes on the ground
29. Play with push and pulls toys
30. Throw scarves in the air
31. Practice riding a tricycle
32. Have a water balloon fight
33. Read books about nature
34. Get the mail
35. Smell different flowers
36. Learn to pull weeds
37. Find items that start with each letter of the alphabet (a – ants, b – bark, c – car)
38. Try a baby swim class
39. Go for a walk in the stroller
40. Adventure down the slide at the park 
41. Make a backyard obstacle course
42. Look for birds in the sky
43. Count cards passing by
44. Play tag
45. Run through the sprinkler
46. Pick up trash
47. Make a maze using sticks
48. Practice scooping rice into buckets
49. Throw balls into buckets 
50. Blow big and little bubbles
51. Make a fort out of cardboard boxes
52. Have a dance party
53. Play follow the leader
54. Fly a kite
55. Build animals with play dough
56. Take the dogs for a walk on a leash
57. Fill a baby pool with different ingredients (rice, cornmeal, etc) for sensory play
58. Practice baby stretches
59. Stack rocks as high as possible
60. Build sandcastles in a sand box 
61. Form letters with sticks, attempt to do the whole alphabet
62. Plant seeds
63. Meet a friend at the park
64. Observe the weather and talk about the temperature
65. Count as many clouds in the sky
66. Make musical instruments with nature objects
67. Jump in and out of a hula hoop
68. Dump an ice tray on the ground and play with it before it all melts
69. Practice pouring water in to cups 
70. Talk to you child about what they hear (birds, cars, etc)
71. Float in a swimming pool
72. Visit a nearby splash pad
73. Feed the ducks
74. Visit a fire station
75. Play in shaving cream
76. Color rocks with chalk
77. Make rhymes for nature sightings
78. Paint with water
79. Look for items that start with every letter of the alphabet
80. Play with the wood chips at the park 
81. Squirt water guns at targets
82. Shoot bubbles through straws
83. Catch raindrops
84. Wash the car
85. Catch lightening bugs
86. Fill water guns with paint and shoot paper to make art
87. Make shadow puppets
88. Make sensory buckets
89. Throw paper airplanes
90. Go for a ride in a wagon 
91. Toss bean bags
92. Have a water fight
93. Find the moon
94. Play fight with pool noodles
95. Practice going up and down the steps into the house
96. Go on an animal hunt. Search for squirrels, ducks, dogs and more
97. Plant a garden and watch it grow
98. Gaze through binoculars
99. Make an outdoor tent out of old sheets
100. Run through giant bubbles

Free Outdoor Toddler Activities