Outdoor Toy? Ideas and Recs?

[MoeJoe]

We have now a small Step 2 swing set- two swings, one slide and hideaway/cabin under the deck. Kids like it, but looking to buy another outdoor toy for the summer. My kids now are a baby, 2.5 yo, 4.5 yo and 6 yo. Prefer things that'll work for most of them and that'll last for a number of years. Not looking to buy another larger swing set. And our backyard is not overly big...We looked at a dome climber and teeter totters. Any other thoughts?

TIA!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Sand table?

[HonoluluMom]

Water toys - water table, sprinklers

[acmom]

Plasma cars? My kids started using them around 18 months and are still using them at 4.5 and 6.5

[MoeJoe]

Sand table?


Water toys - water table, sprinklers

So, I wasn't specific really... I want something good for other seasons too, just buying it now for the summertime. We had a water table that got NO use. We have sprinklers and a nice size pool that they love- they use it with the slides.


Plasma cars? My kids started using them around 18 months and are still using them at 4.5 and 6.5

We have way too many bikes etc. They do like the plasma cars (a neighbor has them), but I'm trying to get something that will stay in our backyard- sorta to intice some other friends to come here. My kids aren't the most "popular" ones on the block...

Thanks for the ideas though!

[pastrygirl]

Our dome climber barely gets any use, but our helicopter teeter totter is used ALL the time, even in snow. ETA : my kids are 8 and 5, and we've had this for at least 3 years.

Not available on Amazon anymore, but may be somewhere else. http://www.amazon.com/Lifetime-Helicopter-Teeter-Totter-Primary/dp/B002XULJEG

[abh5e8]

we have this trampoline

http://www.toysrus.com/buy/trampolines/little-tikes-first-trampoline-with-safety-enclosure-7-foot-622311-11622473

and its a hit. my kids are 8, 6, 4 and almost 2. they all like it. the 2 year old can jump with her friend and the big kids usually jump alone, but can go 2 at a time if they are not too wild.. i can drag it in and out of the garage if the weather will be bad.

[MoeJoe]

Our dome climber barely gets any use, but our helicopter teeter totter is used ALL the time, even in snow. ETA : my kids are 8 and 5, and we've had this for at least 3 years.

Not available on Amazon anymore, but may be somewhere else. http://www.amazon.com/Lifetime-Helicopter-Teeter-Totter-Primary/dp/B002XULJEG

We had looked at the airplane version, still sold on amazon, but after watching a youtube clip- I wasn't that impressed by it, honestly. I was thinking why not just buy two rotating teeter totters....?


we have this trampoline

http://www.toysrus.com/buy/trampolines/little-tikes-first-trampoline-with-safety-enclosure-7-foot-622311-11622473

and its a hit. my kids are 8, 6, 4 and almost 2. they all like it. the 2 year old can jump with her friend and the big kids usually jump alone, but can go 2 at a time if they are not too wild.. i can drag it in and out of the garage if the weather will be bad.

My husband is very against trampolines, unfortunately. I like the idea of it, getting rid of energy etc, but from what I hear they really are broken bone magnets...

Thanks!

[abh5e8]

sand box? we actually have two of the plastic boxes with lids and my dh filled them with corn instead of sand. keeps the cats and such out. the kids love to play in them. neighbor kids do too. and by far, their favorite thing to play outside, is building forts with sticks and random pieces of lumber and a few pallets. they drag out my recycling bin of containers and play all.day.long. (but, we live in the country, on a couple of acres, so we have lots of that kind of stuff around. I know most in a neighborhood would not go for it. i call it the squatters village. ha)

[MoeJoe]

sand box? we actually have two of the plastic boxes with lids and my dh filled them with corn instead of sand. keeps the cats and such out. the kids love to play in them. neighbor kids do too. and by far, their favorite thing to play outside, is building forts with sticks and random pieces of lumber and a few pallets. they drag out my recycling bin of containers and play all.day.long. (but, we live in the country, on a couple of acres, so we have lots of that kind of stuff around. I know most in a neighborhood would not go for it. i call it the squatters village. ha)

I can try a sandbox, my friend has one that she wants to get rid of- but though I like the corn idea (we played with it by a local farm), I'm afraid they will throw it around and hurt someone. But, my kids will not really just go out and find something to do with random findings... sounds great and fun- but they are just not the type! Plus, we definitely do not live on a farm! ;-)

[MoeJoe]

Bump for different ideas please?

[MommyAllison]

Would sports equipment work? Like a soccer goal, or t-ball set with bases? I think I've seen good reviews on the backyard roller coaster toy, I think it's by step2? Do you have stomp rockets?

[acmom]

Would sports equipment work? Like a soccer goal, or t-ball set with bases? I think I've seen good reviews on the backyard roller coaster toy, I think it's by step2? Do you have stomp rockets?

We have a set of Pugg soccer goals that get a lot of use as well as a set of bases for baseball/softball/kickball. And our stomp rockets and balloon rockets get a lot of love too with my kids and their friends.

[MoeJoe]

Would sports equipment work? Like a soccer goal, or t-ball set with bases? I think I've seen good reviews on the backyard roller coaster toy, I think it's by step2? Do you have stomp rockets?


We have a set of Pugg soccer goals that get a lot of use as well as a set of bases for baseball/softball/kickball. And our stomp rockets and balloon rockets get a lot of love too with my kids and their friends.

My son is not so interested in sports. We have a little tikes basketball hoop and soccer net bought two years ago, that has barely gotten any use... We are trying to encourage sports, but he prefers bikes, swings, chalk and running around wildly ;-)

I'd love the roller coaster, but prefer the extreme one- except for the price tag! Not sure the smaller one is worth it...

Stomp rockets sound fun for the summer, but does it need lots of room? My backyard is kind of small.

[mousemom]

Stomp rockets have gotten a lot of use here too. They don't need a lot of room, although they do work best in a clear area without a lot of trees to get stuck in. They mostly go straight up, but sometimes get blown around in the wind. Hoppy balls, large tonka dump trucks, tents, and sand table have all been popular here.

I considered getting one of these spinning platform swings for our yard, but went with a swing set with a tire swing instead :
http://www.hearthsong.com/Outdoor-Play-Toys/Sky-Island-Special.htm

I've also considered one of these Jungle Jumparoos - seems somewhat safer than a trampoline:
http://www.hearthsong.com/outdoor-play-toys/jungle-jumparooand174;.htm

[MoeJoe]

Stomp rockets have gotten a lot of use here too. They don't need a lot of room, although they do work best in a clear area without a lot of trees to get stuck in. They mostly go straight up, but sometimes get blown around in the wind. Hoppy balls, large tonka dump trucks, tents, and sand table have all been popular here.

I considered getting one of these spinning platform swings for our yard, but went with a swing set with a tire swing instead :
http://www.hearthsong.com/Outdoor-Play-Toys/Sky-Island-Special.htm

I've also considered one of these Jungle Jumparoos - seems somewhat safer than a trampoline:
http://www.hearthsong.com/outdoor-play-toys/jungle-jumparooand174;.htm

I love both those sets- but much more $ than I have to spend! Thanks!

I do appreciate all these suggestons! I was hoping for a large outdoor toy (with the other attributes also) that wouldn't be more than $250- but that really doesn't seem possible, right? I may get some smaller activities that were rec'd but anything on a larger scale?