Creating a fun outdoor play space for a 10 month old?

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09-08-2011
new_mom_mry

Creating a fun outdoor play space for a 10 month old?

We have just finished putting in stamped concrete over our entire patio surface area, and I am currently trying to figure out how to make the new space fun for our 10 month old DS. Does anyone have any age-appropriate suggestions stemming from experience of trying to do something similar for your LO? Should we get a water table? A sand/water table? What about a climber/slide set that he could start enjoying at this age and then grow into? Also, since the flooring surface consists of concrete, should we get some sort of a outdoor safety mat too? If so, how large should it be (i.e., just to go under the climber or in other places too?)

P.S. DS isn't walking yet, but he is crawling and pulling himself up. Thanks so much!
09-08-2011
hellokitty

I think a foam mat would be a PITA to keep in good condition (ie: would get nasty underneath and become slippery). Personally, if he's not walking yet, I'd just lay a blanket in the grass and let him play on that. Concrete hurts to crawl on and to fall onto. When he is toddling around more, I'd def lean more towards something like a water table. In the meantime, some balls, and other infant friendly toys seem fine. Little tikes has some cute outdoor stuff for toddlers.
09-08-2011
new_mom_mry

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellokitty

I think a foam mat would be a PITA to keep in good condition (ie: would get nasty underneath and become slippery). Personally, if he's not walking yet, I'd just lay a blanket in the grass and let him play on that. Concrete hurts to crawl on and to fall onto. When he is toddling around more, I'd def lean more towards something like a water table. In the meantime, some balls, and other infant friendly toys seem fine. Little tikes has some cute outdoor stuff for toddlers.

sadly there is no grass on our patio...it's just stamped concrete everywhere! It's not a huge space so we wanted to maximize the surface area this way. thanks for your other suggestions! :)
09-08-2011
jennilynn

We have a water table and it's great at that age. My DS (13 months) has been playing with it all summer. I don't always fill it with water, sometimes he just pulls up on it and plays with the toys inside. I wish ours had a lid, though. It gets lots of leaves & dirt in it and has to be rinsed out before we play. We also have a little basketball goal, but he doesn't play with that yet. He loves balls, a shovel, bucket, and just recently started trying to ride his brother's tricycle, so any of those would be good choices.
09-08-2011
new_mom_mry

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennilynn

We have a water table and it's great at that age. My DS (13 months) has been playing with it all summer. I don't always fill it with water, sometimes he just pulls up on it and plays with the toys inside. I wish ours had a lid, though. It gets lots of leaves & dirt in it and has to be rinsed out before we play. We also have a little basketball goal, but he doesn't play with that yet. He loves balls, a shovel, bucket, and just recently started trying to ride his brother's tricycle, so any of those would be good choices.

A tricycle sounds like so much fun! Any idea which tricycle or a just a simple ride-on toy would work for a 10 month old?
09-08-2011
jennilynn

We got a Radio Flyer trike with the little compartment on the back for like $15 at a consignment sale. Kind of like this but without the push bar:
http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Flyer-De...5514947&sr=8-4