Easy and Low Prep Outdoor Toddler and Preschool Activities

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Are you looking for some easy outdoor activities for toddlers?

Here is a big list of easy outdoor activities for toddlers that will keep your little one busy and having fun.  My two-year-old twin boys love being outdoors.  Does your child like being outside, too?

Usually, my twins do free play outside, but sometimes it’s nice to add in some fun activities to change things up a bit.  By giving them the right tools, they are able to use their imagination and play in their own way and be creative.  They are also learning a ton from all of these activities!

It’s so great getting fresh air outdoors and having a huge open space to play in that can’t really get messed up with messy sensory bins or paint.  I think it’s easier for us to play outside at the toddler stage since they want to explore any and everything (which is completely normal and encouraged- as long as it’s safe!).

All of these outdoor ideas can be done in a small or large space, so use the space you have!  Even a patio will work for most of these!  You can even take most of these ideas to a park if you don’t have an outside space at home.

I hope your toddler has as much fun as mine did with these Easy Outdoor Toddler Activities!

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1. Chalk

• • Outside chalk is such a quick and easy outdoor activity.  Chalk is great for creativity.
  • My boys love to color on the patio, fence, rocks, and sometimes their outside toys with chalk.
  • Give them a spray bottle and they can squirt the chalk when they’re done drawing.

2. Sandbox or rock box

• Add in some shovels, trucks, buckets, cups, or whatever else interests your toddler into your sandbox and is toddler-safe.
• You could just use an under-bed storage tub if you don’t have a sandbox- plus you’ll have a lid when they’re done playing.
• My boys have spent hours playing in our outdoor sandbox and rock box.  I used rocks from the dollar store for this easy DIY rock area.  They added in their trucks for some imaginative play.

3. Shovels and Dumptrucks

• A simple activity and great for practicing scooping and pouring.  Just find a little area of dirt and let them have fun!

4. Riding toys or a balance bike

• Riding toys are great for gross motor and getting out energy.
• My boys love riding around in our backyard together, especially on their excavators.

5. Slide

• They can roll balls down their slide, roll little cars, slide ice, etc. There are a lot of ways to use a slide other than sliding down it.  My boys have gotten pretty creative with their slides.  Let them use their imagination!

6. Playhouse

• Playhouses are wonderful for imaginative play.
• My twins like to make forts with their playhouse.  They add blankets and pillows inside and read their books.

7. Toddler Outdoor DIY Balance Beam

• This is so simple and great for gross motor skills.  We just used some 2×4’s and cut them.
• Your child can create their own balance beam obstacle course with wooden blocks.

8. Sensory Bins

• I love sensory bins for toddlers outdoors because there is less mess to clean up.
• Some of our favorite sensory bins to do outdoors are gravel and trucks, bubbles with water and toys, oatmeal, and cereal sensory bins.  Messy sensory bins are great for outdoors!

9. Play follow the leader

• Hop, skip, frog leap, walk, run, etc.  See if you’re toddler can follow you and your movements.  You can also have them lead and you follow them!
• It’s a great game for practicing following directions and gross motor skills.

10. Tag or chase outdoors

• An excellent way to burn energy, release endorphins, and a good game for siblings.  Or you can chase them- if you have the energy!

11. Sweep/clean up/rake

• Give your child a broom to sweep the patio or a rake (child size if you have one) to rake the grass/leaves.
• My boys love helping out with simple chores and it also gets out their energy!

12. Sprinkler/hose

13. Kiddie pool

• This is so nice when it’s hot and cools my twins off.  I add in some toys and let him have fun!
• The kiddie pool always keeps them busy for a long time.  Just watch your child closely near any water.
• My twins were ready for the kiddie pool finally this summer (they are almost 2 1/2), with close supervision.

 

14. Pick flowers

• My boys love picking lavender and dandelions.  It’s great for a quick sensory and science activity.
• Examine and talk about the attributes of the flower.  You can put them in a vase or give them to someone when they’re done!

15. Look for bugs

• Talk about different kinds of bugs.  What attributes do insects have?  What attributes do spiders have?  Where do bugs live and what kind of habitat do they have?  It’s a simple and engaging way to add in some basic science and vocabulary!

16. Do art outdoors with toddlers

• My twins love coloring outside.  Especially with markers and paint.  It’s less mess to clean up.  Sometimes I tape a big piece of paper to the fence to offer a different perspective for them.

 

17. Collect rocks/pinecones outside

• Give your child a little basket or container to put what the find in it.  Then they can explore everything they found.
• We like to recycle our old milk jugs and use them for containers to collect rocks, twigs, and other items.

18. Play with a ball- kick, throw, and play catch

• Throw a ball into a bucket or empty pot if you don’t have a hoop.  It’s great for hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills.

19. Blow Bubbles

20. Have a picnic on a blanket

• My boys always look forward to having picnics on a blanket outside.  It’s such a fun way to eat lunch or a snack!

21. Car wash

• Give your child a rag and spray bottle or vegetable scrub brush and have them wash their outside cars or toys.
• This keeps my boys busy and having fun for a long time.

22. Give baby dolls a bath

• Fill a small tub with water and add some bubble bath
• Have them add in dolls that can get wet
• Add in washcloths and bath toys

23.  Mud Art or Mud in a Bucket

• It’s so simple to set up and a fun way to get messy and play with mud!
• Just put some dirt in a bucket and add water.  Give your child spoons or a whisk to stir and scoop or a paintbrush for mud art.

24. Read a book in a comfy and relaxing spot

25. Play Hockey with a ball and hockey stick oudoors

• This is a favorite for my twin toddlers, especially since they watch their big brother play ice hockey.
• It’s great for hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills.
• You could use a soft baseball bat if you don’t have a hockey stick.

26.  Shaving Cream

• Put some shaving cream in a tub and add in a drop or two of food coloring.
• My toddlers had a blast with this activity.  Just make sure it doesn’t go in their mouth.  My twins are finally starting to not put everything in their mouth (they’re 29 months old).
• This is definitely messy but so much fun!  All 3 of my boys loved this activity.

27.  Play Tools and Pretend to Fix Things

• Play tools are a great imaginative play activity.
• My twin toddlers like to build and fix their house and outside cars.

28. Make Flower Soup

• My toddlers added in some fresh-picked rose petals into a bowl with water and stirred with a stick.
• A simple and easy pretend play activity.

29.  Fill up a tub with water and add items

• This takes only a minute to prep and my twins played for over 30 minutes with this activity.
• I added some big spoons, bowls, measuring cups and a few toys.  It’s great for a warm or hot day outside.
• Supervise your toddler closely since water is involved.

30. DIY Building Blocks

• These blocks are from our DIY balance beam.
• Blocks offer so many benefits such as hand-eye-coordination, early math skills, and spatial awareness for kids.
• These DIY blocks were my twin’s idea!  They said they were “building a house.”

31. Empty Paper Towel Tubes or Empty Wrapping Paper Rolls for a Rock/Pinecone Drop

• Tape empty paper towel tubes up to a fence or tree using duct tape (have your toddler help design how it’s hung up).
• Have your toddler drop items like rocks and pinecones or other nature items.
• This is great for teaching problem solving and cause and effect.

32.  Cracking Ice

• Fill a small tub with water and put toddler toys inside.
• Don’t freeze all the way, just the top layer. 
• Have your toddler crack the ice with play tools.  The full details are here. 

33.  Painting Rocks

• Find rocks outside to paint
• Wash them and paint with either washable paint or an acrylic paint (paint will stay on for a while if you use acrylic paint)

 

I hope this has given you some inspiration for outdoor activities to do with your toddler.

Little kids learn so much from being outdoors from playing and exploring.  It’s always a good break from being indoors and a good way to let out energy.

Free play is wonderful, and a lot of these activities my toddler’s came up with on their own by doing free play, from the building blocks to hockey.  Let your child explore outside and watch what interests them.  All of these activities require close adult supervision.

Looking for some more fun outdoor toddler activities?  Try these!

Mega Block Ice Painting

Leaf Sensory Bin

Easy, Edible Toddler Process Art

Mud Art

Easy Toddler Indoor Activities

What do you do for your outdoor toddler activities?