5 Outdoor Toddler Activities

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Are you looking for some ideas to do outdoors with your toddler?  Here are some easy, engaging, and fun activities that offer so many wonderful benefits. 

It’s that time of year when the weather has finally started to get a little warmer! I’ve been waiting for months for it. Being outside in the cold during the winter in the Pacific Northwest is definitely doable, but honestly, it’s hard to be outside in the cold for me and my two-year-old twins.  These outdoor toddler activities are ideas my two-year-old twins love doing outside, and I hope your little one(s) will, too! 

Of course, free play is great (and most of these activities came from free play) but these have now turned into activities we do almost always when we are outside!  These are especially great when my twins start fighting over something outside or want to come inside after just going outside.  Not to mention, most of these are super cheap, or free!

When the temperature was in the 60’s the other day I was so excited! We went outside for hours! (I have been craving this!)

  Being outside is such a great break from being indoors.  Here are our go-to’s and things that keep my toddler twins engaged for a long time. It’s great to join your toddler in these activities for a wonderful bonding experience or sit back and relax and watch them explore (with a hot cup of coffee or tea, of course).

Here are our top 5 Outdoor Toddler Activities that are easy and engaging:

1. Play Shovels and Dump Trucks

What’s better than digging in the dirt and rocks and throwing it in a dump truck, then dumping it out? This activity lasts a long time, especially if there are mud puddles outside!

We get most of their dump trucks from thrift stores, and they have a bunch of trucks that just stay outside permanently. I buy shovels whenever I find for a good deal them because they love to dig, and we can never have too many shovels!

2. Art

Painting, crayons, chalk, and markers. All of these are great outside because really there is no mess you will have to clean up (except the mess that lands on the kids).

We draw on the patio and fence with outside chalk. We use markers and paint at our outdoor table or in the grass on some paper. Art is a great creative outlet for little ones to express themselves.

3. Pick Flowers and Pull Weeds

We look for all the flowers in the yard. The boys and I put flowers in a vase (yes, mostly these are dandelions and weed flowers, but are still pretty especially since they picked them) and weeds in yard debris bin. This is also great for teaching sorting. My twins love picking the weeds now and putting them in the bin! Helps me out, too!

4. Play Chase

This is where having a playmate comes in handy. My twins love to chase each other around the yard and around the trees and bushes (our dog loves it too, and is great exercise for her). It gets out so much energy and they are literally laughing and squealing the entire time. I will also play chase with them (so it’s actually great if no other children are around to play with). It’s a great bonding activity and releases so many feel-good endorphins.

5. Explore Tree Trunks, Rocks, and Pine Cones

My boys love looking for sap on our big pine tree. They grab a stick and start poking at it and gather it on their stick. They are so engaged when they do this and get so many sensory benefits from this. The rough bark, the sticky sap, the piney smell from the sap, etc. The also collect rocks and pine cones in their pockets, so we always wear pocket pants when we go outside! 

Nature is wonderful for me, and for them. I always feel refreshed coming in from being outside!

I hope this list of 5 outdoor toddler activities has given you some wonderful ideas to share with your little one(s) this spring- or any time of the year! My boys love being outside no matter what- so we will be doing these activities a lot! 

I would love to hear what you love to do with your little one(s) outdoors in the spring.

Looking for some more engaging toddler activities?

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