Best Outdoor Toys for 2 Year Old Boys and Girls
Kristina
—Jun 03, 2023
Two is a fun age for a toddler. They are walking, running, jumping and talking. A 2 year old is filled with energy and loves to play outside, mine sure did. I am going to take you through our favorite outdoor toys for 2 year old boys and girls.
As a mom of three who lives to be outside we have tested many outdoor toys for toddlers in our backyard, camping, hiking or at the park. I have picked out my favorites and the ones my 2 year olds have spent the most time on.
In this article:
- What Toys Hold Toddler Attention?
- How Many Toys Should A 2 Year Old Have?
- What Do Two Year Olds Play With?
- What To Do With A 2 Year Old All Day?
- What To Look For In Outdoor Toys For Toddlers
- Where To Find Used Outdoor Toys For 2 Year Old
- Best Garden Toys For 2 Year Olds
- Best Water Toys For 2 Year Olds
- Best Outdoor Toys for 2 Year Old: Transportation Toys
- Best Outdoor Toys for 2 Year Old: Classic Toys
- Best Pretend Outdoor Toys for 2 Year Old
- Best Outdoor Toys for Toddlers
- Conclusion: Outdoor Toys for Two Year Olds
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Rest assured all products I suggest are products I have bought or would buy based on personal experience or through my network of other mommas.
What Toys Hold Toddler Attention?
First thing to understand is that a 2 year old has, on average, a three to six minute attention span. So one particular toy might not give you a half an hour of play at one given moment. However, over time outdoor toys for 2 year olds will get played with frequently.
It is common in my household for my 1, 2 and 3 year old children to play with a toy, move on to another outdoor toy and then come back to the first toy. This is normal. And the toy that my oldest child is playing with will be the one that my younger two gravitate towards.
Each toddler is unique and will have their own preferences and "favorite toys". You can't assume all boys favorite toy will be a truck and all girls be bubbles.
How Many Toys Should A 2 Year Old Have?
As mentioned above one single outdoor toy will not hold your toddlers attention all day long; periods of the day yes but not consistently. I keep a range of fun outdoor toys available to my 2 year olds.
I like to prioritize outdoor toys over indoor toys. The more we play outdoors the less messy the inside of my house gets and the less cleaning I have to do. And I also just prefer to be outdoors.
Psychology today reports that having more toys available spawns creativity. Now this doesn’t mean only having 2 toys, but rather only making available a smaller amount of your toys. This should help focus a toddlers attention.
I normally have a focus of what type of outdoor toys I am currently playing with when outside with my 2 year old and will make 3 to 4 toys available at one given moment. For instance if we are gardening I will have 3 or 4 garden toys for 2 year olds available. If it is a hot day outside I will have a couple water toys for 2 year olds.
What Do Two Year Olds Play With?
Anything they can get their hands on! A toddler doesn’t know the difference between what is a toy and what isn’t. It is our job as parents to guide them to safe and fun outdoor play.
My 2 year olds like to play with all sorts of toys. Mine like pretend toys to be like “mommy”, transportation toys, water toys, push toys, climbing toys, garden toys, and more. My two year olds have found pine cones and flowers to be highly entertaining for periods of time. A toy doesn’t have to cost money to be fun!
What To Do With A 2 Year Old All Day?
My two year olds are often happy just hanging with me for the day and doing chores. I love to take my kids to the garden, play on the playset, spend time learning to ride bikes or scooters, go on hikes and walks and give them time to nurture independent play.
2 Year olds don’t require much and mainly want your attention. They don’t have the longest attention span so they often move from one activity to the next quickly. Taking them outside gets out their energy and gives them more room to explore.
What To Look For In Outdoor Toys For Toddlers
Durability:
A toddler plays rough. They throw, kick and fall on toys. You want a toy to last over time, whether it be younger siblings coming along or other two year olds on play dates. Also an outdoor toy must hold up to rain, sleet, snow and the freezing to thawing temperatures.
Age Appropriate Toys:
A 2 year old should play on toys that are safe for them. Not climbing up a 7 foot ladder or sliding down a huge tunnel slide. A 2 year old is still working on large motor skills. Toys that enrich pretend play, teach new skills, are safe and fun, and develop large motor abilities are the best.
Realistic Expectations:
Be aware of how big a toy is and how large a space you have. Don’t buy too many big items if you have nowhere to store them. Some housing associations don’t allow large play equipment left outside overnight.
Don't buy a sledding outdoor toy if you live in an area that doesn't get snow!
Where To Find Used Outdoor Toys For 2 Year Old
Every outdoor toy doesn’t have to be bought from a store or off amazon, plenty of mine aren’t. Here are some ideas to consider:
- Second Hand Stores
- On curb listed as free from your neighbors (I surprisingly got a lot this way, often when I wasn’t looking)
- Facebook marketplace
- Ebay
- Ask family member whose kids are older for hand me downs
Best Garden Toys For 2 Year Olds
I spend a lot of time in the garden. Not only am I weeding the front garden, but I also have a fenced vegetable and fruit garden, several fruit trees and side gardens. Therefore I spend a lot of time maintaining the garden area and my 2 year olds are happy to help me.
Gardening toys for 2 year old allows my toddlers to help me in the garden without interfering with my tools. Their tools are real tools that work just fine, but made for smaller hands.
My toddlers and kids love the fruit garden especially. When the fruit is ripe they go hourly, if I let them, to pick the fresh fruit. Somehow the fruit never makes it back to the house, instead immediately gobbled up!
Toddler Gardening tools
The main garden toy for 2 year old is a set that includes a small shovel, spade and trowel. Most sets will come with a carrying case and maybe a watering can. This is the basics to start gardening with your 2 year old.
I have the StoryBrook Kids Explorers Club set for my toddlers. It comes with a toddler book on gardening,( I have memorized this book by now), a small watering can, carrying case and labeled garden stakes. It also has gardening gloves, but my 2 year olds have never been able to keep them on. Toddlers also like to feel the dirt.
Watering Can For Toddler
If your gardening tool set didn’t come with a watering can then a small watering can is a great outdoor toy for 2 year old. A toddler can’t carry a large container full of water. However, a toddler loves to water flowers, plants and really anything.
I like to water with my adult watering can and have them “help” with a toddler sized watering can that they can control and carry.
Rake for Toddlers
In the autumn the leaves start falling; I bet you your two year old is going to love helping mommy and daddy rake the leaves. And once your toddler helps rake the leaves into piles they will need to jump in all the piles!
A toddler size rake is best for little hands. A large rake can be hard for a 2 year old to carry and use.
Outdoor Buckets
Gardening would not be complete without your toddler getting out a bucket to fill with dirt or placing pebbles. A toddler loves to collect objects and I bet there are lots of objects to collect near the garden.
My 2 year olds have collected flowers, rocks, pine cones, acorns, leaves, fruit, veggies and sticks in buckets.
Best Water Toys For 2 Year Olds
When the weather gets warm water toys for 2 year olds become very popular in my house. I have not yet met a 2 year old who doesn’t enjoy playing with water. Toddlers are drawn to it, even when it is freezing outside!
Backyard Pool for Toddlers
If you don’t have a pool, like me, a toddler sized pool works great! All you have to do is blow it up, or set it up depending on the pool type.
My two year olds have enjoyed our Intex Rainbow Ring Inflatable Play Center. The slide has been a big hit and I like how multiple kids can play in it. It is the right size for a 2 year old and their capabilities.
The one thing I dislike is how many separate inflatable sections there are to set up. If you don’t want to blow up multiple sections a larger blow up connected to a blower works great.
We have the Honey Joy Inflatable Water Slide and 2 year old’s love it. The downside is that climbing up to the slide can be challenging for a newly 2 year old. The water slide and bounce house is more ideal for a toddler closer to 3 and above.
A newly 2 year old could play in the wade pool and tunnel along the bottom.
_Sprinkler for 2 Year Old_s
A pool isn’t the only way to have fun. Setting up a sprinkler in the yard and letting your 2 year old go crazy is a great way to cool off.
My toddlers have always had fun running around in a sprinkler and often want me to join in on the fun!
_Water Table for Toddler_s
I am just going to say it, I love water tables for toddlers. This has been one of the most played with outside toy for 2 year olds that I have. In the summer we fill it with water and in the winter it is filled with snow or sand.
My toddlers play with water cups and transport water elsewhere, they enjoy filling up the water table and find many creative ways to play in the water table. Often my kids bring other outdoor toys into the water table. A common favorite is having an outdoor toy wash in the water table.
Best Outdoor Toys for 2 Year Old: Transportation Toys
Fun outdoor toys for 2 year olds are toys with wheels. Never did I think I would have so many different transportation toys for my toddlers, but man do these get played with! I also love that these outdoor toys for 2 year olds have survived all 3 of my kids.
Buying quality transportation toys for your first child means any other kids you may have can use the same ones. Unless you have twins, then you might need two!
For some of these toys you will need a toddler helmet! Safety first when playing.
Rideable Jeep for 2 Year Old
I remember as a girl being jealous of the other kids with rideable jeeps. So I made friends with a girl down the street who had one so I could ride in it. Now, as a parent, I was worried I bought it more for my enjoyment and was afraid my toddlers wouldn’t get good use of it. I was wrong!
If our rideable jeep is charged my 1, 2, 3 and 4 year old are driving it around our property. We have a two seater and I love watching when both my boys are riding around together. Now that my youngest is 1 my boys love riding her around.
Our Costzon 2 seater Ride on Truck has lasted. When my oldest was 2 he used to ride it to the middle of the yard and sit in it for 10 minutes at a time listening to its radio and the programmed stories. The truck drives on the road and the grass with no issues and has two speeds.
I love that our Ride On Vehicle came with a remote control. For a new driver, starting around the age of 2, they need to develop their driving skill. There were many times I had to take over the controls to avoid a crash into our house, other people and our parked cars on the driveway.
For a 2 year old I highly recommend a vehicle that comes with a remote control for parents.
Toddler Balance Bike
My husband and I fell in love riding bikes back in England. I was super excited when my babies reached the age to ride a balance bike. A balance bike is a perfect first bike for a 2 year old. It teaches them how to handle a bike and how to turn before needing the pedals.
A 2 year old isn’t overly strong and a lightweight balance bike is best. I recommend the Strider 12 Sport Balance Bike. It is the first balance bike my 3 kids use. Compared to other 12 inch balance bikes it is the lightest.
My boys took some time to master the balance bike. Often it takes practice with the bike before learning how to kick off and glide on the bike. At the beginning a toddler walks with the bike between their legs before figuring it out. A balance bike is an investment and an outdoor toy you need to spend time on.
Toddler Trike
Balance bikes are my favorite but a 2 year old also loves a good trike. A trike teaches a 2 year old how to pedal without worrying about balance and control. If your toddler can both ride a trike and balance bike you might not need training wheels in the future!
Scooter for 2 year old
Both my boys first mastered the scooter at age 2 before they mastered the balance bike. A scooter is simpler, especially the ones made for toddlers.
A great 2 year old scooter is one with a wide base, lean to steer technology, brake, and adjustability. Toddler scooters come with options like light up wheels and foldable seats.
Both my boys started on Skidee Scooters and love them. It comes in lots of different color options and features light up wheels. I wasn’t sure about the seat, but later found it to be a great feature. On walks if my toddler is tired they can sit down on the scooter while I pull them along.
Wagon
Loading up your toys and pulling them along outside is fun for a two year old. Whether they are moving another person, cars, leaves, dirt or dolls a wagon is a favorite outdoor toy for 2 year old.
This Green Toy wagon my kids can use both inside and outside. It is perfect size for them!
Best Outdoor Toys for 2 Year Old: Classic Toys
These toys are timeless. They are the toys that I played with as a two year old and still today hold 2 year old attention.
Bubbles for Toddlers
Bubbles are just magical for kids and especially for a two year old. However, 2 year olds love to dump the liquid on the ground. I have stopped buying bubble wands for my 2 year olds. I am the one blowing the bubbles and my 2 year old is popping them.
My toddlers love to be in control. Sound like your toddler? I find the best bubble fun for a 2 year old is giving them a bubble gun. This way they cannot dump the bubbles and can go around and bubble to their hearts content.
Chalk for Toddlers
Chalk is a great dynamic 2 year old toy. Each time you play with it something new is created. You can draw circles and have to hop to all of them or practice numbers, letters or pictures.
I like to draw race tracks in the cul-de-sac I live in. My toddlers help and then ride their bikes or scooters around the “village” we created.
A newly 2 year old won’t be able to draw much, but will have fun making their mark on the pavements.
Pro Tip: Get a chalk piece wet and draw on the road. Observe with your two year old how the color changes.
Swing for 2 Year Old
I spend at least 30 minutes a day pushing my toddlers on the swing. My 2 year olds have never figured out how to swing on their own and prefer me to push them all the time!
A young 2 will most likely still be in a baby swing or bucket swing. As your little one becomes more daring he/she will ask to move to the “big kid” swing. By the time my boys were 3 they have transitioned to the older kid swing type.
![best toddler outdoor toys swing](https://res.cloudinary.com/ds8uw7t44/image/upload/v1685975384/best-outdoor-toy-for-2-year-old-swing.jpg "2.5 year old upgraded to the "big kid" swing")
Lawn Mower Push Toy
A classic push toy is the lawn mower. A 2 year old will love walking the sidewalk or backyard. My oldest used to go on walks while pushing his lawn mower the entire way.
Nowadays there are lawn mowers for 2 year olds that blow bubbles, pop and light up. I didn’t want to mess with filling up bubbles in our push toy so I am happy with the classic pop version.
A push lawn mower for a two year old should be sturdy. Some mowers on the market are too flimsy and can’t hold up to a 2 year old’s abuse.
Slide for 2 Year Old
The joy of a slide! Big slides or little slides a toddler loves the feeling of sliding down. If you don’t have one at home take your 2 year old to a park with a playground.
The best slides are the ones you have on a playset, but a 2 year old will still love a simple slide.
Sandbox and Sand Toys for 2 Year Old
We built a sandbox when we built our playset, but you can also buy one. A 2 year old is a magnet to sand. It provides daily use in our house and having a couple key sand toys prolongs the fun.
I am still shocked how much independent play our sandbox gets! Another toy I didn't think was worth the effort and I was COMPLETELY wrong! It's one of my favorites!
Sand toys should come with many different molds for castle building, fun shapes and objects, plenty of shovels and rakes and dump trucks.
Pro Tip: Don't forget to pack the sand toys for your next beach trip with toddlers!
Trucks for Toddlers
When my middle child was a newly 2 he was obsessed with his Green Toy outdoor truck. He would push it down the street on walks and spend hours bent over this truck. I didn’t get it, but the joy it brought was worth it.
Green Toys make BPA and Phthalates free vehicles for toddler play. They come in many different colors, types and sizes. A common favorite with our toddlers is the dump truck. It has been loaded with water, dirt, snow, leaves and rocks. It also works as a great sandbox toy!
Outdoor Ball
A simple outdoor toy for 2 year old that shouldn’t be overlooked is a ball. Any ball will do whether it be a soccer ball, bouncy ball, spikey ball, kick ball, etc. A 2 year old will love to roll the ball back and forth, throw the ball or just chase one around that you throw.
Best Pretend Outdoor Toys for 2 Year Old
A 2 year old is getting into pretend play and a great time to have pretend outdoor toys for toddlers.
Explorer Kit
A 2 year old explorer kit will have your toddler searching the yard for bugs and insects. It is a great way to get them interested in the outdoors and to teach them that bugs are our friends and not scary.
A 2 year old has fun trying to catch a butterfly, even if they never do, or using the binoculars to see what they can find. This is a great camping toy for a toddler!
I love to take our explorer kit on hikes to add fun and get my toddlers motivated to keep moving on the trail!
Outdoor Kitchen
Whether it be a mud kitchen or a normal kitchen style a 2 year old enjoys pretending to be the cook, just like mommy and daddy. Your toddler might come up with a stew and use nature elements or pretend food you provide them. Either way it's a great way for your little one to start using their imagination.
We built an outdoor toy kitchen for our toddlers as part of our playset. We bought outdoor play food and our 2 year olds love to serve us up food.
Best Outdoor Toys for Toddlers
Climbing Frame
My 2 year olds were all monkeys, climbing on anything they could, most of the time on objects I wasn’t happy about. An outdoor climbing frame was a great way to unleash their inner monkey.
A smaller dome style climbing frame is perfect for a two year old.
I have the Sandinrayli Outdoor Climbing Frame and gifted it to my middle child on his second birthday. He wasn’t immediately able to climb it, but within the first two months figured it out with help. By the time he was 2.5 he was climbing to the top.
My older toddler loves to hang around on this climbing frame as well. My boys also play pretend jail using the climbing frame and other imaginative games; other times its Mickeys Clubhouse or a cave.
Rollercoaster
I never thought I would get this for my kids. However, when my oldest was 2 my neighbor gifted us the rollercoaster. It gets played on constantly. Whenever the neighborhood kids come the 1, 2 and 3 year olds always compete for their turn on the rollercoaster.
Ideally this is perfect for the 2 year old. They have the big motor skills needed to push the car to the top, get on themselves and ride safety down the track. A 1 year old still needs help, although does have fun on it, they just need adult supervision. A one year old can also use the cart as a walker.
Read Best Outdoor Toys for One Year Old for more ideas!
Conclusion: Outdoor Toys for Two Year Olds
Overall, there are plenty great options for outdoor toys for 2 year old. Whether your toddler is interested in getting moving with wheels or digging in the sand. Outdoor toys are great to promote motor development and creativity in your toddler.