The warmer days are here and it’s time for the kids to scoot on outside and out from under our feet to breathe in the fresh air, soak up the sunshine and enjoy some epic outdoor fun. Check out our favourite outdoor toys to encourage your kids out into the backyard, so screens down, let’s go!
Why outdoor play is important
Outdoor play REALLY is important – not just for our’ sanity, the opportunity to free your home of Lego debris and an exploding playroom. Kids need to explore, be adventurous and feel the grass (sand, dirt and water) under their feet. So when shopping for toys, remember outdoor toys too are just as important too!
Things that help encourage kids to play outside
Your backyard environment: If your backyard is overrun by weeds, long grass, unsafe or not all too inviting, you can’t expect your kids to want to play out there. Create a safe area for them to play, level it out and add some outdoor toys to lure them out. It won’t be long before they’re launching themselves out of the back door!
Shelter: Playing outside isn’t just for summer, kids can rug up and have a blast outside when it’s cool too! Provide a play area with some shelter from the sun or the rain so that they can play rain, hail or shine. A verandah, a cubby house or even a large market umbrella can shade small children.
Supervision: I promise you, your kids will play longer outside if you’re outside with them. There’s no better excuse to grab a book and get comfy in a chair, get busy in the garden or pull your sleeves up and play with the kids!
Outdoor toy storage: Wet, rusty or sun-damaged outdoor toys are no fun. Plus they can cause injuries to little hands. Protect kids’ toys and keep your backyard tidy with some kid-friendly, easy-to-access toy storage to make toys last longer (and keep your backyard tidy).
Outdoor Play: Best Outdoor Toys for 2022
GeeTramp® Force 9x14ft Rectangle Trampoline – High Bounce
Price: $1790
Where to buy: Web and Warehouse
Wanting a trampoline that kids of all ages can bounce on for hours? Look no further than the GeeTramp®! The perfect way to minimise screen time and increase exercise, GeeTramp® trampolines are robust and high-quality domestic use trampolines with responsive bounce, all while being durable and safe, no matter how much your kids love to bounce!
The GeeTramp® Force 9x14ft Rectangle trampoline has genuine appeal to kids of all ages and skill levels with three unique bounce options to choose from. This generously sized model is the most popular choice for best bounce and is recommended as a suitable safe training space for bouncy sports such as gymnastics, tumblers, diving, cheerleading, skateboarding – even parkour!
GeeTramp® is the only trampoline brand to offer standard and high bounce mat options, so you can get your bounce just right. Made to endure Aussie weather and known for their lasting build, GeeTramp® exceeds the current Australian Standards, keeping your family safe with strong frames, upper net railing, spring safeguard, net enclosure and the thickest domestic padding in Australia for super safe jumping!
MUM CENTRAL READER OFFER OFFER: FREE TRAMPOLINE ACCESSORY* CODE: NONE REQUIRED EXPIRY: 10TH OCTOBER 2022
*Â Selected accessories on product page
Plum Play® Lookout Tower Playcentre
Price: $1299.95
Where to buy: Plum Play
There’s a tall stack of fun and imaginative play to be had with the Plum Play Lookout Tower Playcentre taking pride and place in your very own backyard!
A tower packed with things to do, kids won’t be bored as they discover, climb and negotiate this playcentre! Scale the rock wall, climbing frame, ball pit, and wave slide (which doubles as a water slide!),
Parents can sit back and watch on as kids’ imaginations are unleashed with possibilities and endless active play at their fingertips. Not only will kids be having a blast, but they’ll be also developing and fine-tuning their fine and gross motor skills while building confidence through play.
Made from durable and strong pine and treated to guard against wood rot and infestation, the Lookout Tower will see out years of adventures, climbing, swooping and sliding play. Let the tuckering out commence with Plum Play!
MUM CENTRAL READER OFFER OFFER: SAVE $500 - NOW $795.95! CODE: NONE REQUIRED EXPIRY: 31st DECEMBER 2022
Fom Mania Fomilator 2 Pack
Price: $65
Where to buy: Big W and Kmart
Load, aim and blast! Fom Mania is the best fun you can have with foam, so get ready for some seriously sudsy fun with this Fomilator 2-pack – TWICE the fun!
Perfect for parties, epic backyard foam battles or just everyday silliness, the Fom Mania Fomilator is the FIRST EVER Foam Blaster on the market. This pack contains two cool-looking, easy-to-use Foam Blasters that jet out streams of thick, fluffy foam up to 15 feet for the ultimate foamy experience.
Kids can battle straight from the box, with 236ml of foam concentrate included, enough to fill each Foam Blaster twice and fire over 200 times! Just pour the non-toxic, tear-free concentrate into the blaster’s reservoirs, add water and you’re ready to go! Excellent for squeaky clean fun, get ready to make every day – and every backyard – Fomazing!
Hape First Ride Balance Bike
Price: $99.93
Where to buy: U Games at Catch
Let the bike riding adventures begin confidently with this wonderful balance bike! A super cute, lightweight aluminium alloy ride, the Hape First Ride Balance Bike is made especially for our littlest bike bandits.
Boasting a vintage vibe, you can customise this bike’s comfort by adjusting the soft and comfy seat to suit your child’s height and arm length so that they can scoot along the floor or path with ease.
Speaking of which, the Hape First Ride Balance Bike wheels are made from soft and flexible TPU foaming material so they won’t mark your floors, phew! A fantastic first ride for littlies, it promises loads of wheely-good fun while they grow in confidence, developing balance skills and a sense of direction before launching into a big bike later on. Suitable for riders aged 1 to 3 years (maximum weight 25kg). Get ready to ride!
The Best Backyard Discovery Mud Pie Kitchen
Price: $649
Where to buy: The Best Backyard
Messy play and muddy fun never looked sweeter than it does here with the Discovery Mud Pie Kitchen!
Imaginations will ignite as children learn about the world around them through play and getting busy in the garden. Not only will kids discover creativity, adventure and messy play, inspiring a love of nature, but the mud Pie Kitchen is perfect for engaging young children in sensory and STEM play!
So much more than a mud kitchen, this outdoor play toy packs in a whole lot of fun! Kids can plant and take care of something special in the built-in planter while listening to the gentle sounds of the bamboo wind chimes. Mini Masterchefs will delight in the wooden hobs, metal kitchen utensils, pots and pans, whipping up a muddy signature dish. There’s also a painting screen with paintbrush pens and pots for budding artists.
MUM CENTRAL READER OFFER OFFER: NOW $529 - SAVE $120! DISCOUNT FOR: DISCOVERY MUD PIE KITCHEN CODE: NOT REQUIRED EXPIRY: 30th DECEMBER 2022
Laser Tag In A Box Hire
Price: From $160 (plus shipping if needed)
Where to buy: Laser Tag in a Box
Forget having to pile kids in the car for laser tag fun, you can experience it ALL in your very own backyard with Laser Tag in a Box. If you have a crowd of kids visiting over the summer holidays (or a really fun extended family Christmas), this is definitely a cool activity to lock in and get everyone outside!
Laser Tag delivers an adrenaline rush as you hide, seek, chase, shoot, and work either as a team or on your own to take down your opponents. Make it simple, map out a course through your garden and around the house or make it tricky, setting up various obstacles (old tyres, bean bags, air mattresses as covered areas, etc) and don’t forget some hiding spots!
There are several different laser tag hire packages through Laser Tag in a Box. All come with everything you need for a great day or weekend of laser tag. We love the Awesome Taggers Set of 8 rental. Set-up is insanely easy and the Laser Tag in a Box team delivers everything straight to you, can help set it up and come back to pick it up! Too easy!
MUM CENTRAL READER OFFER OFFER: SAVE $20 OFF RENTAL DISCOUNT FOR: $20 OFF LASER TAG HIRE CODE: Welcome20 EXPIRY: 31st DECEMBER 2022
We hope you’ve enjoyed our favourite outdoor toys! Maybe you’ve found one (maybe even two!) perfect choices to lure your kids outside to play more. Be sure to take advantage of any discount codes above and get a jump on Christmas shopping and SAVE! We’ve got plenty of other guides for those shopping for babies and more. Check out:
Join us on Facebook!
Looking for more tips, tricks and advice from parents? Join our Mum Central Facebook Groups to connect with other parents about teething and more.
