Best Toys to Make Your Kids Love the Outdoors

Yes, go ahead and let your kids play outdoors. Nothing beats the thrill of a different adventure that the outdoors can offer. Besides, outdoors play encourages physical activities, allowing kids to become active, burn more calories and be healthier. To help make their outdoors play that much more enjoyable, here are the top 5 outdoors toys for your kids:

Sandbox
What is the outdoors without the sandbox? Even a small, simple sandbox can translate to hours of fun for children, particularly young ones. Provide kids with basic molds so they can build their own sandcastles or just let their imaginations fly. Sandboxes vary in size, so choose one that fits your yard.

A slight variation of the sandbox is the activity center an outdoors toy that allows you to combine sand and water for more fun. This lets kids have their very own beach, complete with a built in parasol to protect them from the sun.

Slide
The slide is probably the one toy that's universally recognized and appreciated by children around the world. Build one from scratch or improvise with available materials. You could also purchase a readymade slide made of hard plastic. The slide is a real child magnet and may be used dry or as a water slide connected to a portable swimming pool.

The bicycle
What other toy defines the outdoors than the bicycle? A bicycle is a simple yet effective workout for kids disguised as a fun toy on two-wheels. Just make sure to choose age and skill appropriate models so your children don't hurt themselves. Use with adult supervision, particularly in publicly accessible places.

Portable swimming pool
The portable swimming pool is a fixture during the hot summer months. Instead of keeping the kids indoors where it's stuffy or cranking up the airconditioning just to keep them cool, why not fill a portable swimming pool with a few gallons of water and let your kids frolic with their friends and neighbors? You can even make it look like a mini-picnic and serve healthy snacks such as fruits and juices.

The water gun
The water gun is an excellent alternative or complement to the portable swimming pool. It doesn't use up a lot of water but offers loads of fun to young kids. Because it's a sport, children are also encouraged to be physically active, learn teamwork and strategy. Water guns now come in a variety of colors and design, so children have a wider range of choices.