41+ Best Outdoor Toys for 1-Year-Olds in 2024

Outdoor play is an essential part of a child’s development, and for one-year-olds, it’s a great opportunity to explore the world around them and engage in physical activity. Having a few of the best outdoor toys for 1-year-olds will help pass the time outside and occupy your little one.

While my kids are happy to simply enjoy nature (and I think this is great for them,) having a few good outdoor toys can improve the experience.

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When my firstborn was 1 year old, we would head outside whenever he had a hard day, and instantly his attitude seemed to change. It was then that I started to research the health benefits of outdoor play for kids, read the book There Is No Such Thing as Bad Weather, and tried to think of ways we could spend more time outside.

41+ Best Outdoor Toys for 1-Year-Olds

From water toys to sand toys to large toys such as playhouses, having the right toys for your 1-year-old can make your time outside more fun for both of you.

Favorite Water Toys & Water Play for 1-Year-Olds

Water play is a great way for one-year-olds to cool off, have fun, and develop important sensory and motor skills. From splash pools to water tables, there are plenty of water toys that can provide hours of entertainment for little ones. Here are a few of our favorite water toys for 1-year-olds!

1. Water Table

My kids love their Step 2 water table and will spend hours playing under it each summer, starting from the time they can stand. Add water toy accessories to provide even more fun play at the water table this summer. This adorable fishing pole set is another favorite of our kids to make it even more fun.

2. Baby Splash Pad

A splash pad would be fun for kids of all ages.

3. Inflatable Kiddie Pool

Of course, like with all water toys and 1-year-olds, you would need to be supervising or sitting with your 1-year-old, but an inflatable kiddie pool is an inexpensive way to cool off with your little one in the hot summer sun!

4. Running Water Sink

I can not recommend this running water sink enough! My only complaint is my daughter literally wore it out (it took 2 years of constant summer use), but it’s one of her absolute favorite outdoor toys, so I already promised her I would buy a new one as soon as it’s warm enough. It can truly keep a 1-year-old entertained for a long time!!

5. Outdoor Sprinkler for Kids

I couldn’t find our exact sprinkler model online anymore, but it’s almost just like this sprinkler (except not a cute turtle.) Our kids love it!

6. Step 2 Waterfall Discovery Wall

My 3rd child turns 1 this summer and I’m actually thinking this waterfall toy would be perfect for all three of my kids (almost 1, 3 and 5.) It would be a great way for my older 2 to interact with him and he would love to splash along with his older siblings (hello, social skills!)

7. Rushing River Falls

Another toy I have my eyes on for young kids of all ages is this Rushing River Falls. I can see all my kids loving this as well.

8. Paint Brushes

My favorite childhood activity was “painting” with water. Now, my kids paint the concrete or stones on our house with water and some large paintbrushes.

9. Collapsible Buckets or Pails

Having some pails and buckets that your kids can use along with other water toys (or even separately for leaves and other treasures) is probably one of the best outdoor toys for a 1 year old. We have and love this collapsible bucket set as we can easily store them or pack them for the beach.

10. Skip Hop Buckets

These Skip-Hop buckets make great toys for the water table or kiddie pool.

By the way, check this out for a full post on 15+ favorite water toys for 1-year-olds.

The Best Ride-On Toys for 1-Year-Olds

Ride-on toys are a staple for a good reason! These toys can provide hours of entertainment for little ones while supporting their physical development and keeping them physically active.

We have all of these ride-on toys at our house or a grandparent’s house and they make great outdoor toys for toddlers.

11. Radio Flyer Wagon

We love our Radio Flyer Wagon. We have this one and have taken it to the beach, the fair, all over the neighborhood, and let our babies play in it while we do yardwork at home. It’s perfect and I definitely recommend the all-terrain wheels. However, if you have the budget, I’d be tempted to opt for this one which can also be pushed, something I’ve thought would be super handy. (It has gotten heavier and harder to pull now that we have 3 littles!)

12. Cozy Coupe Car or Truck

The Cozy Coupe Car is, of course, a favorite gift for 1-year-olds. However, the Cozy Coup Truck is also a fun buy and has a convenient spot for the parent to push their 1-year-old around before they learn to scoot in it.

13. Radio Flyer Scooter & 2 Pedal Bike

My son got this Radio Flyer Scooter & Trike for his first birthday. It’s great because it grows with your child by having pedals that can be extended to make a trike for older kids or can act as a scooter for a younger one who just turned 1. My 3-year-old daughter is still using this toy!

14. Radio Flyer Steer & Stroll Trike

We also have this Radioflyer Stroller Trike. It’s handy for neighborhood walks as your child can be pushed or pedal and as they grow older and it does convert to a trike.

15. Balance Bike

Another best outdoor toy for toddlers is a balance bike. My daughter has a chillafish balance bike to help her get interested in biking.

Sandboxes and Sand Toys

From providing a sensory experience to developing fine motor skills, sand play can be very beneficial for toddlers. Additionally, it helps with social development when kids play in the sand together by fostering interpersonal skills as they learn to share toys and work together.

Here are some of the best toys to encourage sand play for a 1 year old.

16. My Favorite Budget-Friendly Sandbox Hack

We simply bought a storage tub and a bag of Play Sand (cheaper at Tractor Supply, Lowe’s, etc) and added in a few sand toys, plastic measuring cups etc to make a fun outdoor sand sensory bin.

17. Sand Table

If you’re looking for a nicer option, I would love to get one of these sand tables for my kids. The benefit of a sand table is they aren’t going to wind up actually sitting in the sand perhaps saving on the amount of sand tracked inside.

18. Sand Ice Cream Set

This Sand Ice Cream set would provide for plenty of imaginative play for your toddlers in the sandbox.

19. Construction Trucks

My son has a large CAT construction truck like this and a small set of construction trucks he loves to play with in dirt, sand, or even rocks in our backyard.

20. Beach Sand Toys

Perfect for building sand castles in your sandbox at home or the beach!

Active Play or Sport-Themed Toys for 1-Year-Olds

Active play is important for the development of one-year-olds as it helps to promote physical activity, gross motor skills, and cognitive development. Active toys, such as trampolines, balls, push toys, and tunnels, can provide a fun and engaging way for toddlers to get moving and explore their surroundings.

25. T-Ball Set

This Little Tikes T-Ball set is fun for 18 months and up. A great way to start working with your toddler on swinging the bat.

26. Crawl Tunnel

Crawling through a tunnel will help to improve your 1-year-olds gross motor skills and spatial awareness. Or they can use it for hide and seek, rolling a ball, or playing peek a boo.

27. Lawn Mower Push Toy

A toy lawn mower is a fun toy for new walkers to push around the yard and work on their newly acquired skill.

28. Little Tikes Waffle Blocks

These large waffle blocks look like a blast to play with outside.

Large Outdoor Toys for 1-Year-Olds

Of course, if you have space, larger outdoor toys can make your backyard fun. Our personal favorites are a playhouse and picnic tables, but here are some of our favorite ideas.

29. KidKraft Playhouse

We have a KidKraft Playhouse I couldn’t find online, but it’s similar to this that my kids spend hours playing inside. It’s hands down their favorite outdoor toy, especially my daughter. Keep it stocked with a mini broom, dust pan, and some play food for even more fun.

30. Picnic Table

This picnic table gets used almost daily when the weather is nice at my house. My young toddlers love to eat their lunch at it after a morning spent outside. Plus, I love that we can fold it up and bring it in the garage for the winter.

31. Play Tent

We have this play tent which my kids love. This spring we plan to bring it outside for fun days in the backyard.

32. Small slide

A small slide can be a great buy for a 1-year-old if you don’t have space (or feel comfortable) for a full swing set yet.

33. Swingset

A swing set is definitely a gift that will grow with your 1-year-old. You can go ahead and attach a baby swing to it to help maximize the use while they are young and expect for them to get even more use on it as they age.

34. Play Kitchen

You can always just put a plastic play kitchen outside. These are easy to find at yard sales or on Marketplace and therefore it could be a budget friendly way to let your kids “cook” and play outside.

35. Mud Kitchen

I’ve been eyeing this mud kitchen for a while now. I used to love to bake pies with some simple tin foil mini pans when I was a kid but I can’t help but think my kids would have a ton of fun with a little kitchen like this, plus some mud kitchen accessories. However, if you don’t have room for the whole mud kitchen, the mud kitchen accessories on their own would be fun too.

Imaginative Play Outdoor Toys

Imaginative play is an important part of a child’s development, as it helps to build creativity, problem-solving skills, and social skills.

When it comes to outdoor play, plenty of imaginative toys can encourage one-year-olds to explore their surroundings and engage in creative play. Many of the toys already mentioned certainly fall into this category (from playhouses to the pretend sink); however, here are a few more of our favorite imaginative toys.

36. Melissa & Doug Kids Gardening Set

If you’re a gardener, your kids will love to work in the garden or flower beds beside you with this adorable gardener set.

37. Kids Wheelbarrow Set

My kids would love to have something like this to help outside when their Dad has his wheelbarrow out.

38. Watering Can

I bought some small houseplant watering cans at Walmart for my kids, but these kids watering cans are adorable too.

Other Outdoor Favorites for Toddlers

39. Sidewalk Chalk

Sidewalk chalk is a fun buy for toddlers. If your child is a young 1 they will probably enjoy it, but may want your help in drawing pictures.

40. Bubble Machine

Bubble machines are perfect for 1-year-olds as they are often not developmentally ready for bubble wands.

41. Bubble Gun

Bubble guns are another fun toy for younger toddlers who can’t yet use a bubble wand.

Other Outdoor Fun for a 1 Year Old

You can do many outdoor fun activities with a 1-year-old. Here are a few of our family’s favorite outdoor activities for toddlers:

• Hiking – We love to head to the local state parks for a hike on Sunday after church. We have this Osprey Child Carrier Backpack that our toddlers enjoy riding in.
• Swimming – Take your 1-year-old swimming. I’m no expert on floatation devices, but our kids have enjoyed this float (with supervision, of course!) at age 1.
• Local Park – Pack a lunch and head to the local park for a picnic and some fun on the playground or wandering around nature.
• Petting Zoo – I find 1-year-olds love to Petting zoos and even regular zoos!

More Resources for 1-Year-Olds

If you need more help for 1 year olds, be sure to check out our best food ideas as well as gift ideas!

15+ Best Water Toys for 1-Year-Olds

30+ Healthy Lunches for 1-Year-Olds

18 Practical Gifts for 1-Year-Olds

Best Baby Dolls for 1 Year Olds

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