Creating an outdoor play area for your kids can be a fun and rewarding project with a huge pay off because they will likely spend hours outdoors. The best part about leveraging your outdoor space for play is that all the mess stays outdoors. At the end of the day, you can hose down all the mess.
We have a very small outdoor deck in our home but despite the size, we have been able to spend hours outside this summer because it’s the perfect place for sensory play which my two year old absolutely loves.
So regardless of how big or small your outdoor space is, here are some steps and ideas to help you design a safe, engaging, and enjoyable space for your kids.
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Safety Considerations
We don’t have a backyard, but we have a balcony deck area that’s quite small but it’s fenced in and I am able to easily sitervise, even when I am inside.
To child proof it, I’ve removed all hazardous items and added two Corten Arrow Steel Privacy Screens from Veradek to prevent any falls or accidents. It has really elevated our space while added much needed privacy to our deck!
Image Above: Corten Arrow Steel Privacy Screens from Veradek
It’s important to ensure that the area is enclosed with a fence to keep your toddler safe and contained. You should also consider adding a pergola, umbrella or canopy to provide shade from the sun.
Age Appropriate Equipment
Yesterday my two year old spent an hour painting on her outdoor easel that I thrifted for just $10 last week. We did not buy a ton of new things because we simply don’t have the budget for that so instead I’ve been leveraging a lot of the stuff we already had.
And that’s what I’d like to recommend you to as well – don’t buy a ton of stuff to have outdoors. Start small and add on as you feel necessary. Just like too much stuff indoors is overwhelming for kids, the same goes for outdoors.
For example, we have a wooden foldable slide that we use indoors so I also bring that outdoors and then move it back inside once we go in because it’s not water proof.
You can start with something as simple as a bin with water, access to water and bath toys. That is more than enough for toddlers. You can switch out the bath toys/sensory accessories periodically to keep things interesting – funnels, droppers, basters, tongs, measuring cups, scrub bushes, squeeze bottles, strainers, etc.
We do not have access to a hose on our deck, so to encourage independence, I fill a large bottle for my daughter to get water from. Walmart carries these jugs for $5 that you can use!
Here are more ideas for things you can have outside:
- Water or Sand Table
- Play Sink (we have the Lovevery one and love it)
- Mud Kitchen
- Scooter, Bikes or Little Tikes Car
- Stepping Stones
- Swings, Slides and Play Sets
- You can check out THIS idea list for more ideas.
Storage
For items that I want to protect from the rain, I store them in our Veradek Brixton Table which doubles as the surface for where my daughter’s water play station is and the inside is used for storage.
For items you want your kids to have easier access to outside, you can use a utility cart like THIS one from IKEA.
Those are all the tips I’d like to share with you today! Keep it simple and leverage your outdoor space this summer. Bring your cup of coffee and I bet you’ll enjoy it hot as your kids keep themselves busy.
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