Best Outdoor Water Toys for Toddlers Reviews
Best Outdoor Water Toys for Toddlers Reviews
Toddlers tend to be a particularly fussy little group of people to please when it comes to pretty much everything. It seems every task becomes a struggle – from what food they like to eat, to settling down for a nap to what clothes they will keep on their little bodies for the entire day without yanking it off (Once a toddler discovers how to unzip a jacket – you’re dead out of luck!)

One of the most challenging tasks is buying that perfect toy and having to choose from the many shapes, sizes, colors, forms and functions. This can be a very daunting mission. There’s nothing more frustrating than buying that trendy, age appropriate, super cool, educational gift for your tot only to find him/her open it, toss it on the floor and go straight to playing with the box! We also know that most toddlers love water play, so it comes as no surprise that they also love outdoor water toys. Fatefully, most outside water toys for toddlers seem to excite even the pickiest of little ones. If you are looking to save time and money, rest assure you have come across the right article! Read on to see our list of the 10 Best Outdoor Water Toys for Toddlers Review of 2019.
Best Outdoor Water Toys for Toddlers – Overview
Based on extensive research and ratings, this list includes all the best outdoor water toys for toddlers that we have deemed worthy. All the listed toys have passed safety measures and offer developmental benefits. Additionally, other questions that will be addressed are: How to have fun in a pool? How to have fun with water? What are the best water games for toddlers? What are the best backyard water toys including water toys for 1 year olds? What are simple water play games for toddlers and water play toys for toddlers?
Best Outdoor Water Toys for Toddlers At A Glance
With all the products and features out there to choose from, most of us simply do not have the time or tolerance to go through all the specs. No worries, we got you covered! Below chart will save you a bunch of time and effort by accurately outlining the 10 best outdoor water toys for toddlers available on the market today.
The Banzai Sprinkle and Splash Play Mat is well sized at 54” in length and has sufficient space for your toddler to play with friends. It is very easy to set up, as you simply attach the mat to a garden hose. Your child is sure to have a blast playing in the water that shoots out of the mat and doing so will improve your toddler’s emerging social skills. The PVC materials it is made from also ensures that it is durable for outdoor use.
The Good
- There is lots of space
- It improves social skills
- It’s made from hard-wearing durable and safe materials
The Bad
- The mat could be slippery
Final Thoughts
This mat offers an entertaining way for toddlers to grow their social skills. It’s simple attachment to the hose and durable material makes it suitable for the outdoors. Overall, a fun buy for your tot!
This Waterpark Play Table comes fully equipped with some valuable and enlightening features. Kids love to drop the balls and watch it move around. Since there are little scoops on the Ferris wheel, children love to turn the wheel to pick up balls. The benefits of these features are they help children develop motor and hand-eye coordination skills.
The Good
- It encourages motor skills development
- It advances hand and eye coordination
The Bad
- The balls may not drain completely
Final Thoughts
Toddlers develop ‘put and take’ and early motor skills with this engaging water table. They are also attracted to animation and characters and so the characters on these balls make this toy that more attractive to toddlers. And of course the simple fact that it also squirts water is always enjoyable for children!
Step2’s Spill & Splash Seaway Water Table comes fully equipped with an assortment of sea toys that can be used to play swimming, diving or swinging on the slide. Children can also create their own mini water waves. This is great for imagination! Bonus points for including an umbrella to avoid sunburn!
The Good
- It helps develop motor skills
- It encourages creative playing
- There is an umbrella for sun protection
The Bad
- There is no spout to drain
Final Thoughts
This water table gives toddlers a channel to further stimulate their imagination through roleplay and creating make belief scenarios. By simply holding onto the characters and creating these pretend scenarios they are strengthening their motor skills. Great buy!
The Splash N Scoop Bay toy set by Step2 consists of a divider to separate the water and the sand. Kids love to use the mountain cover and water turret to make their own little waterfall. This toy is highly thought-provoking in improving their pictorial senses and with seven included accessories, there are lots to do which also creates for a fun way to advance their motor skills. Parents also like the fact that a drain plug is included to prevent mold and mildew.
The Good
- It helps develop motor skills
- It improves coordination
- There is a drain plug available
The Bad
- It can be susceptible to leaking
Final Thoughts
With seven additional pieces, children have plenty to play and experiment with. This improves their visual senses as well as their motor skills and coordination. Overall, a great outside water toy for toddlers.
Melissa & Doug’s Sunny Patch Blossom Bright Sprinkler is easily assembled by attaching it to any garden hose. This makes it very practical. With this outdoor water toy, you get the double benefit of encouraging your child to play with others and mature their social skills, while also keeping your child cool.
The Good
- It has a fun, appealing design
- It is practical
- It will progress social skills
The Bad
- It might be susceptible to leakage
Final Thoughts
Trying to keep your child cool and amused during the summer months outdoors is easily achievable with this sprinkler. The style is exciting and alluring, and it encourages kids to socialize.
The Little tikes Fish ‘n Splash Water Table is all sorts of fun! It has many features and enables kids be interactive in various ways. For example, they can catch the different creatures using the net or put them through the slide and then try to catch them. This water toy also helps children work on their counting abilities because kids absolutely adore filling up the fishbowl and after counting all the fish in the bowl, the bowl now completely full, will tip over and create a wave inside the table. How fun is that!
The Good
- It encourages growth of motor skills
- It improves coordination
- It improves counting skills
The Bad
- It is prone to leakage
Final Thoughts
This toy is excellent for counting, coordination and motor skills because it encourages children to count the numerous pieces before they release and try to catch them again. Perfect combination of fun and critical thinking!
This pirate water table is rated one of the top outdoor toys for toddler boys. Kids especially love to squirt each other using the water cannon feature along with all the other great little spinning features that come along with this design. This model also encourages children to play in smaller sized groups, strengthening their social skills.
The Good
- It has a fun pirate theme
- It encourages group play
- It helps develop motor skills & coordination
The Bad
- There is no drainage system available
Final Thoughts
It’s no surprise that this toy with all its features made the top 10 best outdoor toys for toddler boys. The spinning features are conducive to developing your toddler’s motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
Step2’s Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table Playset comes with a drizzle feature. The realistic sounds of rainfall to distinctly stimulate kids’ hearing is impressive. There are a variety of maze pieces and kids can create different waterfalls by arranging the pieces in various ways – allowing them to work on their creativity!
The Good
- It improves motor skills
- It teaches children to learn via their hearing senses
- It teaches children causativeness
The Bad
- It can be slightly difficult to assemble
Final Thoughts
Through the rainfall feature, children are audibly stimulated and through arranging the maze pieces in different orders children learn the concept of causativeness. A fun toy that develops hearing senses as well as logic.
Crislan Splash and Spray Ball can be used pretty much anywhere – in the beach or in your backyard. This super fun inflatable ball sprouts out water which children love to either run through or avoid getting wet. We all know kids love nothing more than getting wet and running, which is why this makes for the perfect outside water toy.
The Good
- It increases mobility and coordination skills
- It encourages social skills
- It is a great outdoor toy for the entire family
The Bad
- It may not be ideal for children under 3 years of age
Final Thoughts
This inflatable is made of environmental pvc so there is no harm to kids’ health. The thick material keeps the ball sturdy; it can stand heavy high strength of extrusion and it won’t break when playing. Although it’s ideal for kids aged from 4-15 years old, toddlers can get in on the fun if they are supervised. In fact, this toy is perfect for the whole family to partake in!
Seriously, it’s a loveable, charming, smiling giraffe – need I say more? This endearing pool contains two lively expandable rings and two hanging noise makers to play with. It also includes a repair patch.
The Good
- It’s a fun, super cute pool for baby to enjoy – suitable for ages as young as one month
- It can be converted into a ball pit when children get older
The Bad
- The bottom has no padding
Final Thoughts
This baby pool will simply bring laughs and excitement to your infant and the fact that it can later be used as a ball pit for older tots instantly makes it one of the best water toys for toddlers!
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Sign Up for Free SamplesBenefits Of Water Play For Toddlers – Early Childhood Development
- Develop Motor skills: Children will increase their motor skills and overall body coordination through acts like squirting and pouring
- Problem-solving skills: Simply observing an item float or sink will teach children to be inquisitive via testing out different items that will float in water, thus utilizing their imagination and developing creative thinking
- Language development: There will be learned new words such as “Splash” or “Soaked”
- Socio-emotional growth: Children release energy through water play and this can be both stimulating and comforting for young children
- Science and Math: Water Play inspires and teaches various technical terms such as: Empty, Full, Less and Half
FAQ
Use a spray sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, or just use warm soapy water and give it a garden hose rinse-off.
If you have the room it is best to store inside to avoid water mildew and other bacteria from forming. If not, make sure to buy any protective cover big enough like a water resistant toy car cover.
Add equal parts of water and white vinegar and let the toy sit in this solution for 10-15 minutes. Make sure to wipe away and/or rinse off the remaining solution to rid of the lingering smell.
It’s okay to use half a cup of bleach to your washing machine. Just keep in mind, if you are planning on soaking your toys, make sure to dilute the bleach with equal parts of water. We also recommend letting the toys soak for approximately five to ten minutes, followed by a thorough rinse and air dry.
The Halofun Splash Mat is a must buy and will turn your backyard into a mini water park, guaranteed to please your infant as well as older tots.
It’s an enjoyable and educational way children use water to play and learn. It especially helps children develop eye-hand coordination.
Some simple water play games that you can also enjoy with toddlers include: coloring with bathtub crayons, using recycled water bottles as squirt bottles and even the simple act of splashing your little one during bath time is adequate to create tons of laughter.
There are so many ways from water-gun tag, to running through sprinklers, dancing in the rain or my favorite - Jump water. This is where you take a garden hose back and forth like a snake under your child's feet, allowing them to jump over it.
Sponges, shells and pool noodles make some of the best DIY outdoor water toys for toddlers. Watch here!
One of the best water games for toddlers include using balloons.
Balloons in the pool allows imagination to take over and requires very little planning.
A very clever and educational game I came across from a mom blogger is called Numbers water balloon target practice. Here you draw a target/circle with 4 rings and add random numbers in each ring. The middle target has 2-digit numbers (more of a challenge for your tot) Have your tot throw the water balloon at the target and wherever it lands, read the numbers leading up to it out loud. (i.e. If it lands at 2, count “1,2.”)
How to have fun in a pool or water fun for toddlers in general is very easy when you have a beach ball or a floatie. Play air ball or have your child lounge in his/her favorite oversized floatie and sit back and relax!
Conclusion
Although this review covered the top 10 best outdoor water toys for toddlers – we also learned some of the funnest water toys are also the simplest. By making them together, The DIY toddler outdoor water toys allow you to spend quality time with your little ones making it that much more enjoyable. It’s also nice to note that all the toys in this list are under $75.00. This is because when you are looking at purchasing the best outdoor water toys for kids, the chosen toy does not need to be costly or some high-tech equipment. All kids really need is some sunshine, sunscreen and a special little water toy chosen from this review – guaranteed to make your little one happy!

By Editorial Team
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