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Best Toys for Outdoor Play {12-24 MONTHS}
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Thank you for the toy post, I love to see what other kids are playing with outdoors. My daughter loves the tricycle (she has been using it for a few months) and is very much into the swing. She can stay in a swing for a very long time. When she was learning to walk, she absolutely loved pushing the toy shopping cart, but she has been over it for a while. We never got any toy strollers or other push toys for space considerations.
Just out of curiosity – this can not be Lexi’s picture with the chalk? The little girl looks older and has completely different hair… I am just so conditioned to see Lexi’s pictures in the posts, and that picture looks so different.
Also, for the balance bike: are you planning to use a helmet and if so, did you research any brands? Can you add this in the comments or to the post itself, if you have a chance, it would be very helpful. Thanks!!!
It IS Lexi :))) I have her hair in a pony! 🙂
Re: helmets, yes of course. I like nutcase helmets but it’s not something I researched per se. If I do I’ll let you’ll know.
We haven’t tried a trike since she shows zero interest in it. How did you teach her to pedal?
I think I know why it stands out – there’s no watermark on it. I’m so used to seeing “Art of Making A Baby” in the corner that it was throwing me off maybe?
Plus, her hair looks so much darker in that one. Maybe because it’s in the shade?
Last minute addition- it was a screenshot from a video of Lexi I shot for a feature for Daily Mom since I had no other chalk pics. Hence the no watermark and weird brownish colors…
You, cats, crack me up!
Hair always looks darker wet and pulled into a ponytail. It doesn’t allow light to shine through the hair, which gives it a lighter look.
It’s actually not wet there, it’s just because it’s a screenshot from a video I took. But yeah technically you’re right about the light.
Oh no, I meant that as another example of when hair looks darker, not that her hair was wet there.
But as far as the light goes, it’s absolutely true. Your photos of her with (especially natural) light is shining on her hair, it takes on a lighter look than when she’s in a shadowed area, or area with just less light.
Yeah her hair looks soooo different all the time! Sometimes it looks almost blonde and other time dark brown like when she was born.
I baffles me that people think you edit Lexi to look different than she really does. You obviously LOVE everything Lexi is, everything Lexi does and are just so proud of her, so what makes them think how Lexi looks isn’t something else about her you’re completely in love with? Baffles me, I tell you!
Ha! Join the club! There are a lot of things that baffle me 🙂
sorry, you guys, did not mean to start the whole “mystery brown haired child with the chalk” debate – just did not look like Lexi, that’s all. Lexi does look very different in pictures, but I have always thought that it is because you often have a “compilation” of pictures that are from different ages, and toddlers grow so fast, that the differences are really obvious.
Oh it’s not a problem, Irina! I knew exactly what you meant:)
No it’s not you! I totally knew what you meant. Almost like “no way that can possibly be lexi!” There are people out there that think elena photoshops Lexi to be blonde, or thinner, or have bluer eyes, etc. There’s a major difference in editing a photo to be brighter or darker and actually changing the color of certain features of a child. I can’t speak for elena, but I highly doubt she changes lexi’s actually appearance when she says she edits her photos!
Ha! Thinner? I haven’t heard of that one. Lol
Really funny! :))))
thanks! nutcase helmets lol 🙂 – is this a brand or a type of helmet? i am sorry, i am clueless about helmets! Also, my daughter figured out the pedals from watching older kids in daycare, but she can not reach pedals on all models, so some get used as a sort of balance bike (minus the balancing part).
Brand 😉 look it up!
My kids love watering cans too. I purchased $3 small metal ones at Target in that dollar section up front and my kids play for hours with them. We also have a sand/water table that they love!
Be careful with the metal one. The paint on them can be questionable especially if they are not marketed as a toy.
Thanks for the warning. I’m not too worried about it. My kids are old enough to be past the putting things in mouth phase and kind of like Lexi playing on a golf course with chemicals this is my give and take. Our outside toys take quite a beating so I’m not investing much into them as they are often replaced each year anyway.
Totally understand! 🙂
I’m surprised you don’t have a water table for her. Toddlers looooove them, and they are wonderful in hot weather.
I actually do. I completely forgot to include it.
Fellow Floridian here and my kiddo is about to celebrate his first birthday. What do you think about those splash tables?
I think they can be great. Lexis problem was she’d try to drink from it using a scoop that comes with it. Plus more than half of the brand I have (little tikes) is defective and the ball dropper doesn’t work.
We had problems with the Little Tykes one too so we got a different one (don’t remember the brand) but it’s much better. And when the temp cools in the fall/winter we switch it to a sand table.
I just love seeing all the pictures of Lexi, she is such a photogenic little girl!
Thank you Anna :))))
Edible chalk! That is incredible. Thanks for adding this I had no idea there was such a thing!
My daughter is loving the kiddie pool these days. We have a little inflatable one that you only put a few inches of water in, it also has a little sun canopy. All she needs is the tiniest bit of water to sit in and splash and she’s happy. And cool.
We used to ave a pop up pool like that, but it was just too small for Lexter. So we go to the pool instead.
That ride-on looks pretty neat. We have the ladybug version of that unicorn & my poor child just slides off the back. I end up pushing her around in it & it’s not easy considering it doesn’t have a back for them to lean on. I hate that thing! Haha.
My daughter loves all kind of water play so she’s been busy with a water table a small inflatable pool. I believe the table is a Little Tikes one that has section for sand & a section for water though we just use it for water right now. She climbs in it & can sit there all day splashing.
& while we don’t have the space right now, I think she would really enjoy one of those play houses. She loves opening all kinds of doors, gates & windows, peeking through them, passing things through them. So I can see her being entertained by one.
& thanks for reminding me to get a watering can! It was on my list & I completely forgot 🙂 & the shopping cart. That looks fun too 🙂 Thanks for posting!
re; unicorn, Right? I think it’s maybe meant for older kids….
Just curious – do you have a baby pool for Lexi? I’m looking for one for my 17 month old little boy, wondering if you know of any non-toxic, or less toxic brands?
We used to have one when she was too little to be taken to the community pool. I know for a fact this one is not toxic. I know it says unavailable but if you can find a similar one, you should be good.
Anything that blows up has pvc in it so stay away from those!
I loooove her outfit in the sidewalk chalk picture. Where is it from?
Wheat USA! Really cool brand. There will be a nice feature about them on Daily Mom soon.
since you have a large playroom area, little tykes does make a cute swing/slide combo called the swing along castle. my cousin put her brand new one in her finished basement. she never had it outside. her kids loved it when they were toddlers.
Oh I wish but our playroom is not that big and is all junked up with toys. That’s when I wish we had basements here!
I love balance bikes. My little one is about a week older then Lexie, and I’ve had her on a balance bike since she was 15 months, so Lexie may be ready. They’re a great way to learn to bike without having to deal with training wheels. Using a balance bike will have them pedaling a two wheel by the time they’re 3 years old.
Our other favorite outside activity is a sandbox. Although I’m disappointed that I couldn’t find any really good beach sand. Next year I’m going to bring some back with me from vacation.
How did you get yours on a bike?
After falling once Lexi is now afraid of it
She’s been on and around bikes her entire life, I even biked to most of my OB appointments, so she already had a good idea of what it was and what to do with it. She started just walking while standing over it. She did tumble a few times, but she’s stubborn and would get right back up and keep going. Her first time on it I just had her stand over it, hold the handlebars and walk, while I was behind her holding the seat steady. It was a back killer, but I only had to do that the first day. Then she’d walk with it on her own and as she got more confident (and taller) she’d sit back and start to put her weight on the seat and “ride” instead of walk.
That’s good to know! Thank you!!! We did the exact same thing and she walked around with it the first day, but then I let the seat go for a second ( my mistake) and she kinda fell and stopped using it 🙂 Not interested for now. I’ll let some time pass and try again )
I´m from Germany and here just about every kid gets a Bobby Car for their first birthday. My son is 15 months old and he hasn´t figured out how to drive with ist yet but he will eventually. I had to by a new one because my nine-year-old daughter wouldn´t give up her´s – older kids can still drive with it putting one knee on the seat and pushing with the other leg. Bobby Car´s are so sturdy even adults can use them (and they do – here are often fun races with them).
My son loves playing in the sand, we have a little kitchen there too (from my daughter) and with a little water he´s entertained for hours.
For indoors both children love Lego´s, the little one has the baby pricks Primo which are no longer available, three boxes of Duplo are waiting for him and my daughter has the little Lego´s.
i love the play structure !! i think my little one would be all over that! she is a few days older than lexi and just looooooves to climb on the playground and cant get enough of the slides. unfortunatly we have a condo and not even a balcony for a water table ;(
Do you have any suggestions for non-toxic water/pool toys? Floaty tube things, floaty mattresses, noodles, etc? Thanks!
Yes, and you know what? I will write up a quick reference for that this weekend because I get asked a lot. Check for new posts, ok?
Awesome, thank you so much!
I think I’ve purchased 50% of the toys you’ve recommended :). What dolls have you purchased for Lexi? I’m in love with the look of the Corolle dolls, but they’re vinyl, and I’m not sure if I want to get my daughter a vinyl doll. What are your doll recommendations?
Thanks in advance!
Oh I hate the whole doll situation! I have not gotten her traditional dolls due to pvc, even though Corolle ones are so cute. We have a cloth ikea one. She doesn’t seem to really care about dolls yet. Maybe because she doesn’t have a realistic on 🙂 I might eventually get one, but to date I have not found dolls that are made of plastic that isn’t PVC.
I might buy a new “it’s a small world” doll, because she LOVES the ride and the song so much, but I am still waiting on Disney to get off their butt and email me back about phthalates because phone cs had no clue.
From some more Googling, a few people noted that Corolle and Gotz dolls are supposedly phtalate free vinyl. I might contact them myself and see :).
Oh I can tell you for a fact corolle is phthalate free. We are working on a feature on their dolls on daily mom so I made sure. But I’m still iffy about getting them for Lexi. I’ll probably see what she thinks of the Disney doll. In fact I trust corolle way more than Disney when it comes to toys.
Thanks for the confirmation! So, would you happen to know what material they use as softener then? Look forward to the Daily Mom post on dolls!