10 Best Garden Games for Toddlers This Summer

Looking for easy ways to keep your toddler entertained outdoors this summer? From bubbles and water play to garden treasure hunts and creative chalk games, you don't need a huge garden or expensive equipment to make outdoor play fun.
Here are 10 of our favourite garden games for toddlers this summer, combining active play, creativity, imaginative play and simple DIY games that can help support your child's development.

In Short: Why Is Outdoor Play Important for Toddlers?

Outdoor play gives toddlers the opportunity to move, explore and learn through hands-on experiences. Running, balancing, throwing and climbing can support coordination and gross motor skills, while activities such as mud kitchens, nature hunts and water play encourage curiosity and imaginative play.

Summer 2026 has already seen some notably hot weather across the UK, so it's important to consider your child's safety when playing outside. During hot weather, choose shaded areas where possible, avoid the strongest sunshine and make sure your child has access to plenty of fluids. Young children are particularly vulnerable to dehydration, heat exhaustion, heatstroke and sunburn. See Starting Well's summer safety advice for further guidance.

If you have your hands full with a baby and toddler, garden activities can make life easier. Our guide to summer activities for a newborn and toddler includes ideas for keeping your toddler entertained while staying close to your baby.

10 Garden Games for Your Toddler This Summer

1. Mud Kitchen

Best for: Ages 18M–3Y

What you need: Mud, water, old bowls, spoons, pots and a mud kitchen or outdoor table.

How to play: Let your toddler mix mud, water, leaves and grass to create their own imaginary meals, soups and cakes. Give them old kitchen utensils and containers and let their imagination take over.

Why toddlers love it: They can make a wonderful mess while pretending to cook and serve food.

Development benefits: Sensory exploration, fine motor skills, language and imaginative play.

2. Bubble Play

Best for: Ages 2Y–3Y

What you need: Bubbles or a bubble machine.

How to play: Blow bubbles around the garden and encourage your toddler to chase, pop, catch or count them. You can also make it into a simple game by asking them to find the biggest bubble.

Why toddlers love it: Bubbles are simple, exciting and endlessly repeatable.

Development benefits: Movement, coordination, visual tracking and hand-eye coordination.
Bubble play is also a great activity if you have a baby and toddler together. Babies can watch and reach for the bubbles while toddlers chase and pop them.

3. Water Play

Best for: Ages 18M–3Y

What you need: A paddling pool, water tray, buckets, cups or a waterway toy.

How to play: Create a simple water station and let your toddler pour, splash and experiment with how water moves. A waterway set such as the Liewood Cassian Waterway lets children build channels, add boats and watch water flow through their creation.

Why toddlers love it: Water is naturally fascinating and particularly welcome on a warm summer day.

Development benefits: Sensory development, coordination, problem-solving and early STEM learning.
Always supervise toddlers closely around water, even when using a small amount.

4. Balance Bikes, Scooters & Ride-On Toys

Best for: Ages 18M+

What you need: A balance bike, scooter or ride-on toy and a safe area of garden or driveway.

How to play: Create a simple route around the garden, using cones or other safe markers to create a mini course. Encourage your toddler to travel between the different points, stopping to turn around or collect objects along the way.

Why toddlers love it: They get to move independently while developing confidence.

Development benefits: Balance, coordination, gross motor skills and spatial awareness.
Balance bikes, ride-ons and mini obstacle courses are also recommended as simple outdoor activities for toddlers.

Read our blog on how to choose the right sized balance bike and ride-on toy for your child.

Creative Garden Games

5. Pavement Chalk

Best for: Ages 2Y–3Y

What you need: Child-friendly pavement chalk and a suitable outdoor surface.

How to play: Draw roads, shapes, numbers or letters on the ground. For an active game for older children, create a simple hopscotch-style course, or ask your toddler to jump between different colours and shapes.

Why toddlers love it: They can draw, move and learn at the same time.

Development benefits: Early literacy and numeracy, creativity, coordination and gross motor development.

6. Toddler Digital Camera

Best for: Ages 3Y+

What you need: A child-friendly digital camera.

How to play: Give your toddler a simple photography challenge, such as finding three flowers, something red or their favourite garden toy. The Zoo Friends Kids Camera gives children an opportunity to explore the garden through photography.

Why toddlers love it: They get to explore the world from their own perspective.

Development benefits: Observation, communication, creativity and curiosity.

Imaginative & Role Play

7. Push Toys

Best for: Ages 2Y–3Y

What you need: A toddler-friendly push toy, such as a rattle push toy or toy lawn mower.

How to play: Turn garden play into imaginative role play by pretending you're gardening together or getting the garden ready for a picnic.

Why toddlers love it: They can copy the everyday activities they see adults doing.

Development benefits: Gross motor skills, coordination, balance and imaginative play.

DIY Garden & Lawn Games

8. Throw & Toss Games

Best for: Ages 2Y–3Y

What you need: Balls, bean bags, rings or a toddler-friendly throwing game.

How to play: Set up a simple target and encourage your toddler to throw, roll or toss objects towards it. The Liewood Emmett Petanque Set and Liewood Noova Ring Toss Game can provide simple ways to introduce throwing and aiming.

Why toddlers love it: They can practise throwing while enjoying a simple challenge.

Development benefits: Hand-eye coordination, aiming, movement and concentration.

9. Sand Pit & Play

Best for: Ages 2Y–3Y

What you need: A sandpit or sand tray, bucket, spade, moulds and containers.

How to play: Encourage your toddler to dig, scoop, fill and build. You can create simple challenges such as making a sandcastle, digging for buried toys or filling containers with different amounts of sand.

Why toddlers love it: Sand provides endless opportunities for making and exploring.

Development benefits: Sensory development, fine motor skills, creativity and problem-solving.

10. Hide & Seek and Garden Treasure Hunts

Best for: Ages 2Y–3Y

What you need: A teddy, small toys or a simple picture-based treasure hunt.

How to play: Hide a favourite teddy around the garden and give your toddler clues to help them find it. For older toddlers, create a simple scavenger hunt asking them to find things such as a leaf, flower, stone or something yellow.

Why toddlers love it: Searching turns an ordinary garden into an adventure.

Development benefits: Observation, memory, language, problem-solving and an appreciation of nature.

Nature scavenger hunts are also recommended as a simple way to encourage toddlers to explore outdoors.

How to Choose the Best Garden Games for Toddlers

The best garden game depends on your child, your garden and the weather.

1. Consider the weather and heat

On very hot days, choose shaded, quieter activities such as chalk, bubbles or sensory play, and consider moving indoors during the hottest part of the day.

2. Consider how many children are playing

Some activities work particularly well for one toddler, while throwing games, treasure hunts and imaginative games can be adapted for siblings or friends.

3. Consider the space available

You don't need a large garden. Chalk, bubbles, water play, sand and treasure hunts can all work in relatively small spaces.

4. Consider what you want your child to learn

Outdoor games can be more than just entertainment. Choose activities that support the skills you want to encourage, from balance and coordination to early numbers, letters, observation and problem-solving.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best outdoor games for toddlers?

Simple activities such as bubble play, water play, mud kitchens, chalk, sand play and treasure hunts are excellent outdoor games for toddlers because they combine fun with opportunities for movement and exploration.

What age are garden games suitable for?

Many simple garden games can be adapted for children from around age two, although parents should always follow the age guidance for individual toys and supervise young children.

What are the benefits of outdoor play for toddlers?

Outdoor play can support physical activity, coordination, gross motor development, confidence, creativity and sensory exploration.

How can I keep my toddler cool while playing outside?

Choose shaded areas, avoid the strongest sunshine where possible, provide fluids and take regular breaks indoors during very hot weather. See Starting Well's summer safety guidance.

Are water games safe for toddlers?

Water play can be a fun summer activity, but toddlers should always be closely and actively supervised around water.

What garden games can toddlers play independently?

Mud kitchens, chalk, sand play and simple imaginative activities can encourage independent exploration, although young children should still be supervised.

What are good garden games for a toddler and baby?

Bubble play, gentle water activities, nature watching and garden exploration can provide opportunities for both babies and toddlers to enjoy being outdoors together.

How can I make garden games educational?

Add simple counting, colours, shapes, letters, problem-solving or nature-spotting challenges to everyday games. For example, count bubbles, find five leaves or draw letters with pavement chalk.