Research shows that toddlers benefit a lot from playing outdoors, which is why outdoor toys are a good investment for parents. The best outdoor toy for 1-year-olds will help you keep your kid away from phones and tablets and also reduce their screen time. From an interactive toy that keeps your munchkin engaged and encourages them to explore to a water game that promotes fun and lets them enjoy the fresh air, the options are plenty. Whether you decide to invest in a bike, swing, or slide, ensure they suit your child’s age and size. Playing outdoors with these toys can teach kids a lot. It can also become an excellent opportunity for you to teach them new skills and strengthen parent-child relationships. Moreover, playing outdoors can help your one-year-olds move around, interact with different objects, and learn new skills. To help you choose the perfect toy, we have reviewed some of the most popular toys suitable for 1-year-olds.

11 Best Outdoor Toys For 1-Year-Old Children

1. Best Engaging: Vtech Smart Shots Sports Center

The two-in-one kids’ basketball hoop sports center allows your toddler to score baskets and goals. It plays 50 plus songs, sounds, and phrases to keep your child engaged while improving their attention span and curiosity. A purple-colored side lever restarts the scoreboard count, and different shaped buttons introduce shapes, numbers, and sounds. This toy is ideal for babies aged between one and three years and includes a basketball for shooting hoops and a soccer ball for scoring goals to help develop your child’s motor skills. It’s made of plastic and runs on 3 AA batteries. Check out the review of this product for more information. Pros

Comes with an animated LED display Promotes exploration Anti-skid base Easy-to-grip ball

Cons

May not be heavy enough May be smaller than you expect

2. Best BPA-Free: SplashEZ Educational Pool

  Make learning fun for your munchkin with this educational kiddie pool. It has a learning mat as the base, so your toddler soaks up some knowledge while playing. The outdoor toy is suitable for children aged one year and above. Made with the highest quality material, this wading pool and water sprinkler is durable and free of BPA and phthalates. It creates a miniature water park for your child, with a learning mat of the planets, creating endless fun for your children. Measuring 60in in diameter, this child-friendly pool is spacious, and you can safely take a dip in the pool together with your children. By learning through play, this toy stimulates cognitive, social, and emotional growth. If you want to know more about the benefits of this product, check out this review video. Pros

Promotes early-childhood learning Creates confidence Inspires creativity Boosts communication Easy to assemble

Cons

Quality of the hose connector could have been better May not be easy to fold

3. Best Stability: Little Tikes Rocking Horse – Blue

  Little Tikes rocking horse comes in bright blue with smoothed corners and edges so your child doesn’t get hurt. It teaches them balance and coordination while being a lot of fun. This rocking horse also features a high seat and easy-grip handles for a fun and safe experience. It has a low saddle designed for stability and is the perfect size for indoor and outdoor use. The toy comes fully assembled and is durable enough to withstand rough use. It’s ideal for babies aged up to three years and can take a maximum weight of 50lb. Here’s an honest review video of the product. Pros

Burr-free edges Offers hours of fun Easy to clean Sturdy design

Cons

Seat is not be padded May not be scratch-resistant

4. Best Entertaining: Zen Laboratory Splash Pad

  Bring home this 68-inch inflatable splash pad and water sprinkler toy, which makes a great alternative to your traditional float baby pool and a fantastic summer outdoor toy for toddlers. Just hook it up to the hose, and your child is ready for a great learning experience and some quality bonding time. It combines the best parts of a kiddie pool, a water slide, and water toys to make the most entertaining fountain spray pad for children. The product is made of safe and high-quality materials and is BPA- and phthalate-free. Pros

Easy installation Adjustable spray height Wear- and tear-resistant Easy to fold

Cons

May be a bit slippery Seams may not withstand rough use

5. Best Sturdy Base: Fisher-Price Bounce And Spin Puppy

  This product features a sturdy base, easy-grip handles, comfy saddle, interactive buttons, and multicolor lights. As your toddler spins and bounces up and down, this ride-on dog plays songs, sounds, and educational phrases to introduce the alphabet, numbers, colors, and more. Climbing up on the puppy and bouncing up and down helps strengthen your baby’s balance and coordination skills and allows them to gain a sense of independence. The talking and singing puppy lights up at the press of a button and has two settings —one for learning and one for music—so your toddler can bounce and spin to their heart’s content. It’s ideal for toddlers aged one year and above and can take a weight of up to 55lb. Pros

Encourages self-expression Improves listening skills Non-skid base Easy-to-operate switches

Cons

Sound may be low for some Battery may run out pretty quickly

6. Best Motion Sensor: Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn – Pull & Play Learning Wagon

  Your toddler can load up on both learning and hands-on fun with this interactive and innovative red wagon that features various activities. They can bat, press, rattle, flip, and use light-up buttons and xylophone keys. A press of a button activates songs, sounds, and phrases. As your baby grows, you can advance the learning content through Smart Stages technology. It’s also equipped with a motion sensor that rewards your toddler as they walk and pull the wagon along. The toy encourages your toddler to grasp, flip, and press, which help strengthen your baby’s dexterity and hand-eye coordination. It also enhances your baby’s motor skills as they sit, walk, and pull the wagon along. Pros

Has smooth wheels for easy swivel Encourages shape recognition Develops problem-solving skills Boosts thinking skills

Cons

May be smaller than you expect Handle may not withstand rough use

7. Best Indoor-Outdoor: Gait Nursery Trampoline

  The fun, smiley-faced, green tortoise trampoline is a great way to develop a toddler’s confidence and encourage coordination and balance. It comes with a sturdy and durable tubular steel frame, a padded cover, an easy-grip handle, and rubber feet. The handle and legs detach for easy storage, and it’s suitable for indoor and outdoor use. It’s the ideal first trampoline for toddlers, as it has a diameter of 70cm and height of 60cm. The toy is suitable for one-year-olds, and its sturdy and durable frame can take a maximum weight of 44lb. Pros

Weatherproof mat Improves fitness Easy to assemble Durable velcro

Cons

May not be easy to assemble May not be highly sturdy

8. Best Inflatable: Swim School Splash Play Mat

  Introduce your toddler to water with this canopied splash mat. The built-in backrest ensures that your baby can sit comfortably while splashing and playing with the three stacking rings. These stackable play rings build your child’s dexterity and eye-hand coordination. The extra-wide removable canopy offers shade from the sun’s harmful rays and can be removed easily. This aqua green pool float with multicolored, whimsical sea creatures is easily inflatable, making it highly portable and easy to store. It measures 28in in diameter and is recommended for children aged between six months and two years. Pros

Multiposition plastic hinge Extra-wide design Encourages color recognition Introduces early numbers

Cons

May not hold a good quantity of water May not be easy to inflate

9. Best Lightweight: Lol-Fun Baby Balance Bike – Pink

  A baby balance bike is one of the best toys for developing a one-year-old’s confidence, agility, and sense of balance. This baby balance bike helps teach your baby to control the bike’s movement with their body weight and steering. Due to its low height, it is highly safe. There are no pedals, and its fully widened closed wheel prevents injury to their feet. Its 135° turning limit prevents your precious baby from toppling over. The bicycle wheels are non-slip, wear-resistant, and don’t damage the floor, so your baby can ride indoors or outdoors. The comfortable seat and sponge handles also contribute to a better riding experience. It’s lightweight, compact, and BPA-free with bright and pleasant non-toxic paint. Pros

Teaches independence Strengthen the legs Improves balancing skills Available in a wide range of colors

Cons

Assembly may be time consuming Seat isn’t height-adjustable

10. Best Portable: Zuosen Pop Up Princess Tent

  One of the best toys for one-year-olds, this princess tent features LED star lights and hearts that glow. The play tent is made of durable, water-resistant polyester fabric. It has a ball pit, mesh windows, a sunroof, and a door to crawl in and out from. It’s made of soft thick fabric and has a flexible padded structure that gives your toddler a safe and enjoyable experience. The mesh windows are made of high-density and absorbent gauze. In addition, the double stitching ensures that the tent is sturdy and durable and keeps mosquitoes and insects away from your baby. It’s lightweight and portable and equipped with a carrying bag that allows you to take it anywhere. Pros

Improves creativity and imagination Wrinkle-resistant fabric Firm stitching Easy to set up

Cons

Does not include balls May not be easy to secure the lights

11. Best Five-In-One: Top Bright Activity Cube Toy

  The activity cube is made from natural solid wood with polished edges and non-toxic, water-based paint. This five-in-one activity cube includes a bead maze, learning clock, shape sorter, spinning gears, and zig-zag sliding side. This wooden baby toy promotes fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, sensory skills, and number counting. It also helps enhance the child’s creativity, imagination, and thinking abilities. The removable 3D top bead maze can be played separately and is easily storable within the box. Pros

Encourages shape and color recognition Easily portable No assembly required Compact and sturdy design

Cons

May be smaller than expected Top portion might not be securely attached

Now that you have been through our review of the 11 best outdoor toys for a 1 year old, we will give you a few tips on what you should keep in mind while buying one for your precious toddler so that they derive the maximum fun and benefit from it.

How To Choose The Right Outdoor Toy For A 1-Year-Old?

Variety

If you are planning to invest in 2 or 3 types of outdoor toys for your toddler, make sure you incorporate some variety so that your child is stimulated, doesn’t get bored, and builds new skills as well.

Durability

Outdoor toys have to undergo the wear and tear of different climatic conditions. They should be able to withstand seasonal changes as well as rough play. Anything with small, breakable pieces or that tears easily is best avoided. Plastic is usually a good choice for an outdoor toy for a 1-year-old.

Safety

Small children are usually much rougher and not as careful with their outdoor toys as their indoor toys. Accidents are bound to happen, and so safety is of utmost importance. Make sure there are no sharp edges and that the height of the toy, especially in the case of a slide, is suitable. It would help if you also were careful whenever water is involved.

Encourage exploration and problem-solving:

Choose toys that give kids a chance to figure something out on their own and build their logical thinking skills so that they can become problem-solvers. They also help to develop spatial skills, hand-eye coordination, and fine motor skills in your toddler. Puzzles, blocks, nesting blocks, art materials like clay, dough, paint, or crayons are ideal for this.

Toys that nurture cross-generational play:

Some outdoor toys are designed for adult participation. These nurture language and relationship-building skills in your toddler. They also teach children to be gracious winners and losers.

Why Trust MomJunction?

Priti Bose is a passionate writer with valuable experience reviewing children’s toys and gifts. She does extensive research to recommend age-appropriate toys that are engaging and educational. Here, Priti has listed the best outdoor toys for one-year-olds after researching the benefits of each. Moreover, she has included a buying guide mentioning the crucial factors you should consider when choosing toys for little children.

Best Electronic Toys Best Educational Toys Best Toys