Gifts

Find the best outdoor toys for preschool boys that you need in your backyard this summer!

As a relatively new boy mom, I’m finding out what #boymom is all about! I have 3 step-daughters, a 5 year old daughter and now a boy. A wild and crazy toddler boy that is completely different than any of our girls. I mean totally different. 

So what is a mom to do? She goes on a mission to find ways to wear that little boy out on a consistent basis! Since one of his very first words was “outside” it is only natural to start searching out the best outdoor toys for preschool boys (and lots of these work for toddler boys too)!

And for that matter, my 5 year old preschool daughter loves most of these toys too. 

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Best Outdoor Toys for Preschool Boys

One thing that I dislike is spending money on a toy that gets shoved in a corner and not played with. When I decide to spend on a toy purchase, I want my kids to enjoy and use that toy. 

So this is a collection of toys that I have purchased or that they received for Birthday or Christmas gifts that are the best outdoor toys for preschool boys (and girls!). The toys are all different price ranges. Some are active toys and others build imagination. I think you will find at least a couple of things that will be awesome for your active kid. 

Flybar My First Pogo

Gone are the days of the Pogo stick you might remember. I guess I had my old Pogo stick in the early 90’s and it was so hard to get the thing to actually bounce with me. 

My daughter got one of these for Easter this year and we just gave one as a birthday gift to a friend’s little boy. These Pogo sticks are made out of foam and are easy enough for a preschooler to get the hang of it quickly. 

There are no springs to potentially cause injury which I love. And the elastic band easily stretches to fit with your child’s height. I am 5’4 and may have jumped for a second on my daughter’s Flybar after my husband said it looked too short for my 5 year old!

Bubble Mower

 

Remember that quote in the movie Knocked Up, “I wish I liked anything as much as my kids like bubbles?” It is so true isn’t it? Kids love bubbles. 

The bubble mower is cute because it allows the child to mimic what they see adults doing. It is an active toy to get kids moving, pretending and of course it shoots out bubbles so it is an all around win!

Bubble Blitz Machine

While we are on the bubble subject, a bubble blower may save your life. Not to be dramatic! But seriously, I have blown so many bubbles that I literally have gotten lightheaded. 

The bubble machine puts out more bubbles than you could possibly blow. My kids run and dance around in the bubble “rain.” Trying to pop them, trying to avoid them. They can come up with all kinds of games to play while using this bubble machine. 

Backyard Critter Case

 

When I was growing up, we caught lightning bugs in a mason jar with some holes punched in the lid with a sharp knife. 

I guess this is kind of the same concept just made a lot cuter. My daughter had this cutesy butterfly insect cage but she isn’t really into catching bugs!

Little Tikes Cook N Grow BBQ Grill 

We keep this Little Tikes grill near Daddy’s real grill. That way when we are outside cooking dinner, our kids can cook their own pretend food. We own lots of Little Tikes products are are always pleased with the quality of their toys. 

Since most outdoor toys are active play toys, I enjoy having a toy that encourages the imagination and playing pretend. 

Step2 Hot Wheels Extreme Thrill Coaster Ride On

My daughter got this when she was 3. They make it look like a “boy toy” but I am hear to tell you it may be the best gender neutral toy that we own! 

It is always a favorite when we have cookouts and parties. All the kids want to ride it. 

Reasons for parents to love: the kids can push the car up the track themselves so you can sit back and watch. 

We have it set up on a slight decline in our backyard and the roller coaster goes pretty fast. My 5 year old still loves it and my 18 month old can even do it mostly on his own. The slide is relatively high so he is very cautiously supervised when using it. 

It is also great quality. We have had it outside in the elements for the last two years. Aside from needing to be pressure washed (purely cosmetic) it is still in outstanding condition. 

Little Tikes Inflatable Bounce House

Aside from loving toys that my kids actually play with, I love toys that last. We have had this toy for close to 3 years now and it is still in perfect shape. 

When it is nice weather we will sometimes use this for a weekend at a time. It is great to blow up in the backyard and let the kids jump until they are completely worn out! It is a super easy set up and inflates in just a minute or two. 

We use this when we have a bunch of kids over for a party too. Several toddlers or preschoolers can jump and slide at one time which is nice. 

Power Wheels Little Quad

This is the perfect size for a toddler. I like that my little one can ride it totally on his own without any help from me (he is 18 months and got it for his first birthday). 

The battery lasts a pretty long time before you need to recharge it which is also a nice benefit. My petite 5 year old will even hop on and ride from time to time!
 

More Outdoor Toys for Active Toddlers/Preschoolers

If you liked this list of the best outdoor toys for preschool boys, be sure to check out our favorite outdoor water toys for summer too! There are some great ideas to beat the summer heat with some cool toys. 

Other Fun Water Activities for Kids

• Vegetable Soup Water Table Play
• Slip N Slide Hack for Preschoolers 

Find out what she really wants for Mother’s Day this year and give her the best day ever. You can even do this if you are on a strict budget or if you are short on time. 

This is going out to all the husbands and Dads out there looking for the perfect gift for Mother’s Day this year. You are going to save yourself a lot of time this year by following this guide for finding out what she really wants for Mother’s Day. 

Spoiler Alert: all of us moms want the same thing. And we want it every year. And if you want to be really sweet, follow this same plan in all throughout the year for a great “just because” gift. We will tell all our friends that we have the BEST husband.

Happy Wife, Happy Life, right? 

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

What She Really Wants for Mother’s Day

These ideas work for anyone with kids ranging from infants to toddlers to teens. It is simple but it is what we need. What we want. What we crave. 

Are you ready for the secret to what she really wants for Mother’s day this year?  

She wants time. 

Time? Are you searching Prime right now looking for some time in a bottle? Don’t worry, I will explain. 

Think about what your wife does everyday for your family. Maybe she works outside of the home all week to help your family monetarily or she may stay at your house raising kids, teaching and clearing messes 24/7 (never getting a real break). She is changing diapers and preparing meals. Giving your kids love, tending to boo boos and singing baby shark more times than she cares to admit. 

Reading books that have five words per page for the 800th time. Waking in the middle of the night to reassure that the bad dream was just a dream. Cleaning cheerios out of the car. Making her 600th peanut butter and jelly of the year. Dealing with a temper tantrum in the middle of Target while it feels like the world watches. 

Grocery shopping for the family with a kid or two in tow as a personal shopping assistant. Picking up blocks and legos and the 2000 small pieces from that toy that your kid just had to have. Driving to football or ballet practice. Doctor appointments. Dentist appointments. School car line. 

Finding the lovey or stuffed animal that can’t be slept without. And the missing shoes. And just finding all the things!

Homework, oh the homework. 

Washing all those baby clothes or if she is beyond baby stage, washing those 22 outfits that your teenage daughter tried on before she left for school. Or those nasty baseball pants. Fixing problems. Nurturing. Worrying.

It doesn’t matter if she is the mom of preschoolers and toddlers or teens, she is spent. Each stage with kids is different but the one constant is that mom is always on the go. Always doing things for other people. She puts the kids and even you (yes, you hubby) ahead of herself. And she just wants a little time for herself. 

So Where Do I Buy Time? 

It may be a tad more complicated than that but I get it. You are busy too! You have a business to run or a meeting to conduct. A physically demanding job or one that takes your time away from the family. You need easy gifts for your wife that show how much you love, value and care for her and the job that she does as a mother. 

And speaking of jobs. Motherhood is a job! It is a fantastic job but it is work. Work that offers no PTO. Would you take a job with no vacation time? Nope. But when we enter parenthood, that is just what we do. So this year, give her some paid time off. 

It will take a little elbow grease and effort on your part, but I promise she is going to love it. A refreshed wife and mommy is the result of this gift and what she really wants for Mother’s Day this year. 

The Plan for Mother’s Day 

Don’t mistake the gift of time as an invitation for a lack of effort on your part. You can’t wake up on Mother’s Day and tell her “congrats you get time today” and expect her to be happy. You need to prep, make it special and think through what your wife enjoys. 

I will help you drill down to that & make it easy for you with some Amazon shopping too. 

So what exactly do we do to execute a time gift? Here you go, here are a bunch of ideas of things to do for her this year. I would recommend doing a combination of at least several of these ideas and if you have the means a gift or two. 

Gift of Time for Mother’s Day

• Let her sleep in. I mean really sleep in, until she wakes naturally without a crying infant or a chatty 5 year old waking her. 
• Coffee. Give her all the coffee AFTER she wakes up on her own without anyone bothering her. If she likes a special drink from a coffee shop go grab her one. Or just make her a cup at home and take it to her in bed. Repeat after me: “She does nothing while she drinks it except maybe watch some tv.” She gets to drink her coffee hot today.
• Plan every meal for Mother’s Day. Make her breakfast in bed, pick up takeout, take her to her favorite place, make her a PB&J. I don’t care, just feed her and feed the kids so that she doesn’t have to think about it. Don’t ask, just do. 
• Send her to do something. Get her a mani/pedi gift card or a massage. Those pampering gifts and quiet time are invaluable. Would she rather shop? Send her to Target or even an Amazon gift card. If you do Amazon, send her to a quiet area of your home and let her have some time to shop without any kids talking to her!
• Do her chores. Watch her on Mother’s Day. She won’t take the day off. She will be changing diapers, making breakfast for the kids (if you didn’t follow tip #2), folding clothes etc. Whatever she starts to do. Stop her. Tell her it is Mother’s Day. Go sit on the couch, I will do it. 
• Pamper her at home. If you want something in a gift bag to give her, pampering items are always welcome! I love all of these 100% all natural bath products. Wrap up a couple of bath bombs, a specialty bar of soap and some lotion. Then give her an hour to take a bath and relax. She gets to lock all children out! 
• Read! You can do this while she is in the tub ^ or as a separate experience. Grab a gift card so that she can get something new to read on her kindle. If books are not her thing you could grab her a magazine at the grocery store.
• Day of Quiet. So I am a smidge crazy and all year I want a day to myself but then on Mother’s Day I want to be with my kids and my husband. Call me crazy but if your wife is the same, here is an option for a delayed Day of Quiet. You can print this coupon book at home. Gift it to her and then be prepared to honor it on Mother’s day if she wants or if you want to take her to lunch as a family, tell her that her day of quiet can be scheduled next Saturday. Literally schedule it and make her take it. This isn’t a coupon book that is getting stored in the junk drawer never to be touched again. Rent her a hotel room, let her have the house and you take the kids out for a day. However you want to do it, she gets a full day of piece. Like multiple hours. At least 8-5. A day off. 
• Movie of her choice. You can do this at home in bed or take her to the theater. She gets to pick. No Frozen or The Incredibles. Her choice. 
• Plan a Date for her. Here is a cute card to tell her about your plans. You find a babysitter. Make dinner reservations or buy tickets to a show. You could even do a date night in a box. Dress this up as much as you want to. Buy her some jewelry from her favorite place or give her a gift card to go buy a cute outfit. She gets to go shopping alone. 
• Wine, Chocolate and Peace. Pour her a glass of wine in a cute cup, give her a special chocolate treat and give her the night. She can go to the bedroom and shut the door. No kids. No chores. Just wine, a treat and probably some Netflix. 

So you probably have a good idea of what she really wants for Mother’s Day by now. It is simple really. Just give her a day off. 

You can spice it up with some treats and gifts but that time is what she deep down wants and needs. Motherhood is hard. She deserves a one day break, don’t you think? 

Here are a bunch of Amazon gift ideas for her if you want to add some products to that gift of “time” that you are going to give her this year. If you have any questions on how to pull off the best Mother’s Day gift ever, drop me a note in the comments & I will respond and try to help!