The Best Outdoor Playsets for Toddlers
You want your little ones to play outside, but you also want them to be safe and easy to keep an eye on.
In this blog we’re covering the best outdoor playsets for toddlers, and how you can add on to those playsets over time as your child grows.
Playsets for 2-Year-Olds
At 2 and under, children are learning how to crawl, stand, and walk. Playsets help develop balance, muscle control, and coordination in young kids.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.
With proper play features and appropriate adult supervision, playset play at this age can be enormously beneficial. Playsets should feature accessories that allow kids to crawl freely and cruise.
Low-to-the-ground stairs and ramps with proper safety railings can provide opportunities for kids at this age to practice balancing.
Bucket swings are also ideal for babies and young toddlers. They allow your little ones to get a swinging experience like older kids, but with a higher backrest and enclosed front and sides for more safety.
Enclosed crawl tunnels with bubble panels or spy panels are perfect additions to backyard playsets for kids at this age because they’re conducive to crawling and cruising.
Open slides with shorter lengths and lower heights are great for babies and toddlers as well. The open concept allows you to have complete physical and visual access to your little ones at all times.
Children at this age also enjoy exploring the world through their senses. Ship’s wheels, telescopes, and binoculars can be fun additions to accessorize your playsets and encourage sensory play.
Playsets for 4-Year-Olds
Children develop their fine and gross motor skills around this age. They still need assistance and adult supervision with balance and climbing.
4-year-olds are often courageous without fear of getting hurt. Because of this, you shouldn’t have your 4-year-old playing on equipment that’s higher than 6 feet.
Pretend play is big at this age. Consider a playset that stimulates your child's imagination. Imaginative play is one of the ways you can make exercise more fun. Accessories on playsets like periscopes and megaphones help children’s imaginations run wild as they play.
Short ramps, rock climbing, and ladders are ideal for children at this age. Tubes and spiral slides allow 4-year-olds to slide independently and improve their balance.
Belt swings become more acceptable at this age, as kids can learn to pump their legs and swing on their own. Tire swings also help promote interaction and teamwork in young children.
Playsets for 6-Year-Olds
By age 6, children have more strength and agility, so they want more adventurous playset features.
Kids also socialize with each other through play and engage in parallel play. By buying a playset with more diverse accessories, kids can play independently alongside each other and start to develop more social maturity.
Larger rock-climbing rocks allow 6-year-olds to practice their climbing skills. Taller horizontal ladders and chain ladders add a more challenging experience for climbers.
Advanced slides that are taller and more extreme are great for children seeking more adventurous play. Monkey bars, rings, and poles also provide fun ways for children to improve their upper body strength.
Outdoor Playsets for Older Kids
Sky lofts and bridges offer fun spaces for older kids to socialize with friends.
Swings made to fit larger bodies are an essential part of play for kids as they get older. Daydreamer swings allow older kids to comfortably sit down or lie down in a variety of positions while spinning, swinging, or relaxing.
Tire swings are also fun for kids in this age group. Advanced strength challenges like monkey bars, trapeze bars, rope ladders, and rock walls keep older children fit and challenge them physically.
Why We Offer the Best Outdoor Playsets for Toddlers by Design
Our Amish-made, outdoor wooden playsets are hand-crafted and rigorously tested to keep your kids safe while having fun. At Innovative Playtime, all of our playsets are made from outdoor-grade, pressure-treated lumber and finished with weather-resistant, stainless steel hardware.
We also complete our playsets with smooth milled finishes and safe, rounded edges to ensure maximum safety. All of our playsets are constructed with vinyl-encased wood (which means no splinters) and slip-resistant materials as well.
Whether you have swashbucklers, firefighters, or princesses among your ranks, we provide the best outdoor playsets for toddlers and kids of all ages.
