A giant bubble kit with a two-handle wand that’ll help your friends and family make eye-bogglingly big bubbles!
The kit comes with the giant bubble wand, two pouches of bubble concentrate, and a booklet to help you become a skilled bubble creator! It’s my family’s #1 favorite summer activity. It’s easy enough for our toddler to make giant bubbles with a little help. She loves chasing them, and it always brings a big crowd of kids over to play!
Promising review: “Love this!! Easy for kids to use — my six-year-old son figured it out pretty quickly — and fun for adults as well (my husband and I might have played with it as much as our son did…) Makes amazing bubbles. The bubble mix it comes with is fantastic.” —Thomas Durant
Get it from Amazon for $15.95+ (available in seven styles).
A giant balloon dog (we’re talkin’ over 4 feet wide and 5 feet long!) that’ll keep your kids feeling cool in the pool even during those upcoming ruff dog days of summer.
Promising review: “This float is THE BEST! A big hit at the pool. It’s very large, so if you have a small pool, it may not work, but it’s a party favorite. Easy to inflate and deflate as needed. If you’re looking for a fun pool party float that’s bound to be the hit of the party, this is it!” —slsmith
Get it from Amazon for $49.50.
And a flamingo ring toss pick for families who flamin-go to the pool every single day and are constantly looking for new ways to have fun in the water. This is great for all ages, and a particularly clever pick for beginning swimmers who’ve gotta dive down to grab rings that don’t make the mark!
Promising review: “This was actually bigger than I was expecting, it’s a great size even for a larger pool. A few other adults and I tried tossing the rings in the pool. This game is actually pretty difficult (lol), but that definitely makes it fun. Plus, it’s an easy setup.” —Daniela
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
Plus, a Mambobaby infant swim seat so your baby can be in on the fun while you enjoy wading around the pool. This has a leg rest, UPF shade, buckle, and “tail” that’ll keep the baby boat from tipping over. Plus, the photos are gonna be cute. So cute.
There are no baby floating devices that replace an on-hand grownup. This is intended to be used while you’re in the pool beside your kiddo.
Promising review: “This float is a great choice for babies! The added tail helps keep it stable and prevents tipping. It’s made from soft, durable materials—no inflating needed. My baby feels secure and comfy, and I love the peace of mind the safety buckle gives. Highly recommend for stress-free water time!” —Julia
Get it from Amazon for $79.99+ (available in 14 colors and two styles).
A rainbow-colored saucer swing, perfect for giving them a fun place to hang out in the backyard. Your kiddos will never want to get out of this, and that’s perfectly fine because they can swing, sit, read, nap, or do really anything in this swing — you may never catch them sitting in a regular chair again.
It can hold up to 220 pounds.
Promising review: “So first off, my kids LOVE this swing! It has been one of the greatest purchases I have made so far for their playroom!!! We use it inside to keep them busy on rainy days or when they need to get their energy out! I give the swing itself 5 stars for sure!!!!” —Samantha Brooke Main
Get it from Amazon for $36.99+ (available in two sizes).
Or a rocket ship swing that’s astronot your average rope swing — with a setup this fun, your kids will be swinging off into space (and giving you your space).
Promising review: “This is a must-have toy! First thing, it was SO easy to put together! It is super sturdy, too! It’s in our basement right now, as it is winter in Ohio, but I know she’ll love it even more once we get it hooked in the tree! I love that it is an indoor/outdoor toy!” —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $119.99.
A beginner’s telescope for the kids who are absolutely dazzled by the night sky. It comes with two replaceable eyepieces, a wireless remote, an adjustable tripod, and a carrying bag. Here’s to finding ways we can continue getting a liiittle bit closer!
Promising review: “My husband and I bought this as a gift for our son because he’s super into science and space, and it ended up being a great choice. It was easy to set up, lightweight, and beginner-friendly (he’s only eight), which made it perfect for him to learn the basics without getting overwhelmed. The clarity honestly surprised me because you can really see the moon and stars with solid detail. I love that it comes with everything he needs to understand the different parts and how a telescope actually works. It feels sturdy, well-made, and not like one of those toys that break after a week. If you have a curious kid who loves space or STEM stuff, this is 100 percent worth it, and I would definitely recommend it.” —Jaii
Get it from Amazon for $84.24.
A 36-piece set of sidewalk chalk, including 12 tie dye, 12 glitter, and 12 neon styles, so your kids can get their angst out by (legally) tagging your entire patio. There’s nothing more gratifying than graffiti if it gets your kids outside for an hour.
Promising review: “We love this chalk in our family. It’s great for party favors and to give in gift bags for young kids. We love the variety of colors – the neon is super bright and fun, the tie dye is my son’s favorite, and the glitter is cute too. It’s a great value for the price. We’ve bought them several times and always get compliments when gifting them.” —Carley Powers
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
A wavesurf shaper to turn rocky, uneven lake waves made by your boat into smooth, curved, and perfect ocean-like waves that are primo for surfin’. This will totally get those teens off their screens.
Promising review: “Wow, just wow. Surfing with this has made a huge difference!!! I use this on my 2014 Moomba Mobius LSV. I now fill both the rear bags even to 900 lbs. each on both sides, and this thing throws a clean long wave to whichever side it’s not mounted to. I don’t have to list the boat anymore, making it much easier to drive and so much faster to switch riders from different sides. It looks exactly the same as the picture shows, and it floats. I’ve never had it fall off during surfing, and even forgot to remove it once and came up to speed 20+ mph before I realized it was still on, and it never came loose. It floats, so if you accidentally drop it while mounting it, you don’t have to worry about it sinking to the bottom of the lake. I wish I had bought long ago!” —Joel
Get it from Amazon for $229.
Waldorf woodland creatures — each open-ended shape is designed with holes that’ll easily fit different twigs, stems, petals, and leaves you (or your kids) find while on nature walks. If you like the idea of some screen-free time outside with a little creative direction, creating tiny woodland creatures may be just the thing!
I bought these for my daughter waaay before she was old enough to care, because I wanted to play with them myself! They’re solid, made of high-quality materials (not plastic), and owned by a small business. Now that my kiddo is older, these have become a staple in our diaper bag on days at the park. We’ll spend ages looking for special pieces, seeing if they fit, testing out different configurations, and then have a blast with some imagination play (these little critters get up to a lot of mischief!). Whether you’re totally into playing fantastical, made-up games with your kids or need clear directions to create a little whimsy, these have got your back. I recommend them to every parent I know (and now, even those I don’t — hi from me!).
Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in six options).
A pack of rainbow fire packets so stunning you may actually convince your kids to come outside and look at something other than their phones.
Promising review: “Love these, have purchased a few times and will now buy the 50-pack because they really add a ton of fun to my bonfires. Depending on how much your fire is raging, they will last 30-60 minutes. I use two or three packets at a time. Highly recommend.” —JAO
Get a six-pack from Amazon for $10.95.
A retro-esque oversize picnic backpack designed with nature lovers in mind. This features a leakproof cooling compartment, wine holder, cutlery, and the pièce de résistance — a blast from the past fleece blanket for keeping particularly cozy while snackin’ on your outdoor delicacies. Plus, the backpack design makes it possible to actually picnic with your kids…keeping your hands free to hold onto those little escape artists before they run off into the wilderness.
You’ll get stainless steel knives, forks, spoons, dinner plates, cotton napkins, and wineglasses for four people. It also includes a cheese knife, bottle opener, salt + pepper shaker, plastic hopping board, and water-resistant blanket.
Promising review: “I got the two-person, which has ample room for food and beverages. The blanket is surprisingly soft and has a soft plastic side for waterproofing. Great little pockets so you don’t lose your keys or phone. I got the brown one. It is very elegant looking. I showed my aunt and bought three more, one for her, her daughter, her husband, and her son and wife. Great for all kinds of uses. Definitely would buy again.” —Margaret
Get it from Amazon for $69.99+ (available in 2- and 4-person sizes and five colors).
