With the summer now in full swing, this mummy and daddy have been spending lots of time in the garden with a cheeky glass of Pimms. It not easy with a commando crawling baby though. With colourful flowerbeds at grab-level, Dexter has been known to pull up the odd Sunflower and send mummy into a full-scale meltdown. Add to this the instant attraction of mummy’s practically neolithic (rusting) weed-weapons and Dexter is never far away from getting hurt.
So just how do you keep a baby entertained in the garden? Toddlers are easy(ish). At least they understand the word ‘No’ (or can be bribed with an ice lolly). There are bikes, bouncy castles, playhouses, trampolines… so many (sometimes budget-blowing) things for a stable two-legged monkey to get stuck into. But what about babies..?
Here’s my pick of the best bargains to keep the littlest contingent of your household happy.
The Trusty Paddling Pool
It’s an absolute must-have for the warm weather. My top tip is to leave your hose in the sun for an hour before filling the pool. The water will be luke warm when it comes out making it the perfect cool temperature for baby to relax in. Don’t be afraid to bring out your bath seat and bath toys for a bit of added interest too.
PICTURED: Paddling Pool from Wilkinson - just £3
Ride-on Toys
If your baby is holding their head comfortably and sofa-cruising like Dexter, Ride-on toys are fabulous for allowing baby to explore the garden independently. They don’t have to cost the earth either. It goes without saying that it’s worth checking out eBay before buying brand new - any new ride-on will look secondhand after a few knocks and bumps anyway.
Finding the perfect ride-on for your nearly-toddler is a minefield though. You’ll need a seat that offers additional support and encases their butt, and isn’t too wide to straddle. You’ll also want to avoid the two wheelers - there’s plenty of time for bikes later! Here’s my top picks.
PICTURED: Little Tikes Crazy Coupe (Police) £54.99, PINTOY Wooden Aeroplane (From Why Wood Works) £66.68, Little Tikes Spray & Rescue Fire Truck (From Outdoor Toys Direct) £51.95, Candy 3-in-1 Smart Trike (From Argos) £35.99
Cool Walkers
I suspect every nearly-toddler has a few walkers already. Dexter has an ELC toddle truck that has done wonders for his walking. They’re ideal for encouraging babies to walk flat-footed after having spent an eternity in door bouncers and Jumperoos.
For exploring the garden you’ll want one that’s robust and can handle grassy terrains. Added interest such as wooden toys, blocks and sounds are also great for when they fancy a break from toddling.
PICTURED TOP: (Interactive and Proven) VTech First Steps Baby Walker £29.99, Janod Magnetic BBQ Trolley £59.29
PICTURED BOTTOM: (Budget-busting but beautiful) Silver Cross Classic Wooden Dolls Pram £80.00, Silver Cross Classic Wooden Push Along With Bricks £65.00
Toddler Trampolines (with grab rails)
Okay, so your tiny tot is probably not ready for a huge 12ft trampoline yet. Unless you’re ready to take off your Louboutin’s and give yourself a black eye as your boobs make a bid for freedom, not even trampolines with enclosures are quite right for the vertically challenged nearly-toddler.
There are however some great bouncers for your littlies. Grab rails are a must and it goes without saying it’ll take baby a good ten minutes to work out what on earth you’re asking them to do, but they’re fab for promoting strength, balance and co-ordination skills.
PICTURED: TP Toys Bubble Bouncer £39.95, and Chad Valley Kangaroo Trampoline with Sounds (From Argos) £39.99
Baby Swingset
We all know how great these are for cheering up your baby at your local park. As you’d expect for something so huge, it’s pretty expensive to get one in your garden. But oh what bliss to strap baby in and give them a one-handed push whilst sipping a chilled Sauvignon at the same time… It’s guaranteed to get plenty of use and is usually the plaything-of-choice for the discerning baby.
The cheapest full swing set I can find is this one (main picture below) from Plum Baby at £84 at both Kiddicare and Amazon. But you can get this cost down by buying an old frame from eBay then buying the seat separately (bear in mind this swing set is low and you might find it’s better value for money to get a full height one that will grow with your child).
PICTURED (seats only): The Eitech NCT1500B Swing Chair for Toddlers (From Amazon) £24.95, Plum Baby Swing Seat (From Amazon) £21.59, TP Junior Swing Seat (From Amazon) £25.46
Bubbles!
Of course you could just nip down Tescos and buy a party bag sized bottle of bubbles for around £1, but I defy any parent not to think that Dr Zigs Giant Bubbles aren’t the coolest thing ever. Given it’ll be you doing all the blowing if your nearly-toddler hasn’t quite mastered the art yet, Dr Zigs will also appeal to competitive daddy’s everywhere (leaving mummy free to get back to that glass of wine… - there’s a theme going on here!).
Check out this review from my fellow mummy blogger Nicola from Monsters Fun House!
Water / Sand Tables
Well given I hate the feel of sand, it’s not likely I’ll be filling one of these bad boys with the yellow stuff, but water tables are fab for cooling off and practising independent standing. They’re also really handy for washing hands out in the garden when your tot sticks their hands in your flowerbed.
These are surprisingly great value too with these two multi-use tables (with accessories) both under £30!
PICTURED: DEAO Sand & Water Table (From Amazon) £29.99, Chad Valley Multi-Functional Play Table (From Argos) £17.49
So that’s it! These are my top bargain garden playthings for the under-two’s. If you’ve grabbed any other bargains this summer - feel free to leave a comment with the link!
