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From slides to water guns, make the most of summer with the best games and activities for the garden
Whether you’re looking for a way to encourage the kids outside, or you’re after something to entertain a crowd at a garden party, there’s a long list of toys and games to get everyone active in the great outdoors.
For the hottest summer days, water play is always a good option – but you don’t necessarily need oodles of space and a giant paddling pool. Water guns are great fun and use minimal water, and gel blasters – which fire water-based pellets – give you the freedom to heads to the nearest park.
Ride-on toys, meanwhile, are a great way for younger children to develop coordination, and toys that encourage catching and throwing are always a win too. Likewise, more advanced sports equipment will be a hit with older children and adults, and our shortlist includes a space-saving basketball net and an archery set you can take anywhere.
At grown-up gatherings and garden soirees, family games that can be enjoyed by all ages are a good option – and we’ve included two options that will keep all generations occupied while you’re busy with the BBQ.
Beyond the fun factor, the only real caveat when it comes to choosing outdoor toys and games is durability. Look for something that can stand up to plenty of rough and tumble as well as every sort of weather. This is the Great British summer, after all.
We let our tester loose on a whole range of outdoor toys and games and asked them to shortlist the ones that provided the most fun. We weeded out anything that was going to be a one-hit-wonder and gave extra points for products that were built to last or designed with sustainable materials. Lastly, we factored in cost versus durability to find our top outdoor toys and games.
Our top spot went to The Den Kit Comapny’s forest den kit – this carefully curated set has everything kids need to create their own shelter, and our testers were hugely proud not to need grown-ups to help. The updated Little Tikes cozy coupe was a close second for younger kids, and Jaques London’s giant tumble tower is one of those garden games that will never go out of fashion.
In need of some entertainment for rainy days too? These are the best indoor slides kids will love to glide off