12 ideas from the big toys & outdoor area of The Toy Shop. Nothing is sold here — pick anything up and it opens a pre-filled search at the retailer.
The ground floor of the tower is the loading bay, where the toys too big for a bench wait beside the sleigh: a kick scooter, a wooden sled, a balance bike and a boxed outdoor play set. Outdoor toys for kids are the presents that get a child out of the house, and parents tend to welcome them for that reason.
These are the gifts where fit matters. A scooter or a balance bike that is too big is frustrating, and one that is too small is outgrown within a season, so ask a parent about the child's height before choosing, or choose something adjustable. A helmet belongs with anything a child rides.
Think about the home and the weather as well. A sled is a winter gift for a place that actually gets snow, and a backyard play set needs a backyard. A kite needs only an open space and some wind, which makes it the easy one to get right.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Nothing is sold here — every pick opens a pre-filled search at the retailer, where the real listings, prices and stock live. How this works.
Kick Scooter
A kick scooter is an outdoor toy a child can use on an ordinary walk to school or the park, which is why it gets used. The one in the loading bay is a two-wheeled scooter with a T-bar handle and rubber grips. Two wheels suit a child with good balance; three-wheeled scooters are steadier for a young child starting out. An adjustable handlebar lets the scooter grow with its rider. Give a helmet with it if the family does not have one. The ride-on car listed here is a toy for a much younger child, and better suited to a yard than a street.
Sled
A sled is a gift with a short season and a long memory. It only makes sense for a family that gets snow, so check before choosing. The one in the loading bay is a slatted wooden toboggan with steel runners and a towing rope. A wooden sled with runners is the heirloom kind; a light plastic one is easier for a small child to drag back up the hill. Either way, the person who gives a sled is usually the person expected to come out and pull it. The kite listed here suits the same child in the warmer half of the year.
Balance Bike
A balance bike has no pedals, and that is the whole idea: a small child scoots along with their feet and learns to balance first. Many children then move to a pedal bike without ever needing training wheels. The one in the loading bay is a wooden bike with a birch frame and a padded saddle. Fit is the thing to get right. The child should be able to sit with both feet flat on the ground, so ask a parent for an inside-leg measurement rather than an age, and look for a saddle that adjusts. A helmet belongs with it.
Outdoor Play Set
An outdoor play set can mean anything from a box of lawn games to a climbing frame, so look closely at what a listing actually is. The one in the loading bay is the boxed kind, holding ring-toss pegs, a bat and ball and a folded net. That sort of set is a gift for a whole family rather than one child, and it suits a household with outdoor space and children of different ages who can play together. Look for one whose pieces pack back into their box or bag, because loose garden games scatter and go missing over a summer.
Other areas in this room
More rooms
- The Essentials
- Last Minute Gifts
- The Man Cave
- Her Studio
- The Kitchen
- The Garage
- Her Closet
- His Closet
- The Board Room
- The Christmas Cabin
- The Christmas Market
- Shop by person
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Nothing is sold here — every pick opens a pre-filled search at the retailer, where the real listings, prices and stock live. How this works.