3 Fun Outdoor Activities for Toddlers

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Summer is on it’s way and as we’ve done the past 2 summers I expect lots of outdoor time with the girls. To break from routine of the same outdoor activities I took inspiration from a unique source for new ideas – Smucker’s Ice Cream Toppings! Yep the different tastes and varieties of Smucker’s inspired 3 fun and affordable outdoor activities we can do in our own backyard!

First up was the water table, a backyard must have for anyone with a toddler. Fill it with water, give them some buckets and they can play for hours. But in thinking about Smucker’s Strawberry Spoonable Ice Cream Topping, I had an idea! We hadn’t done colored ice since her 2nd birthday party and we were way overdue.

When a hot day was expected, I prepped the night before by adding a few drops of red food coloring in a bucket, mixed it up and froze it in some cheap ice trays.

The next day the water table was set, bathing suit was on and the red/pink ice came out to play!

I encouraged her to use scoops to lift out each piece and watched her have fun making colored water, ice stacks and “red soup” with her colored ice.

Hailey meanwhile had a blast splashing around in the water. It was her first time in a bathing suit!

Activity #2 included the same water table but instead of water we used rocks! One early evening after dinner Brielle and her dad had fun stacking rocks up and lining them up around the edge of the table. Being outdoors is better together!

Much like Smucker’s Walnuts in Syrup, a delicious spoonable ice cream topping, they also enjoyed scooping them in buckets, spoons and cups.

The last outdoor activity we tried during this week of outdoor fun was sandbox play. Up until now Brielle had only sifted and scooped the fine, dry sand we have in our sandbox. She had yet to explore the different textures that happen when you add water to this play zone.

I brought over the hose, filled up a big bucket and let her mix and match the dry and wet ingredients, an idea inspired by Smucker’s Sundae Syrup Caramel Flavored Syrup.

She had a blast splashing around in the bucket, pouring water in her sandbox with her watering can and just playing. I hope this makes her more prepared for the beach this year since last year she wasn’t into the whole wet sand feeling!

Outdoor summer fun wouldn’t be complete without a “special treat,” as they’re called in our house. When it comes to affordable items for summer fun, like an ice cream sundae, I turn to one place: Walmart.

They carry the new clear packages of Blue Bunny® ice cream and a big assortment of the Smucker’s Ice Cream Toppings. Ya know, because ice cream and toppings are better together, just like your family is better together!

Now that we have these items stocked in our freezer/cabinet we can treat ourselves with an affordable option that doesn’t require a trip to the ice cream shoppe.