Trend-Spotting: These Outdoor Toys and Games Will Kickstart Physical Play

May 8, 2018 | The weather is finally warming up in many parts of the country and that means kids are ready to break out of the long winter slump and head for some serious playtime outside.

“From active games that gets kids up and moving to creative play offering hours of fun outside, classic outdoor play is being reimagined by toymakers for a new generation of kids,” said Adrienne Appell, The Toy Association’s trend specialist.

The NPD Group’s Outdoor & Sports Toys super category grew 1 percent in 2017 – that is on top of the 9 percent growth seen in 2016.

“In addition, the larger health and wellness trend across many consumer categories is contributing to physical toys’ continued appeal, especially as millennial parents look to enrich their kids’ playtime with more traditional play vs. screen time,” Appell said.

According to The Genius of Play, The Toy Association’s initiative to raise awareness about the benefits of play, active play is critical for kids’ physical development. It helps children hone their coordination, balance, gross-motor skills (large movements like crawling and walking), and fine-motor skills (smaller movements like picking objects up).

Plus, physical play helps children use up their natural stores of energy and promotes better eating and sleeping habits. 

Here’s a selection of 2018’s newest outdoor toys and games from Toy Association members:

Kids will have a good time this summer with the new Wet N’ Wild Mega Melon Sprinkler Ball by Prime Time Toys (4+). Standing three feet tall, this giant melon ball of fun spouts water from four different fountains.

Tangle Creations’ NightBall Inflated Football (6+), is a unique, battery-operated light-up football with sculpted grips and super bright LEDs that illuminate the ball from within so kids can throw, pass, and catch well after the sun goes down. The line also includes: Tangle Night Basketball, Tangle Night Disk, Tangle Nightball Softball, Tangle Night Bat and Baseball, Soccer, and Racket set.

Kids can spin, swing, and soar into spring with PlayMonster’s Super Spinner Swing (3+),  a contemporary upgrade on outdoor swinging. The round curved seat, adjustable double-braided ropes, and weather-resistant clips are designed for a safer, more comfortable ride. Super Spinner is designed so kids can swing and spin from a tree, a play set, or a secure structural beam.

Imperial Toys’ Lick-A-Bubble (5+) is a new bubble solution that allows kids to add in favorite beverages to create flavored bubbles they can taste. Simply pour any beverage into the bottle, mix, then blow and lick tasty bubbles! Invented by a pediatrician and allergist/immunologist, Lick-A-Bubble is 100 percent safe and doctor-approved.

RoseArt’s (a division of Mattel) Outdoor Fun 5-in-1 Chalk Games set (3+) encourages outside play with friends and family. The multi-game pack comes with three chalk sticks, three chalk toss bags, tossing platform, target rings, and knockdown targets.

Get ready to have tons of fun in the sun with the NextWave Jumbo Beach Basket (2+) by Amloid. This bright and colorful activity set is packed with play value with all the accessories kids need to spend hours at the beach or in the sand box with a collection of multifunctional tools. The 15-piece set comes with assorted sea creatures and nautical forms, bucket with handle, castle molds, rake, roller, sand spinner, sifter and shovels in a variety of sizes and is available in three styles: Flamingo (pink), Whale (purple), and Shark (teal). 

For more information about the hottest toy trends of 2018, visit www.ToyAssociation.org/Trends.