It's not secret that I love nature play at home and in the world. Nature play has so many benefits for children and adults. While nature itself provides so many amazing materials to play with - hello water, flower petals, and pinecones to name a few - it is fun to have a few materials to enhance the play. These toys have broad appeal for lots of ages.
I will say that many of these things have been thrifted so always try your thrift store for unique outdoor accessories. Unlike many other areas of our life the toys found in our nature play area, are almost exclusively made from plastic or metal. We skip glass and wood materials that are more likely to break or not withstand the elements.
If things get dirty, I just set up a little cleaning station play with soapy water and some scrub brushes. That invites the children right in and everything is cleaned up in no time.
The Best Montessori Friendly Nature Play Toys for Outside
There are so many wonderful choices when it comes to nature play. The kinds of play that you want to support, the ages of your children, and your unique space will all influence the types of toys that you choose to add to your nature play area.
Buckets and Bowls
The biggest nature play area toy essential in our house is buckets and bowls. These are used for everything from transferring and hauling, to pretend play, and potion making. Kids get so creative and think of so many unique ways to use these play materials. Our favorites include:
- Metal bowls (variety of sizes): these are all thrifted, just large cheap salad bowls. Some are small and some are really large.
- Small Buckets: I'm actually serious, I'm convinced these are the most perfect bucket that has ever been made. They are so tough, the perfect size, stack nicely, the handle is strong. Total perfection.
- Large Bucket: Again, so sturdy and strong. Less popular with my kids but a great size for something bigger.
- Shallow Rainbow Plates: ours were thrifted but these are similar. These can be bowls, plates, color sorting work, all sorts of things.
Small Containers and Cups
The small accessories sometimes make the play more than even the bigger role in the play then the bigger accessories. Our small containers include:
- Potion Jars: Ours were from Target dollar spot, but these are similar. These are especially fun with some colored water.
- Condiment Cups: We have ones from the dollar store, but these are the same.
- Squeeze Bottles: These have been the unexpected hit of the summer here! Used for everything and everyones favorite water fight toy
Tools and Scoops
The right tool makes all the difference in having fun with nature play. Digging a hole, moving water, scooping rocks or sand - there's so much more fun with the right tools. We love:
- Droppers: These are a huge hit, our set is Target but these are similar.
- Large Scoop: My kids are obsessed, and these are so perfect. They love this large size, and I love the quality.
- Small Shovel: sometimes a smaller shovel does the job better, and I love that is so strong it doesnt break with real digging.
- Long Handle Shovel: just a fun variation
- Slotted Spoons: thrifted fun for scooping out of water
- Sand sifter: I wish we had this one, ours is just a dollar store find
- Colander: another thrifted find, but so much fun
Pretend Play
There are so many fun pretend play toys to add to a nature play area. This is super dependent on your children's interests. For us, construction and vehicles rule the day. But some other fun can definitely be added. We have included:
- Ice Cream Set: so much fun for summer days
- CAT Construction Vehicles: we have several of these and they are well loved
- Large Dump Truck: a classic and perfect for maximum effort work
- Large Excavator: another classic for digging and moving all the things
- Wheelbarrow: popular for everyone
- Cones: block off a work area, create a game, flip them for bowls - these are surprisingly popular
What should we add next?!
