You can feel it in the air! The days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer. It won’t be much longer till your kids will bust out those swimsuits to take on summer.
Go ahead and get prepared with these summer toys and gear favorites for Texas families.
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1. Squirt Guns & Water Balloons
Check Costco, Amazon, or your local pool supply store for a stream machine. It will provide hours of fun in the sun and is easy to use. These squirt guns are STURDY. My son has had his for a year, and it continues to be his favorite water toy.
Ever heard of self-tying, easy-to-fill water balloons? Neither had I until researching for a pool birthday party. Bunch O Balloons fills up 100 water balloons in 60 seconds. They’re self-sealing, recyclable, and biodegradable.
2. Pool Noodles
Kroger has noodles for cheap, but these can easily be found just about anywhere. Just be careful driving home if two littles have noodles poking you from the back seat.
Pool noodles not only serve their intended purpose in the pool, but can also make for some really fun arts & crafts activities. Just search Pinterest and you’ll find all you need to know!
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3. Floats, Floaties, & Life Vests
Our favorite safety seats/baby floats are ones that provide shade for baby’s delicate skin. SwimWays and SwimSchool fabric floats come equipped with shades and a canopy for keeping the sun at bay.
I tend to stay away from plastic inflatables as they can get too hot, and the leg holes get scratchy on delicate skin. My kids had the chunkiest thighs, so the leg holes scratched quite a bit.
Puddle jumpers and life vests are essential to a safe summer. The ones you probably see the most are Stearns original puddle jumper. These coast guard-approved floaties have a minimum weight requirement of 30 pounds. Under 30, you’ll need to find something more upright so the child doesn’t get disoriented or even fall out of the jumper. Stearns offers an infant puddle jumper for those under 30 pounds, and it resembles more of a life vest.
Note: Kids tend to outgrow the puddle jumper around age three or when they start swim lessons. Kids need to use their shoulders to find a nice rotation to swim. At this stage, we switched our three year old to a SwimWays life vest. While it isn’t as buoyant as a puddle jumper, it does provide him with safety while working on treading water to keep afloat. Speedo also makes an adorable (and safe) life vest.
4. Sand Tables & Water Tables
I recommend checking out sand tables instead of sandboxes. They provide a cleaner sand experience, making it harder for bugs, critters, and ants to find their way in. Look into Kinetic beach sand. It’s a bit of a splurge depending on how many pounds you need, but it sticks together, creating more of a mess-free sand environment.
I don’t know what we would do without a water table. It provides hours of play and entertainment in a safe space. Be mindful of where the water table will go, and if you need to provide more shade, I would highly recommend splurging for an umbrella.
Also, make sure it has a drain. Our water table last summer didn’t have a drain and it was a nuisance to tip it over to drain. I really love the Step 2 Spill & Splash Seaway water table. Its diving board and little swimmer people continue to be my kids’ favorite.
5. Picnic Tables
We waited way too long to get the kids a picnic table. We found one with wide bench seats and an umbrella that didn’t break the bank. A sturdy umbrella is definitely worth the investment.
6. Wooden Play Houses
Costco, Sam’s Club, and Walmart sell wooden play houses with different designs that you build at home. For an extra charge, staff will assemble it.
McKinney/Fairview play set company Tree Frogs came highly recommended to us. We decided to purchase its smaller model, the Orangutan, with a slide, rings, rock wall, and ladder. Be prepared to spend quite a bit for these. Sets start at $1,200.
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7. Bubbles
The Frisco Public Library has a bubble machine and, of course, we had to buy our own after a “bubbly” story time. Gazillion Bubbles machine can be found on Amazon or Target. Even Five Below has it for, you guessed it, $5.
Sadly, these machines don’t last too long. One good drop and it’s pretty much toast, but it will provide hours and hours of outdoor fun!
8. Sprinklers & Gardening Tools
Target has a great selection of sprinklers and gardening tools that range from shovels, rakes, watering cans, and even bug boxes.
Check other flower and garden stores in Plano for kid-friendly garden tools, bird feeders, butterfly gardens, live ladybugs, and easy-to-grow veggie and fruit plants.
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9. Kids’ SPF Clothing & Swimwear
My go-tos for kids’ SPF clothing and swimsuits are Target & Old Navy. Both retailers have a wonderful supply of, rash guards, SPF swimsuits, and clothing that ranges from 20 – 50 SPF.
Snapper Rock and Shade Critters are a splurge but are quality-made, SPF 30+ clothing and swimwear that keeps kids’ delicate skin safe and cool in the Texas heat, on the beach, and of course, at the splash pad or poolside. I love the option of long sleeves for sun protection (blocks out 98% of UV rays and has a UPF 50 rating) while still being an adorable pattern.
