Water Toys You Need this Summer

I am a blog ambassador for Lakeshore and am compensated for my work. I received product free of charge, but all thoughts and opinions are 100% mine. The sweepstakes prize is provided for the winner free of charge from Lakeshore. Don’t miss the Lakeshore Gift Card giveaway at the end of this post.

Heading outside to play? Check out these awesome water toys.

Summer really is the best season. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the kids have moved play time outside. Nothing makes me happier than backyard playing kids – having fun, making memories, and keeping their messes outside (wink). Nothing beats summertime.

One piece to the “playing outside” puzzle is having the right kind of backyard toys – and I have a special love for water toys. The open-ended, full of possibilities, won’t-get-bored-with-water toys that keep kids playing outside for hours.

But what are the best water toys?

Some water toys are total no-brainers. They are staples and must-haves in every backyard:

• Spray bottle
• Watering cans
• Sprinklers

But what about the water toys you haven’t considered yet…

My 3 favorite water toys that you might not have heard of

My goal with my kids each day is simple: keep them active, keep them playing, keep them learning. Easy peasy objectives when you have the right toys that can easily weave learning into everyday life. I get these toys from Lakeshore Learning – my absolute favorite store to get toys for my kids.

Not only are they the.best.toys but they were designed by teachers so you know your child is going to learn lots while playing with them. And learning through play is always the goal.

Here are 3 water toys you’ve got to see

Lakeshore Magnetic Fishing Set

My daughter stumbled on this fishing set at our local Lakeshore store (there are 60 stores nationwide) and immediately put them on her Christmas list. Grandma came through – and this set has been everything.

Now that the weather is warm we are taking the fish outside. The Lakeshore Magnetic Fishing Set is so versatile – and they can be used all over the backyard: the water table, the kiddie pool, even in a sensory bin.

I put them in my sensory bin, filled it with water, and added colorful plastic bowls that matched the fish.

Her goal: catch the fish on her magnetic pole and put them in the correct bowl. What an easy way to add a little math into this already hands-on, play-filled toy!

Design & Build Water Blocks

Blocks are a staple toy in my house. And we have pretty much every set available because you can’t have too many blocks. But all our blocks are indoor blocks… we needed an outdoor set.

So when I saw the Design & Build Water Blocks from Lakeshore I was smitten! Outdoor blocks that float on the water….yes, please!

My son (4.5) especially loves these blocks. They float on his water table perfectly for outdoor city building. We both love that the blocks have different shapes and a different look than other blocks he uses.

They really look like little buildings!

It’s amazing to see him testing and experimenting with balance as he puts together his city-scapes. He loves starting with the floating base plate and adding on from there. Every time he builds, it’s different!

Float & Find Alphabet Bubbles

Have a kiddo working on their ABCs? This is The Water Toy to check out. The Float & Find Alphabet Bubbles are perfect for backyard play-based learning.

The bubbles are double-sided: alphabet letters on one side and corresponding pictures on the other side. They’re great for free play OR here’s what we like to do:

In our kiddie pool, I toss in all the letters. Working as a team, my kids (ages 4.5 and 3) pull the letters out of the water in alphabetical order. They take turns – he found A, she found B, he found C, and so on.

What a simple way to bring a little alphabet learning into the backyard!

Water toys are perfect for inside play too!

Don’t forget that these same toys can come inside too when the weather turns. All three of these water toys are so much fun in the bath tub too!

Toys that we can use and love all year round? Now that’s huge!

Don’t forget to check out Lakeshore for other toys, too!

Lakeshore Learning was my first stop for teaching supplies when I was is the classroom. Now as a Mom, it’s where I get the best toys for my kids to play with – their birthday and Christmas and year long wish lists are always full of Lakeshore toys!

And I get it (and love it!). Lakeshore toys are teacher designed, kid tested, and so well made!

Looking to grab some amazing toys for your kids? Use this 25% off coupon from Lakeshore Learning! To learn more about Lakeshore, find them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube.

$50 Lakeshore eGift Card