Our Five Ring Circus: The Top Five Indoor "Playground" Toys for Kids {Friday Favorites}

Friday, March 10, 2017

The Top Five Indoor "Playground" Toys for Kids {Friday Favorites}

Happy Friday!


I don't know how the weather is where you live, but I'm fairly certain Mother Nature is drunk! We had an unusually mild winter this year. It didn't get very cold and we didn't get much snow. Honestly, it has felt like Spring for the past month. Last night (or tonight since I haven't gone to bed yet), Lily and I left her dance studio without coats, and it felt warm! Two hours later, there was an inch of snow on the ground! WHAT?!?

I guess winter is having its last hurrah because the forecast calls for cold, wintry weather over the next week. That pretty much means I'll be locked indoors with four wild animals for a week. And considering Liam doesn't go back to school until Wednesday, it's going to be a rough one! Cue this mom going stir crazy in 3...2...1.

If I'm going to survive, I'm going to need some backup! Over the past year, we've accumulated a great collection of indoor "playground" equipment, and those items quickly became favorites. After last year, I knew we needed something for cold, snowy and rainy days. Joke was on me since we were able to spend most of winter outdoors! But I have a feeling we're going to be using our indoor playground a lot over the next week!


The Top Five Indoor Playground Toys

Little Tikes Foldable Slide


The Little Tikes Foldable Slide was actually a birthday present for Liam last year. We wanted something that we could store easily, but bring into the house during inclement weather so Liam's gross motor skills would stay strong. It turned out that Lily loved it just as much! (Mom Tip: Wait to buy until the middle of Summer. It's half the price then!)

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In case you were wondering, it does fold flat easily!

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Imaginarium Bouncy Horse


The Imaginarium Bouncy Horse was a great physical therapy tool for Liam. Even though it has been a long time since he mastered using it, he and Lily still love it! It's small enough to tuck away out of sight and the kids love bouncing through the house on it on rainy/snowy days!

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Nerf Basketball Hoop


Liam's former physical therapist recommended getting a basketball hoop for Liam when he was just learning how to stand to encourage reaching and strengthening his arms. The baby ones were too small and the plastic toddler-sized ones were too tall. We had to get creative!

I discovered that an inexpensive Nerf Basketball Hoop was perfect for him! Because it is meant to be used indoors and outdoors by hanging it on a door or a wall, it can be easily moved, AND we can control the height. Right now, placing it on the back of one of our tall chairs is the perfect size for him!

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Even better? It comes with a ball that's perfectly sized for little hands and it folds completely flat. When Liam's done playing, I just fold it flat and slip it under our couch!

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Eocusun Folding Tent, Tunnel and Ball Pit


The Eocusun Folding Tent, Tunnel and Ball Pit is truly one of my kids' favorite toys! It can be used indoors or outdoors and it folds completely flat. It's durable and very inexpensive, too!

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The three pieces can be connected together for a full playground or separated for individual play.

Eocusun Folding Tent, Tunnel and Ball Pit

Almost every day, Liam or Lily asks to play with this, and since it sets up in about a minute, I always oblige!

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When they are done playing, it easily folds up and is completely flat for storage. I actually keep the pieces behind my couch! They are completely out of sight but easily accessible!

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As for the ball pit balls, I just keep them in the original bag and store them under Liam's crib.

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Giant Inflatable Ball


When all else fails, I pull out the show stopper! The Giant Inflatable Ball is technically an awesome outdoor toy, but last year I grew desperate. After a particularly long bad weather streak, I inflated this bad boy indoors!

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My kids were amazed and it kept them entertained for days. Yes, we had a giant ball in our family room for a week, but since it takes F-O-R-E-V-E-R to inflate and deflate, I was perfectly okay with that!

Thanks to confused Mother Nature, my living room is going to look like this for the next 7 days. Thankfully, setting it up and tearing it down takes just a few minutes. Anything that keeps my kids busy makes my favorites list. And if my kids are busy and content, then I'm one happy mama! 


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How do you keep your kids active and busy during winter or rainy weather?

Let's Connect!

 

16 comments:

  1. Girl, you are awesome! I love all the fun you guys have. We have a bunch of ball pit balls and I have been putting them in the bathtub for the kids to play in while I get ready. Thankfully Emmy hasn't turend the water on with them in there yet. Ha ha!

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    1. Haha! We put ours in the kiddie pool and the water table in the Summer. The bathtub is a fun idea, but Liam tosses them out and now that he can turn on the water, that game is over!

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  2. I love that you have all that stuff inside! Our house isn't very big so I don't think that tent/ball pit would work but I know my kids would love it!

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    1. Our house isn't that big, either! It definitely takes up the entire middle of the living room when it's open, but thankfully, I can collapse it when they are done!

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  3. Yes to ALL the indoor toys and LOLs about Mother Nature being drunk... WORD. It's been the craziest, weirdest winter EVER. Cheers to spring being around the corner (unless it's drinking too, eeeks!)

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    1. It really has been the strangest winter! I hope Spring isn't drunk! Haha!

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  4. OH my goodness I love how everything folds flat. I need to get my kids that big inflatable ball, so fun! We have a slide in our bedroom for the kids, and it's still going strong, I think they play on it every night after bath time. We definitely got our money's worth from that! Happy weekend!

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  5. That tent, tunnel and ball pit looks amazing! My kids would go crazy over that! I can't believe it folds up so compact!

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  6. Great ideas! I literally just got rid of all of our big indoor toys like this, but I kept this one indoor climbing thing!

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  7. I have seen those bouncing inflatables everywhere and they seem so cool. I now want one for my girls. We have a ball pit and the girls LOVE it. These are great toy ideas!

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  8. You are the second person to refer to Mother Nature as drunk recently and it is cracking me up. Ummmm.... we're coming to your house to play. It looks like so much fun!

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  9. Your kids must have so much fun on all of those toys!!! Love it!!

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  10. My niece has that bouncy horse and she loves it! These other toys look so fun too! The weather has been nuts here as well - in the 70s for a few weeks and now snowy and cold!! Yuck! Stay warm! :)

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  11. I need to get some of these! My toddler would love them.
    We've been doing art projects to keep busy on rainy days, but being able to expend energy would be helpful!

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  12. Love these! We have the slide and a bouncy rhino that's like the horse. I've been afraid of having a ball pit...I feel like I'd be forever picking up balls. Is the cleanup very time consuming?

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