The Best Outdoor Summer Toys

Summer birthdays are awesome because there are so many great toys out there that can maximize our fun in the great outdoors. Here is our list of the Best Outdoor Summer Toys—perfect for your next birthday party, pool party or cottage visit.

Equally as appealing for girls (despite what the packaging says), this fun pack of dominoes, juggling balls, glider plane, wooden balloon boat and more will keep them occupied—though we can't guarantee it'll keep them out of trouble.

Sometimes it can be good to be as thick as a brick. Case in point—a set of these sand building aids that can be used for building castles, carrying water or collecting seashells.

Hats off to the hardest working toy around: glides like a plane, flies like a kite, does tricks like a yo-yo and can soar through the air like a flying disc. Somehow it manages to do it all (and we know exactly how it feels some days…).

Catch, release, spray—sounds fun, doesn't it? Older kids will literally have a ball, and a blast, with this lacrosse-inspired set of net sticks that, when played with in the pool or lake, also become water blasters.

PETA and Mother Nature would probably give a passing grade to this fun-looking bug viewer that does indeed suck up small ants. It keeps them safely contained in a removable viewing component so they can be re-released to annoy happy picnickers everywhere.

This is a much safer nighttime sky gazing experience than setting off fireworks, but beware of the screech! Pump up these balloons, charge them with UV light and let them come screaming down.

Never underestimate a child's desire to be a bit bold with his or her creative expression. This bright sidewalk chalk makes anything they draw a real statement piece (until it rains or is rubbed off, of course).

For hoop-shooters everywhere, add a touch of NBA magic and intensity with a shot clock that counts down the time—creating urgency with every attempt at a basket.

We love the hazy days of summer. But we could do without the constant disagreement over who won/who tagged who. This set eliminates any guessing as to who got who. The velcro balls tell the real story. It may not make outdoor play quieter, but it should make it more peaceful.

They'll quickly get the hang of these super-simplified long-range walkie-talkies, designed for young kids (and celebrating the recent Monsters University movie release). The glowing LED light helps indicate when the kids have forgotten to turn them off after playing—which we can guarantee will be almost every time.

This is a great gift for any backyard that welcomes babies, toddlers and preschoolers (we've even witnessed slightly older kids being drawn to it too). The sink pumps out real water while the mixer allows them to churn up sand, leaves, flowers and whatever else they can get their hands on. (We suggest you keep your cell phone and designer sunglasses out of harm's way.)

Even if camping or glamping isn't their thing, any child who eventually succumbs to a dark space at the end of the day—whether it be a tent, cabin bunk bed or their regular room—will enjoy being the owner of this LED camping light that will make them feel like an authentic adventurer.

Plastic flying discs can be fun, but for some added excitement, pick up this 30-inch flying hoop that easily glides through the air. Its large size and fabric construction make it more fun to catch and it is guaranteed to get lots of use this summer by kids and adults alike.