11 outdoor art toys that will keep your little one creatively entertained this summer

A magical garden accessory, made more special because your child helped create it! Mix up the concrete and cast a mold that can be decorated with the included stained glass pieces. The kit contains everything you need to make a creative garden stone along with letter stamps to write their name. Display your colorful creations in a flower bed, at the base of a tree, in a container or even indoors.

Painting on rocks is a great way to combine nature and art! Spend the first part of this outdoor activity finding a few rocks that would make a smooth canvas, and the second half creating your own mini masterpiece. Hardy’s book is packed with easy-to-follow directions and project ideas (just look at that cute penguin!) Also, rocks make perfect paper weights, i.e., an easy gift for kids to make for loved ones. Win, win!

Finger painting is a toddler rite of passage, and it’s even better when you can do this activity outdoors! We love the Crayola finger paints, which not only wash right off of hands (and most fabrics!) without staining, but still offer nice bold hues.

This inflatable art easel will be a hit in the backyard this summer! This complete art set includes everything you need to paint masterpieces: four paints (1 oz. each), four shaped sponges, and a paintbrush. Skip the paper, as your kids can paint directly onto the canvas, which can be washed with a garden hose so it will be ready for the next project!

Summer isn’t complete without a good tie dye session. We love this kit because while it doesn’t absolve you of supervising, it does make the process a whole lot simpler and a lot less messy. Just add water to each of the pre-measured and filled bottles and dribble directly onto dry fabric. The results are just as stunning as the old fashioned way and with these subdued pastels, they somehow look even more profesh.

This award-winning art kit takes sidewalk chalk to the next level with kindness by including everything you need to brighten up drab sidewalks with original art for others to enjoy. Using stencils with inspiring phrases, your kiddo will be making the day of everyone who walks by. This kindness kit contains: 6 packs of washable chalk paint in 3 colors, 3 paint cups, 7 re-usable high quality drawing stencils, paint brush, stirring sticks and a Renegade mask to conceal your true identity.

Build and decorate your own one-of-a-kind bird feeder! While your little one may need some help with the assembly, let their creative heart run wild with the included paints as they decorate. Once the paint is dry, hang the bird feeder outdoors and use the included guidebook to learn what seeds you can use to attract different birds. This birdhouse kit includes 6 wood bird feeder pieces, twine for hanging, craft glue, 13 paint colors, 3 paintbrushes and instructions.

Here’s a great toy that you can use both indoors and out. The Doodle Drawing Water Magic Mat is made of eco-friendly and high quality non-woven fabric, and big enough for friends to join in the fun. Kids will “paint” with a magic pen filled with clean water, and drawings magically disappear in 5-10 minutes, making it ready to doodle again! This is a great toy to bring along if you are going on a picnic or need to keep your child occupied while you’re outside. Love that it comes with stencils, too!

Don’t get us wrong. We definitely love us some sparkle. But when it comes to indoor glitter projects, we have…feelings. One spill and you’re finding that devil dust in places you never could have imagined for years. But outside? Go wild, kids! This ultra-fun sidewalk chalk from Crayola adds a touch of shimmer to all their sidewalk masterpieces. And the best part–what happens outside, stays outside.

Sidewalk chalk is fun, but it’s not the only medium in sidewalk art! These washable sidewalk paints from Crayola let them experiment with color mixing and application on all kinds of outdoor surfaces. The kit comes with three bright neon shades along with a reusable tray for mixing, a paintbrush, roller and three matching chalk sticks.

While my kids always seemed to take great pleasure in writing the word “poop” seventy times across the sidewalk and driveway, it’s not always the artful look you’re going for. Encourage their creativity and give them a jumpstart on their composition with this cool kit. It comes with six pieces of chalk and a 22.5″ fold-out stencil to create intricate sweets-inspired patterns.