We are trying to move and it’s not been an easy road. Everyone has had to make adjustments and it hasn’t been easy or fun. I decided that it’s time to bring some fun back into our world. Our new house will have a bigger back yard so these games will travel well with us and there’s the added benefit of keeping the kids busy at home, the community pool, or park when we have to leave the house for showings. We are getting our game face on, bringing fun back to the house, and finding some great outdoor games to play.
I love shopping for these types of items on Oriental Trading.com. The kids and I sit down at the computer and windows start opening. We vote on what we like and read all the reviews. It’s a good thing that I establish a budget before the shopping because everyone in the family finds something that they would like from games and crafts to party planning – after all we have THREE birthdays during the summer. These games we have selected to bring fun back to the summer are perfect not only for the family but for those birthday parties too!
Great Outdoor Games
Summer Fun Ladder Ball Game: The girls and I first played this while Mr. MoneySavingParent (AKA GreatBeerNow) was doing a tour and tasting at Galveston Island Brewing. We had such a good time with them we thought they would be fun to have at home.
Magnetic Travel Games: Classic games in a magnetic travel case. They can play it in the car, on an airplane or sitting in the park while we wait for the showing to be done. I’m thinking it’s also a great stocking stuffer, so may have to just keep this one in mind for Christmas instead of getting it now.
Inflatable Shark Bean Bag Toss Game: It’s always fun when we have toys to share at the community pool as well as ones to play with our friends in the backyard pool. This one was a big hit with the kids while we were shopping the game section of Oriental Trading. It can float in the pool then throw the bean bags in. They will drop to the pool bottom so you can add diving for them to the fun. We thought we may also add some small inflatable balls to play with it too in case someone gets tired of picking them up from the pool floor.
Outdoor Snakes and Ladders: This one is so adorable. Place it by the pool or on the grass and we are park and pool ready. It would even work at some of our favorite patio restaurants because it’s stationery and other kids may join in the play.
Inflatable Limbo Kit: My youngest loves this one. I think it’s because she is the one who always wins. We had the wooden one but she likes this one because it looks more “fun” and less “grown up” as well as it’s easier to put away, just let the air out. I admit we have lost some of the pieces to the real one because there are a lot of them. We won’t have that problem with this one.
Carnival Bottle Ring Toss: Easy to play, easy to clean up and we are on our way. Everyone has to take turns and there is a good-natured competition. We are even thinking it could be great to have teams and compete against each other or friends when they come to visit.
Best of all these toys are transportable so we can take the fun with us as well as easily stored in the wicker toy box by the pool. Easy clean up means if we do get that all-important showing call we can clean and be ready to go.
These games will up our summer fun factor immensely and just because we can’t go to the movies (7 minutes after I bought the tickets we got a showing request which means gotta go, see ya later, get the house ready and grab the dog) or really make many plans because of the interruptions of showings and the preparation to move doesn’t mean we can’t have fun in our own backyard – both the new one and the old one. Let’s enjoy it while we can. Summer will be over soon!
*Images were used by permission of Oriental Trading. All thoughts and opinions are my own and my children’s.
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