Outdoor Play

Summer gear lives in the car and gets thrown in a wet bag. It needs to dry fast and survive the trunk.

9 practical guidesUpdated October 5, 2026

Swim goggles, beach towels, water shoes, scooters and balance bikes for pools, splash pads and the park down the street.

More to explore

More practical guidance related to outdoor play.

Keep browsing through the parts of family life that overlap with outdoor play.

School & LunchLunch boxes a five-year-old can open alone, bottles that stay shut in a backpack, and shoes that last past October. Our school-day gear guides.OutdoorsRain boots, rain suits, winter layers and scooters, chosen for wet sidewalks and muddy playgrounds rather than catalog photos.SleepNight lights, ok-to-wake clocks, sleeping bags and blackout curtains for bedtimes that need fewer steps, not more.