Toys for balcony or VERY small outdoor space?

Question

I'm separating from my husband and our children will go from having a big garden with all outdoor toys I can imagine to living with me in an apartment with a balcony or a small outdoor space that's slightly larger than a balcony. What toys should I bring/get? My boys are 18 months and 3 years old. I'm thinking I'll bring our water table if I get a downstairs apartment, but you can't really do water play if I get a balcony with a neighbour below. Help?

Answer

I would personally not let my son play on balcony alone. But I have like open balcony. Do you have one with full top down wall/windows? I wouldn't buy special balcoly toys, they can play witht he same they play inside.

Answer

Sensory bin table if you’re downstairs. A water table can double this way. Rice, pasta, sand, small pebbles, etc. rotate out the materials and sifting/dumping/scooping toys to keep them interested.
Drawing a blank for upstairs except for blowing bubbles and definitely supervised so they don’t try to chase them over the balcony rail!
You don’t want stuff to fall over or through the balcony though of course. Some apartments allow you to put up a screen as long as it can be easily removed when you leave without damaging anything. If you could put up a thick/sturdy screen to enclose the entire balcony, then you could let them play with balls.
Oh! You could by some Blick washable tempera paint and let them paint the sliding glass with a drop cloth down to protect the concrete. It comes off easily from glass with a bit of dawn and water.
Does the complex have a playground or is one nearby? I wouldn’t take them to whatever green space is at the complex as it’s probably where all the dog owners take their pets to poop and pee!

Answer

Definitely just take them to the park every night. As for your balcony, make it kid friendly as you possibly can. When I get into my apartment I’ll be setting up the deck for my 18 month old and she’s going from a big yard and pool to a little balcony, I’ll just be putting chalk out and paint and paper and crayons.

Answer

Go old school with colour pencils/crayons and paper for the 3 year old.

Answer

We have a small courtyard and my son loves playing with his trucks out there and if it’s hot we put a paddling pool out there which he also loves but mostly he just goes out there to help water the plants. We do the majority of our outdoor play at a park down the road so take his outdoor ‘toys’ (ie his scooter, soccer ball, etc) there.
I think if you had a balcony rather than a courtyard I probably wouldn’t really let them play out there- I’d just open the doors for fresh air or take them out for specific things like watering plants.

Toys for balcony or VERY small outdoor space?

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