When you get bored with the playground equipment at the park, what do you play with?
In this article, we introduce tools and toys that make playing at the park even more fun!
From easy-to-find, kid-favorite toys like jump ropes and bubbles to items suited for larger parks and adults, such as RC cars and flying balls, there’s a wide variety to choose from.
Try finding something you and the people you’re going to the park with will enjoy together.
Please note that some items may be prohibited depending on the park, so we recommend checking the rules in advance.
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Play equipment that makes the park more fun. Popular outdoor toys (1–10)
Outdoor Badminton
When you go to a park, many of you probably enjoy playing badminton.
It’s nice that it doesn’t use a ball, so it doesn’t hurt even if you get hit.
However, traditional badminton has the drawback that you can’t really play on windy days.
That’s why I’d like to introduce outdoor badminton.
This is a modified version designed for playing outside, and the shuttle flies straight even in the wind.
It also travels farther, making it easier for beginners to keep a rally going.
Suction Cup Catch
When you think of catch, it’s one of the classic games played between parents and children—though of course it’s not limited to them.
This version is a suction-cup catch game that you can easily play without a mitt or glove.
You throw a ball covered in many suction cups at a round, disc-shaped paddle with a handle, and catch it by sticking it on.
Throwing games might seem simple, but they’re actually challenging, deep, and really fun.
It seems some 100-yen shops carry this item, so try looking for it.
radio-controlled (RC) / remote-controlled
Its official name is “radio-controlled car,” and “R/C” (rajikon) means wireless control.
Many people probably admired them as children.
They’re fun to assemble and fun to operate—twice the enjoyment in one toy.
There are reasonably priced options, so it would be great for parents and siblings to build them and race in the park.
Faster-learning kids can probably start building and operating them around the middle grades of elementary school.
Please note that some parks prohibit them.
water gun
In Japan, water pistols are said to have originated in the Edo period, when Tokugawa Yoshimune established firefighting brigades and people imitated their pumps.
They’re quite a toy with a long history.
Back in the Showa era, gun-shaped models were mainstream, but they’ve evolved in many ways: ones with water tanks that can spray for a long time, cute shapes, and more.
It’s great fun to splash around with friends, but please be very careful not to spray any strangers passing by, even by mistake.
Flying ball
A flying ball that floats and zooms through the air like a spherical drone.
Turn it on and give it a light shake, and the propeller inside the ball starts spinning.
If you keep the “UP” mark facing upward, it hovers in place; throw it downward at a slight angle and it flies forward; throw it upward at a slight angle and it boomerangs back—it’s a fun toy.
It seems much more enjoyable outdoors than indoors, so try it in a wide-open area at the park.
By the way, it lights up with LEDs in the dark, and you can charge it via USB.
kick scooter
Electric kick scooters are often a hot topic among adults, but they’re also a long-time favorite among kids.
There are various sizes to suit your child’s age, and many models come in colorful, cute designs.
You steer by holding the T-shaped handlebar, place one foot on the board with wheels at the front and back, and push off the ground with the other foot to move forward.
It’s thrilling and fun to feel the wind when you pick up speed, but it’s important to be careful to avoid falling or colliding with others.
sandbox set
I don’t know why, but sandboxes are so much fun, aren’t they? From construction play like making tunnels and castles to pretend play using sand molds, sandboxes spark children’s imagination and are one of those magical places you’ll want to visit now and then.
When you go to the sandbox, a sandbox set is essential.
With a bucket, shovel, sand molds, a watering can, and more all in one set, you can do most kinds of play with just this.
There are all sorts—from simple to deluxe—so choose the set that best fits your child’s needs.