It can be so hard to separate older children from computer games and the tv screen and with Summer approaching, maybe it’s time to invest in a few outdoor toys that will tempt them outdoors! Last week I wrote a blog on ‘Affordable Outdoor Toys for Children 8 and Under‘ so today I want to focus on toys that suit children over the age of eight. Here are ten that I’m happy to recommend and which won’t burst your bank!

1. Juggling Balls – €4.50

Juggling isn’t the easiest of skills to learn but our children have lots of time with no school and this could be a good challenge.

2. Build your own Birdhouse – €15.99

This woodwork project for children will give them a sense of pride once they have built it and painted it (paints included). It’s a great way to spark an interest in birds.

3.  Flying Ring – €1.99

Cheap and cheerful, these frisbees are great fun.

4.  Make your own Butterfly Nectar Feeder – €13.95

If feeding birds isn’t your child’s thing, then maybe feeding butterflies and bees is? This Gift in a Tin has everything needed to build and paint your own Nectar Feeder.

5. Compass – €2.50

Teach your child how to navigate his/her way through forests or the countryside with a simple but effective compass.

6. Adventurer’s Headlight – €7.99

For fun in the evenings, this Adventurer’s Headlight is perfect for camping trips or cycling home in the dark. If camping and outdoor adventures are your child’s thing, I also stock really cool camping cutlery, which costs €8.99.

7. Ant World – €17.99

Learn all about the wonderful world of ants and even make a habitat to view them in, with Nick Baker’s Ant World Kit.

8. Flower Press – €7.49

Allow your child to pick some flowers and press them with this retro Flower Press.

9. Make your own Insect Home – €13.95

Build this little insect hut and watch and wait. Before you know it, it will house ladybirds, solitary bees and other bugs!

10. Kites – €7 

These kites are great as they have no poles so they pack away small and they are perfect for a windy day.

As kids get older, their interests get more refined. I know some children just need a football and others need nothing, just friends to chat with. But for those that need something else, I hope this blog has helped spark some ideas and I hope you and your older children get to have lots of fun outdoors this summer.

xx Suzie