Google Search Data Reveals the Outdoor Toys Trending this Summer

Summer is almost upon us, and as we enter the warmer months, the time for outdoor play is here. Outdoor play has various positive factors, including emotional well-being benefits, vitamin D exposure and sensory stimulation. Playing outdoors can also enhance social skills, leading to better communication, cooperation and problem-solving.

However, it can be difficult for parents to understand which outdoor toys to invest in. Every year, new products are released, confusing parents even more!

That’s why we at The Entertainer have turned to Google search data to find out which types of outdoor toys are trending most this year. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at this year’s most trendy outdoor toys – according to search results!

The Trending Outdoor Toys of 2024

As the weather begins to heat up, it offers the perfect opportunity to explore the outdoors with all the family. Whether that simply means in the garden or beyond, children will need some playthings to ensure they remain entertained and stimulated throughout the day.

With the help of Google search data, we’ve examined the top 20 trendiest outdoor toys for 2024. We’ve also inspected the 20 products at the opposite end of the scale to highlight the items that aren’t trending this year.

1. Seesaw

In first place, ranking as 2024’s most trendy outdoor toy is the seesaw. Currently, seesaws are receiving 339,000 average monthly searches and have seen a 68% increase over the past year. Our research also revealed that the peak search month for this product is April, meaning these toys are extremely ‘in’, as of now.

2. Gardening tools for kids

Secondly, gardening tools for kids is another popular search term as parents look for outdoor toys and tools for their children. In the past month, this term has grown by 167%, highlighting the change in season and temperature. Additionally, searches for gardening tools for kids have increased by 45% in the past year as the tools continue to grow as a popular option for parents.

3. Zipline kit

Moving on, the third outdoor product trending the most this year is zipline kits. These kits can provide all the fun of a normal zipline – but without the need to travel to a park. This year, searches for these products have increased by 28%, with the peak months for zipline kits being April to June (as well as December), meaning these products are currently in season.

4. Rugby Ball

For the fourth trendiest outdoor toy, our data revealed searches for rugby balls have increased by 23% over the past year. While the peak month for these searches might be October, there’s no denying that this time of year is perfect for ball games! Rugby balls receive an average of 49,000 searches every month.

5. Tennis rackets and balls

Sticking with sports, the fifth most popular outdoor toy trending online was tennis rackets and balls. These items have seen a 19% increase over the past year and typically peak during summer. It seems people are excited for the sun already though, as the term has an average of 131,000 searches. There’s a huge range of different tennis products for children to indulge in, including the ELC’s Tennis Zoomer.

6. Foam gliders

2024’s sixth trendiest toy is foam gliders, a fun foam plane that glides through the air. This year, searches for this product have surged by 19% and have grown slightly (6%) over the last month. Foam gliders have remained a popular toy choice for years and currently average 12,000 monthly searches. As the weather picks up, why not purchase a glider and test your children’s flying abilities?

7. Fishing rod for kids

In seventh place, fishing rods for kids have proved quite popular this year, with an average of 46,000 search results each month. The term has also grown by 18% over the past year, with parents eager to introduce their children to the natural world around them. The peak seasons for this outdoor product are June to August, but we’re already seeing searches increase by 12% over the last month.

8. Cricket set

Next, the eighth most trending outdoor toy this year has been cricket sets, with searches for the product seeing a 17% increase compared to last year. Cricket sets are a great way of keeping active and provide hours of entertainment for all players involved, these sets have an average of 14,000 monthly searches on Google and peak in December.

9. Basketball

Ball games have remained quite popular this year with basketball ranking as the ninth-most trendy outdoor toy for 2024. Basketballs have seen a 12% growth this year and average 49 million monthly searches – interestingly searches for these items have more than doubled (58%) in the last quarter, however, this could be saturated slightly by the NBA.

10. Volleyball

Our research revealed volleyball as the tenth trendiest outdoor toy with a 12% increase in searches compared to 2023. On average, volleyball sees 7.5 million searches each month and peaks in Autumn (September and October), but with the warmer weather on the way, it’s no surprise to see interest in these ball games rise once more.

11. Kite

Kites are wonderfully entertaining products, perfect for a day out on the beach. This year, they rank as the eleventh most trendy outdoor toy with a 9% increase on 2023’s data. Intriguingly, searches have seen a 7% rise over the past month, as the warmer seasons start to roll in.

12. Mini trampoline

With gardens set to become a lot more active as we enter Spring and Summer, it was encouraging to see mini trampolines rank as the twelfth most popular outdoor toy. Searches for these products have increased by 3% in the last month and by 8% since 2023, these items peak in April meaning it’s a great time to invest in a mini trampoline.

13. Trampoline

Additionally, aside from mini trampolines, normal-sized versions of these products also remain popular this year with searches rising by 7%. Much like mini trampolines, the bigger versions are also in season, peaking between April and May. Overall, trampolines receive an average of 1.7 million monthly searches.

14. Climbing dome

Next, in fourteenth place, climbing domes ranked as one of 2024’s trendiest outdoor toy products. This was due to a 6% increase in searches over the last year, with monthly searches on Google averaging 4,000. Climbing domes are in season right now, peaking in April and May – they’re a great addition to any garden and promote active play among young children.

15. Toy bucket

Beach season is just around the corner, and so it was great to see toy buckets rank as a popular outdoor toy – rising 6% since 2023. These products only average around 2,000 monthly searches, but with the weather heating up, we wouldn’t be too shocked if toy buckets grew even more in popularity.

16. Tetherball

Moving on, our data found that the sixteenth most trendy outdoor toy this year was tetherballs. These products are perfect for some garden play and have increased by 6% since 2023. They’re also currently in their peak season (until June) and average 11,000 searches each month.

17. Mini golf set

Next, in seventeenth place, mini golf sets proved to be a popular outdoor product this year, experiencing an increase in searches by 5%. These items promote active play and can aid child development by boosting fine motor skills. Searches for mini golf sets average 1,000 each month and peak in December.

18. Slide

In eighteenth place, slides have remained a fairly popular outdoor toy with 4% increase in search interest since 2023. These products are a great addition to any garden and can be a great way to keep children active and entertained throughout warm summer days. Slides average a massive 2.8 million monthly searches, peaking in June.

19. Water gun

Looking to cool off in the heat? Water guns were revealed as the nineteenth trendiest outdoor toy with a 3% increase on the previous year. It’s no surprise that water guns peak between May and July, but did you know these items average 264,000 searches each month?

20. Sandpit

Rounding off our top 20 ranking were sandpits, with the products experiencing a 3% growth in searches compared to 2023. These toys are entertaining additions that offer sensory benefits for young children. Sandpits receive around 4,000 monthly searches, peaking in the months of April and May.

The Least Trendy Outdoor Toys for 2024

Now that we’ve examined the trendiest outdoor toy products this year, we wanted to take a look at the opposite end of the scale. To do this, we explored the outdoor toys experiencing the biggest drop in Google searches over the past year.

So, let’s dive in and inspect the least popular toys so far this year.

1. Paddling pool

Ranking as the least trendy outdoor toy for 2024 were paddling pools with a 37% decrease since last year. It’s no surprise, after the lack of summer we got to experience last year, that interest in paddling pools has dropped. However, with the warmer months on the horizon, we expect interest to spike once more, following a 33% increase over the last month.

2. Hula hoop

It was interesting to see the decline in popularity surrounding hula hoops. These once-loved toys have experienced a massive drop off in searches since 2023 – a decrease of 26%. Despite this, searches average 95,000 monthly, with the product currently in its peak search month.

3. Skateboard

In third place, skateboards may see an average of 1.1 million monthly searches, but the product has seen a search loss of 22% in a year, making it the second least trendiest product for outdoor play in 2024.

4. Balance beam

Our research revealed the fourth least trendy outdoor toy for 2024 was balance beams. These toys promote active play among young people and introduce them to the world of gymnastics. However, with a 20% decrease in searches since 2023, it seems balance beams aren’t currently the trendiest outdoor products.

5. Rock painting kit

The fifth least trendy toy was revealed as rock painting kits. These kits average around 5,000 searches each month but have seen a decrease in searches by 17% in the past year. These items are currently in their peak month, too, peaking between April and July, but rank as the fourth least trendy outdoor product for 2024.

6. Roller skates

Moving on, in sixth place, roller skates have seen a 16% drop in searches despite averaging around 136,000 each month. Roller skates are a great way of improving balance and hand-eye coordination, but this year it’s safe to say these items are dropping in popularity. Generally, searches for roller skates peak in May.

7. Toy bow and arrows

It was interesting to discover that toy bow and arrows made the list of the least trendiest outdoor products. These toys are easy to use and can assist children in improving hand-eye coordination and practising aim. Despite this, searches have decreased by 15% this year, averaging around 1,000 per month.

8. Pogo stick

Next, another product to feature on the least trendy outdoor toys list was pogo sticks. These items were once one of the world’s most popular toys but have dropped off massively in recent times, searches declined by 15% since 2023 with searches averaging around 18,000 monthly.

9. Pavement chalk

In ninth place, research revealed pavement chalk as an outdoor toy declining in popularity throughout 2024. Monthly searches for pavement chalk are 13,000 on average but have fallen by 15%. April to June tends to be the peak period for searches, but these toys have dropped massively in popularity over the course of the past year.

10. Outdoor art easel

Another art-themed outdoor toy that makes the top 20 list of the least trending products is outdoor art easels. These products can improve creativity and allow children to express themselves artistically but have seen a 14% drop in searches since 2023, averaging around 1,000 per month.

11. Lawn darts

The eleventh least trendy outdoor toy of the year are lawn darts. Despite searches increasing by 23% over the last quarter, they’ve fallen by 10% since 2023. These products are in season between June and July but have a long way to go if they’re going to reach the search levels seen last year.

12. Bicycle

In twelfth place, bicycles are the latest outdoor toys to drop off in 2024. Bicycles receive an average of 1.3 million monthly searches, decreasing by 8% since last year. They are a great way to explore the outdoors and an effective way of staying active on warm days. The peak search month for bicycles is during summer with the most searches occurring in June.

13. Jump rope

Additionally, in thirteenth place, jump ropes ranked as an untrendy outdoor toy for 2024. This is due to an 8% fall in searches compared to the previous year, averaging 603,000 every month. These toys can improve balance and promote activity in the warmer months – but have decreased in popularity since 2023.

14. Slip ‘n Slide

As we enter the warmer months, you’d think interest in slip ‘n slides would be pretty consistent, however, these products have ranked in fourteenth place following a 7% decrease in searches over the past year. On average, slip ‘n slides receive 5,000 monthly searches and peak between May and August, when temperatures are highest.

15. Water balloons

Moving on, a summer essential for garden play is water balloons, however, unfortunately, these items also rank as one of this year’s least trendy outdoor toys with a 7% drop in searches. As expected, these products peak between June and August, proving popular throughout Summer, but the decrease compared to 2023 cannot be undermined!

16. Beach toys

The hot weather means one thing – beach days. Therefore, children will need a host of items to keep them entertained, but did you know beach toys have decreased in search volume by 6% over the past year? These outdoor toys receive 11,000 monthly searches with the most popular month being June.

17. Scooter

In seventeenth place, scooters have also ranked as an untrendy outdoor toy option this year, with a 6% decrease in searches from 2023. It’s interesting to see the decline of both scooters and bicycles this year. Overall, scooters receive an average of 3.6 million searches each month, peaking in July and August.

18. Picnic set

Next, picnic sets were the latest outdoor product to drop in searches over the past year – a decline of 6%. These items can include miniature tables and chairs, perfect for enjoying a meal in the warm weather. Picnic sets receive 11,000 searches on average each month and peak in June.

19. Badminton set

Searches have also dropped off for badminton sets, with these outdoor products ranking as the nineteenth least trendy toy for 2024. Typically, badminton sets rack up 13,000 searches each month and are most popular online between April and July. As the weather heats up, these toys are a great way to stay active and promote garden play among young children.

20. Sand and water table

Lastly, finalising our list of the top twenty least trendy outdoor toys for 2024 were sand and water tables. This is due to a 5% reduction in Google searches over the last year. Sand and water tables can allow sensory exploration and benefit cognitive development amongst the younger generation, which is great for their growth! Still, sand and water tables average 17,000 searches each month.

To Conclude…

Overall, our exploration into the most and least trendy outdoor toy products yielded some fascinating results. In particular, it was intriguing to see the rise of seesaws this year – with searches increasing by a massive 68%.

In stark contrast, online searches and interest in products such as hula hoops (26%) and skateboards (22%) have dropped massively. As we enter the hotter months, it’ll be interesting to see if attitudes towards these outdoor toys change.

Methodology

We at The Entertainer wanted to explore the top 20 most and least trending outdoor toy products for 2024. To do this, we used Google trends and Glimpse to record the average number of monthly searches and the percentage change over the last month, quarter and year of over 50 different outdoor toys.

We then ranked each outdoor product according to the percentage change in average searches since 2023.

Read our disclaimers.