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12 Best Water Toys for Toddlers That’ll Make a Splash This Summer

Kick-start your summer activities with these awesome kiddie pool toys.
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By Martina Garvey, E-Commerce Editor
Updated May 23, 2024
Best Water Toys for Toddlers
Image: Walmart
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Sunny afternoons are the perfect opportunity to disconnect from devices and head outside for some well-deserved family time. Whether you’re hitting the beach or chilling poolside this summer, it’s a good idea to invest in some water toys for toddlers. Why? Water toys are a great way to keep little hands busy and help tots develop a love for the great outdoors. Plus, they’re pretty darn fun!

So what exactly is a water toy? Pool and beach all fall under the umbrella of water toys for toddlers. (Think: inflatable floats, kiddie pool toys and even bath toys!) The best water toys for kids will spark creativity, help build confidence around water and stimulate their senses to aid development.

Before you browse our list of the top water toys for toddlers, it’s important to note that children must always be supervised near water. Although water toys are great at engaging tots, they won’t necessarily keep them safe, so water safety should always be a priority while at the pool or beach.

Ready to discover the best water toys on the market? Shop our favorites for tons of splashing fun below.

How We Chose the Best Water Toys for Toddlers

There are a lot of water toys for toddlers out there, which can make it hard to find the best options for your one-of-a-kind kiddo. To streamline your search, we’ve done the hard work for you. Keep reading to learn more about how we selected parent-approved kiddy pool toys.

  • We considered a list of criteria when sourcing water toys for toddlers, including age suitability, durability, entertainment value, ease of cleaning, portability and storage options and, of course, safety.

  • We conducted exhaustive market research, scouring forums and message boards and reading user reviews to find out what parents across the country looked when shopping for water-based playthings and kiddie pool toys.

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Best Water Toys for Toddlers to Shop

Inflatable pool raft

Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Inflatable Pool Raft By PoolCandy
Image: Maisonette
What We Love
  • Cute car design
  • Moving steering wheel and horn that beeps
  • Built-in sun canopy
Things To Consider
  • Touch supervision required

Take a trip down memory lane with this toddler pool float designed to look like the iconic Cozy Coupe ride-on toy. Your little one will love cruising around in this pool toy as they steer the inflatable wheel and beep the working horn—and you’ll love how it offers shade and is equipped with air safety valves for added protection.

Age rating: 12+ months

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Best water table

Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table
Image: Walmart
What We Love
  • Waterfall feature
  • Drain plug
  • Sturdy yet lightweight base
Things To Consider
  • No pre-drilled holes

No water toys roundup would be complete without a standout water table. This parent-approved pick has thousands of glowing reviews, and it’s easy to see why. The interactive table is full of ramps, sprinklers, buckets and maze pieces for your little one to discover. Your tot will love creating waterfalls over and over again, teaching them about cause and effect. While this pick probably won’t be joining you on your trips to the beach or pool, this water toy is sure to be a backyard favorite! “It's great even if you don't want to put them in a full on swimsuit but are /[still] outside playing. Yeah they may get a bit wet but it's nice to have something she can play with water in without having to worry that it's too cold or having to get her in a suit every time,” explains one member of The Bump forum.

Age rating: 18+ months

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Best splash pad

SplashEZ Splash Pad
Image: Walmart
What We Love
  • Easy set up
  • Adjustable water pressure
  • Toddlers love the sprinkler effect
Things To Consider
  • Some people reported that the seams split

Splash pads are a great choice for younger tots who love to splash, of course! Get ready for plenty of smiles from your little one as they play with the sprinkler features and sit in the shallow pool. This water toy can be enjoyed by toddlers who are 12 months or older and can even accommodate multiple kiddos at once. Another cute detail: It features animal illustrations and the letters of the alphabet, so your curious kiddo can learn as they play.

Age rating: 12+ months

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Best sprinkler water toy

Melissa & Doug Splash Patrol Sprinkler
Image: Melissa & Doug
What We Love
  • Fun and interactive
  • Good for kids that are scared of water
Things To Consider
  • Water only sprays 1 foot off the ground

If you’re searching for a backyard water toy, you can’t go wrong with this pick from Melissa & Doug. Just attach it to your hose and watch as water bursts out of the colorful wriggly worm design. This versatile plaything can be enjoyed by several children at once and is crafted from durable materials to withstand plenty of summers to come.

Age rating: 3 to 5 years

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Best bucket set

Skip Hop Baby Bath Toy, Zoo Stack & Pour Buckets
Image: Skip Hop
What We Love
  • Three sprinkle effects
  • Stackable
  • Cute animal designs
Things To Consider
  • Small in size

Bring these stack-and-pour buckets on your next vacation for guaranteed fun in the sun. Kids will love the colorful characters painted on the buckets, just as much as the three different sprinkle features. Meanwhile, parents will appreciate the fact that the buckets can be stacked inside one another for easy transportation. Water toys for toddlers that you can bring along anywhere? Sign us up.

Age rating: 9+ months

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Best pop-up kiddie pool

HearthSong SunShade Pop-Up Pool
Image: HearthSong
Buying Options
HearthSong|$49.98
What We Love
  • Built-in sun canopy
  • Lightweight and portable
  • Drain plug
Things To Consider
  • Limited reviews

Next up on our list of the best water toys for toddlers is this handy pop-up pool. The portable design can be brought to the beach and assembled or taken down in a matter of seconds. No mess, no fuss. Better yet, it comes with a built-in UV-protected sun canopy to keep your little one safe when the weather heats up. Bonus: This multifunctional toy can also be used as a ball pit or a sandbox.

Age rating: 9+ months

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Four-in-one pool toy

Quut Triplet
Image: Amazon
Buying Options
Amazon|$24.56
What We Love
  • Ergonomic design
  • Encourages open-ended play
  • Suitable for pool, bath, beach and garden
Things To Consider
  • Limited reviews

Some of the best pool toys for toddlers are the simplest. Take this innovative toy, for instance. The ergonomic tool works as a shovel, sieve, rake and water or sand funnel. It has an easy-to-hold handle designed with tiny hands in mind and can be used to build sand castles or experiment with water in the pool. How fun!

Age rating: 12+ months

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Best boat toy

Green Toys Tugboat
Image: Walmart
What We Love
  • Floats on water
  • Durable design
  • Made from recycled plastic
Things To Consider
  • Can become water-logged

Mini boats are classic water toys for kids. Your toddler will have a ball filling the hull of this tugboat up with water and pouring it out the front spout. Plus, it has a convenient handle, making it easy to carry to whatever destination you have in mind. Another standout feature: The durable design is made entirely of recycled milk jugs.

Age rating: 6 months to 3 years old

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Best rain water toy

Plui Rainball by MOLUK
Image: Amazon
What We Love
  • Comes apart for easy cleaning and drying
  • Encourages independent play
  • Offers sensory stimulation
Things To Consider
  • Slow to fill with water

Engage your kid’s senses with this cute rain water toy. This sensory pool toy for toddlers is simple yet effective (not to mention fun). Little ones will love plunging it into the water to fill it up, before lifting it out to make it rain. Bonus: It works as a bath toy too!

Age rating: 2+ years

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Best fishing toy

KarberDark Fishing Floating Squirts Toy and Water Scoop with Organizer Bag
Image: Amazon
Buying Options
Amazon|$13.95
What We Love
  • Storage bag included
  • Easy to grasp fishing rod
Things To Consider
  • Bath toys may grow mold over time

KarberDark Fishing Floating Squirts Toy and Water Scoop with Organizer Bag This fishing set is one of the best water toys for toddlers we’ve seen. It comes with a fishing rod, a net, two scoop toys and three floating squirt toys. Phew! All that for under $15? Now that’s a bargain.

Age rating: 18+ months

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Best pool ball

Edushape Sensory Balls for Baby Mega Pack
Image: Amazon
Buying Options
Amazon|$29.95
What We Love
  • Lightweight
  • Textured surface is easy to grip
  • Multiple sizes
Things To Consider
  • Expensive

Okay, so this next pick isn’t technically a water toy. However, beach balls are a classic toddler beach toy, so we figured they’ve earned a spot on this list. Each of these four inflatable balls has a knobbly texture that’ll fascinate toddlers. Bring them on summer excursions for a kickaround, a game of catch or to splash around in the water.

Age rating: 6+ months

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Best pool toy gift set

Green Toys Tide Pool Baby Toy Gift Set
Image: Walmart
What We Love
  • Durable
  • No sharp edges
  • Easy to clean and dry
Things To Consider
  • Some people say pouring holes aren't big enough

We’re big fans of Green Toys—and their outdoor toys are a perfect example of why. This seven-piece set, made from 100 percent recycled plastic milk jugs, is super-cute and practical. Each sea-themed design interacts with and pours water in a different way. Plus, the palm-sized water toys are designed for little hands and can be packed away into the seaweed-patterned storage bag when it’s time to head home.

Age rating: 6+ months

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