5 of my top lockdown buys for London outdoor living

1. Outdoor bean bag
With endless opportunities to sit in the garden at the moment, we bought the Fatboy Buggle Up bean bag (£239), which seats two and has been a brilliant addition to the garden both for the children and ourselves. Whether it’s an outdoor crafting station or a place for quiet reading, having a comfortable place to lounge, sit or relax in the garden has made a huge difference to our days in isolation. The versatile Fatboy comes in a sturdy and water repellent material, and I store it in our shed at night.

2. Picnic blanket
Now that we can sit down in parks again we’ve bought a new picnic blanket from Australian brand Sunnylife, and I’m waiting for a matching picnic basket to arrive too. With quirky and colourful designs, Sunnylife is one of my favourite brands for summer and holiday accessories, and the picnic blanket is practical, as it folds up flat into a carry case with handles and the blanket features a waterproof backing.

3. Football cones
At the beginning of lockdown I started looking at getting a football goal for the garden, but I quickly realised we could make do with a set of cones for now. The set of 4 football cones (£9.99) has been great for other activities too, with the cones used for marking the start of anything from a pretend golf tee to a miniature running track on the limited space we have available. More recently, we’ve started bringing the cones and the football to parks.

4. Frisbee
When our children had a chance to choose one toy as a special present the other day, a frisbee was at the top of the wish list. We had previously spotted a family with an Aerobie flying ring in a park, and it was that frisbee that had caught their attention. With soft edges and a thin frame that’s easy to hold even for little hands, the frisbee has become a park essential that can easily be brought on the bike. There are several versions of the Aerobie flying ring, with Aerobie Sprint being smaller in size than Aerobie Pro.

5. Badminton set
While the kids have been playing with the frisbee, we’ve sometimes had a chance to try out our Sunnylife badminton set (£35). The set with two lightweight racquets and shuttlecocks comes in a practical carry bag with a shoulder strap, making it easy to bring on a scooter trip to a nearby green.

Tags: Badminton, Football, Frisbee, Outdoor activities, Picnic