The Toys of Summer: 100 Products for the 100 Best Days of the Year

Summer. A boon to adventurers, slackers and day drinkers everywhere. A time for playing hard and grilling harder, expanding your horizons, and finally figuring out how to slackline. A season of opportunity, if you don’t mind us waxing a little poetic. And, above all, a time to embrace your inner silly little guy proclivities and buy a flamethrower.

Welcome to the Toys of Summer. Not the Don Henley song, but the most recent edition of our longstanding seasonal compendium of gadgets, gear and games that’ll help you embrace your inner 12-year-old between now and Labor Day. This list is a culmination of our collective brain power here at InsideHook, highlighting a whopping 100 products that are tailor-made for the year’s longest, hottest and most open-ended days. 

We’ve separated the Toys of Summer into five categories — beach, backyard, booze, outdoors and games — for your convenience. All that’s left for you to do is scroll, assemble your own arsenal of summertime fun, and then hope your hot tub boat (or pool cabana or golf cart or Bluetooth telescope) arrives as soon as possible.

Maybe you, like a handful of InsideHook staffers, are hoping to spend the majority of your summer on the beach. Sand in your toes. The salty breeze in your hair. A cold one in your hand. A good beach day is dependent on three things: The weather, a very good sandwich (or wrap) and all the gear you’ve managed to stuff into a dependable, weather-resistant tote bag and lug all the way to the coast. 

Gone are the days when you could post up with just a towel. You’re an adult, an adult who wants to spend as many sun-kissed hours relaxing on the beach as possible. Obviously, you’ll need the basics: An ultra-packable blanket that can withstand the sandy elements, a portable speaker (one for larger gatherings and one that’ll also keep your drinks cold), and a place to park your rear and your head. 

If you’re not the lounging-with-a-koozie-in-your-hand-under-a-cabana type, there are more vigorous beach activities to concern yourself with this summer, like hanging out on this 18-foot-long “water playground” or floating with your friends on an inflatable multi-person paddleboard. There are always sandcastles to build and sea creatures to see, but for the real adventurous types, catch some serious waves on a supercharged jet ski or sleek electric surfboard. (But if you ask us, we’d prefer to set sail on this boat with a built-in hot tub.)

However you decide to spend your beach days this summer is fine by us. Just don’t forget the sunscreen.

Summer might seem like a time for travel and adventure, for far-flung escapades and memory-making journeys. And that’s not entirely untrue. But to say it’s the only thing that matters would be to do your big beautiful backyard (or adjacent park, for those apartment-bound) a disservice. There’s premium protein to grill up, inflatable pools to be filled, slides to be slipped on and neighbors to annoy. Your backyard can be your oasis, with a few deliberate steps.

First order of business? Clearing out all the dog sh*t. (Who told you getting an unwalkable Bernedoodle was a good idea, again?) If you have children, this is where they come in. Once your space is looking spick and span, the sky is the limit — well, that, and the shared property line with the nosy guy next door.

If you can’t make it to the beach, or worse, are landlocked — news flash: your backyard is just an inflatable pool cabana, a big-ass speaker and a couple of brewskis away from becoming a metaphorical desert oasis. For wellness freaks, it’s high time for that summer splurge on the outdoor sauna you’ve always dreamed about, just like the Scandis do it. We’ve also heard that trampolines make for an excellent workout. Just saying…

Or, you could forgo the theme and just chill. Like, really chill. It’s your backyard. You are master of your domain, king of your mojo-dojo-casa-house, and you’ll decide what ‘80s flick ends up on the inflata-screen, thank you very much. Cheers to that. 

Few things in life measure up to the complete and utter joy derived from enjoying a refreshing beveragino on a warm, blue-skied summer day. Whether on the beach, in your backyard or out in the backcountry, drinking your favorite beer, cocktail or canned beverage outdoors can feel like a religious experience. Not sure what you should be sippin’ on this summer? We have a few recommendations.

Since its peak spritz szn, you should pick up a bottle of a complex, herbaceous Italian aperitif and pair it with the appropriate drinking glass. Your day drinks wouldn’t be complete without an RTD canned beverage (and a Yeti Colster to keep it frosty). If you want more bang for your buck, Cutwater’s Lime Margarita tastes like the classic cocktail and has a whopping 12.5% ABV. Or if you’d prefer to sip on something lighter, spirits-based iced tea and lemonade brand Surfside’s cans come in at a sessionable 4.5% ABV, and are our top contender for drink of the summer. 

Did someone say shot ski? If you’re planning on hosting a Fourth of July blowout or any other summer soirees, you’re gonna need party tricks, i.e., fun (and maybe borderline dangerous) accessories to make toasting and drinking that much more exciting. Like a French-made Champagne saber or an elevated beer bong. Your party guests will be uber impressed, not only by your sabering skills, but by your fancy ice cubes and $1,300 smart beverage fridge that can cool each rack of drinks at different temperatures. 

Although, as we mentioned, summer drinking is really all about doing it outdoors, which requires insulated beverage vehicles and portable drinking vessels. From heavy-duty wheeled coolers and wine canteens that keep vino chilled for 24 hours to stainless steel flasks and reusable cups to use on the green, everything you need for drinking on the go is down below. 

The great outdoors is calling. Between the camping, hiking, picnicking, swimming, kayaking, rucking, star gazing and birding, there are a million and one reasons to get out of doors this summer, especially considering the added benefit of all of the sick gear involved in immersing yourself in mother nature.

Hatchets? Pretty badass. A four-person tent? More badass than you might think. Millennial-coded bug spray with a surprising amount of staying power? Bad…well, it’s something. But the truth is that glamping is more accessible than ever, and oodles the fold-out furniture, high-tech coolers and ways to get your caffeine fix mean you can get an authentic roughing-it experience without sacrificing your lower back in the process. 

Of course, we can’t forget about the big boy toys that the wilderness^® (okay, that grassy field two blocks from your crib) allows you to partake in. Ever shot a crossbow? Ever shot a crossbow…and actually hit the target? Electric. Speaking of — you can buy so, so many things online. Vehicles, even. Four-wheeled vehicles. What your partner doesn’t see on the credit card balance won’t hurt them.

Outdoors? Beach? Gimme a break. Where’s the friggin’ cornhole? Where’s the giant-sized Connect Four that inevitably crushes someone’s finger? Where’s the Super Soakers, the bocce ball? Where are the toys?

Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered — we just saved the best for last. This is what you’ve been waiting for, an eye-popping cache of games (the board type and otherwise) for you to sink your teeth into. And we’ve got every last competition-inducing teaser to tear your family or group of high school friends apart at the seams. Only until s’mores, though. Then all is forgiven.

We’ve got your classics (Yatzy!), your classics you thought died in 1988 (karaoke machine!), classics if you can shotgun a Rolling Rock in under five seconds, and all the other toys you hadn’t even considered yet. Scroll and be satiated.