As your premier bottled water and water cooler provider, we at Palm Springs Bottled Water know there’s more to water than just drinking and hydration. Water can be fun and educational, too, especially for the little ones on summer break. So, today, we’re sharing some creative water-related activities the kids will love! Get inspired to have backyard fun with these water-based games and exercises.
1. Head for the Pool or the Beach
Obviously, one of the best ways to have fun and stay cool this summer is by heading to the local pool or lakeside beach. So, if you have access nearby, grab your floaties and sunscreen. But if you don’t have access to either, you can still create smaller versions of both in your backyard. Get inspired online with DIY ways to create small-scale pools, beaches, and splash pads at home! Any plastic tub can become a sitting pool or water table. And sometimes, just taking the bath toys outdoors for hose and water bucket fun is just the summer adventure your kids need.
2. Tarp the Yard for Water Sliding Fun
You don’t have to buy the official yard sliding toy itself when you can create your own water slide fun in the backyard. Find large sheets of plastic or tarps and pin them down in your yard with tent stakes. You can then use the garden hose to water it down, transforming it into a sliding adventure for the little ones. For the older kids who want to have extra sliding power, consider drizzling a little dish soap into your water flow!
3. The Plastic Water Bottle Sprinkler
Don’t have a sprinkler? Make your own! Check out some of the cool ideas on Pinterest and YouTube with instructions on using pool noodles to make a sprinkler. Or, you could take a two-liter water bottle and poke a few holes. Hook it up to your garden hose, and voila!
4. Water Balloon Dodgeball
If it’s a hot summer day and you can’t get to the pool or beach, get creative with water balloons. Let the littles fill up their respective arsenals and water balloons. Then referee an official match of water balloon dodgeball for a splashing good time!
5. Make ‘Sponge’ Balls Instead of Balloons
If you don’t have balloons handy, don’t fret. You can instead use sponges for water balloon-related fun. Either grab some jumbo sponges or tie strips of smaller sponges together to form “sponge balls.” Fill up kiddie pools or buckets with water and let the sponge-slinging begin!
6. Load Up the Spray Bottles for Backyard Fun
Get the kids excited about backyard laser tag, but instead of lasers, use spray bottles of water. Let the littles wear light-colored (and not good) shirts. Put a little food coloring in each respective spray bottle. And turn them loose for some water-based laser tag.
7. Homemade Water Xylophones
Get creative with water on a rainy day and take the fun indoors with water-related music. Fill jars with various levels of water and color them with food coloring. The little ones can play with their homemade xylophones all afternoon!
8. Water Races and Games
Instead of egg and spoon balance races, consider hosting backyard challenges with water balloons instead. Consider incorporating ice cubes into your relay races. Or, use sponges and design relay races for the kids to sprint with loaded sponges to empty buckets, seeing who can fill their bucket the fastest.
9. Swimming Pool Scrabble (Floating Letters)
If you have a swimming pool, regardless of the size, turn it into learning fun. Cut up squares of styrofoam or find other toys you can use. Write letters on them and sit in the pool for splash scrabble. Or, let the littles draw similar designs on pairs of floating tiles for a game of memory in the pool!
10. Build a Water Wall
Here’s a water activity that’s one part science and learning and two parts fun – build a water wall! Assemble a piece of lattice, some PVC pipe and connectors, funnels, and recycled plastic jugs or containers. Check out this DIY tutorial and let the kids build their own water-flowing wall of fun!
11. Water Tables Are Great Fun
Whether you buy a pre-fab water table or use a tote to create your own, let the littles get some enjoyment out of water toys in the backyard. Water tables are great for smaller yards. And they can occupy the kids for hours with fun floating toys and STEM-related water table activities.
12. Sink and Float Experiments
Introduce more learning into your backyard water fun with all kinds of science-based activities involving water. Conduct sink or float experiments with various toys and objects from around the house. Or use plastic bags to explore the water cycle.
13. Kiddie Pool Fishing
Consider staging your small kiddie pools as fun fishing holes! Use plastic totes or buckets if you don’t have a pool. Using magnets, toy fishing poles, or homemade sticks with grabbers and challenge the little ones to “fish” for goodies. Make it more challenging by asking them to close their eyes to nab floating or sinking toys.
14. Water Balloon Bullseye
Using water balloons or those water-loaded sponges, create a kid-friendly game of lawn darts. Paint or draw targets, much like a dart board on your lawn or yard. Then, let the kids take turns tossing their sponges or balloons. Closest to a bullseye wins!
15. Backyard Boat Races
Challenge the kids to find or build floating devices or boats. And then, using any PVC pipe, unused plastic drainage pipes, or even just household tin foil, let the littles build chutes and channels to fill with water and float their boats. Using small fans, challenge them to boat races. Just don’t forget the prizes for the winners.
Keep the kids occupied, learning, and having fun all summer long with these brilliant water-related activities. And remember to call Palm Springs Bottled Water for all your home drinking water solutions. We’re the reliable and premier resource for homes and businesses throughout the Macomb, IL, Davenport, IA, and Peoria Heights, IL communities!