Warm weather is right around the corner and kids love to play in the water! Creating fun water activities and games doesn’t have to be a stressful indaba. You can create a lot of fun with very few materials; much of which you probably already have to lie around! Let your little ones run free and have fun in the backyard with water play! Use this list to help you plan and prepare a host of activities as the warmer weather starts to creep in.
1. Water Balloon Dodgeball
Fill up a bunch of water balloons and head outside for a fun game of water balloon dodgeball. Kids can play on teams or everyone can play against each other. Littles will have hours of fun throwing and dodging water balloons.
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2. Water Balloon Fun
Water balloons can be tons of fun! Use them for an old-fashioned water balloon fight where you want to get hit so you can cool off! Toss them into the air and wait for them to splatter at your feet as they hit the ground.
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3. Water Bucket Relay
Have a fun relay with just sponges, water, and a bucket or kiddie pool. Children can soak sponges in the bucket of water and place them on their heads to then race to the other side of the yard. When they get to the empty bucket, have them squeeze the water into it. The first team to fill it wins!
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4. Sprinkler Fun
There’s nothing quite like running through the sprinkler on a hot Summer’s day. Simply hook up the garden hose and let the kids have fun! This would be perfect for a backyard party in the middle of the Summertime heat.
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5. Slip and Slide
You can purchase a slip-and-slide or you can make your own! This will keep your kids busy for hours as they run back and forth; slipping and sliding on the slippery surface.
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6. Squirt Gun Water Race
Water gun squirt races are a fun competitive activity. Set up is pretty easy with just some string and plastic cups. Kids can use water guns to move their cups along a string. They can race each other to see who will win!
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7. Swimming Pool Scramble
If you’re lucky enough to have access to a swimming pool, try this learning game! Cut up sponges and write letters on them. Kids can find letters to make words or practice identifying letters and sounds. You can do this with numbers as well.
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8. Water Obstacle Course
If you’re feeling adventurous, create your own water obstacle course with pool noodles, water hoses, and other assorted materials. You can have little ones practice running through it multiple times; trying to beat their previous time.
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9. Water Balloon Water Slide
A water balloon slide is a great way to beat the Summer heat! Prepare a lot of water balloons and lay them out on a slip-and-slide or large tarp. Let children run and slide into the water balloons. They will love it when the water sprays them as the balloons pop!
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10. Pool Noodle Boat Racing
Half of the fun involved in this activity is making the boat! Use a pool noodle, pencil, cardboard, and straw. Assemble the boat and float it in a bin. Use the straw to blow the boat across the water.
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11. Spray Bottle Tag
Tag is always a fun and easy game for children to play. Make it Summer friendly by adding a twist. Give students a small squirt bottle and let them spray each other instead of physically tagging them.
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12. Sprinkler Limbo
Add a twist to sprinkler fun by letting children play sprinkler limbo. Children can take turns trying to make it under the sprinkler before they’re soaked by the water. You are sure to hear lots of laughter as the activity ensues.
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13. Beach Ball Blaster
Hand a water blaster to each child. Use a large beach ball as a target and have students move the ball by blasting water onto it. Kids must work together to move the ball. Set up a start and finish line so they know how far to go.
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14. Water Baseball
America’s favorite pastime is baseball. Add a wet twist to the game by using water balloons. Use plastic bats and let students enjoy trying to swing and hit the water balloons. If they hit and burst it, let them run the bases.
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15. Water Balloon Piñatas
Another water activity to try out with a plastic bat and water balloons is making a water balloon piñata. Simply hang a water balloon and let students try to burst it with the plastic bat. This task is harder than it may seem. For an added challenge, get your littles to wear a blindfold.
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16. Catapult Water Balloons
This water activity is ideal for budding builders. Let them create a catapult system to launch water balloons. Have them play around with the angles to change the distance and launch speed.
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17. Water Sensory Bin
Create this water sensory bin to show the effects of water pollution. Let students play in the bin and pick out the items that are bad for the water. This is great for initiating a conversation regarding how we can best care for the environment.
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18. Water Wall
Creating a water wall is a great way to create an outdoor play activity. Let kids help you create the design and then have a go at pouring water into the top and watching it flow down the design into an awaiting bucket.
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19. Water Play Table
A water play table is good for both indoors and outdoors. Let your little ones play in the water using cups, bowls, strainers, and other items found in your kitchen. You could even add some color to the water by dropping in a few drops of food coloring!
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20. Water Balloon Target Practice
Target practice can take on any form, but water balloon target practice might be one of the most fun versions! Let kids take turns aiming and throwing the water balloons at a chalk-drawn target on the concrete. You could even keep score to make it more interesting.
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21. Water Balloon Jousting
Attach a few water balloons to a piece of styrofoam. Build a short jousting rod out of a pool noodle. Poke the balloons and enjoy a cool splash as the balloons burst!
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22. Sponge Toss
A game of sponge toss is a fun way to help your littles cool off on a warm day. Soak a large sponge in a bucket of water and, in pairs, toss it back and forth. For an added challenge, learners can take a step back after each turn.
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23. Water Letter Painting
Give your kids a cup of water and a paintbrush. Let them practice writing their letters, numbers, and sight words, or practice math sums.
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24. Washing Dishes Sensory Bin
Set up a washing station using bins full of water. Add some bubbles or soap and let your kids practice washing dishes with sponges, brushes, and clothes.
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25. Pass the Water
Have kids stand in a line and hold an empty cup. The person in front will have a set amount of water. Looking ahead, they will raise the cup over their head and empty it into the cup of the person behind them. See how much water can make it to the end.
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26. Water Balloon Ring Toss
Use pool noodles to create small rings. Set them up outside and in a line. Your kids can then take turns tossing water balloons into the rings. Make different-sized rings for an added challenge.
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27. Drip, Drip, Drop
Much like Duck, Duck, Goose, this game is the same except you add water! Instead of tapping the person on the head and saying goose, you can pour some water on them so they will know to get up and chase you!
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28. Sponge Bomb Monkey in the Middle
Monkey in the Middle is a familiar favorite, but this one just adds a little twist! Use a sponge bomb to soak the players in this game. As you toss and catch the sponge bomb, you will be rewarded with a little splash of water.
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29. Kiddie Car Wash
Design and build this adorable kiddie car wash! Get creative with PVC pipes and hook up a hose to have water spraying from many directions. Kids will enjoy taking their ride-on cars through their very own car wash.
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30. Pom Pom Squeezing
For this activity, you’ll need a cup of water and some pom poms. Your kiddos can submerge their pom poms into a cup and let it soak up water. Then, they can squeeze the pom out into another cup; transferring the water.
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