I don't know about anyone else's children, but when there's even a hint of warmness in the air, Kay is ready to play in the water. These ideas from Whitney Hollingsworth are awesome (if I may say so!) because they're fun and a great way to cool off in the hot temperatures. And did I mention the fun part?!
Beat the summertime boredom blues at your house this summer by encouraging your kids to get outside. These water games are the perfect way to entice them to get off the couch and interact with each other:
Water Balloon Catapult - At some point in your life, you have probably played water balloon volleyball with water balloons and beach towels. If you haven’t played this game, you should make that a priority at some point. However, young children don’t have the strength to hoist balloons over a full-size net and you need multiple players in pairs to make the game effective.
So here’s an alternative way to get your kids involved in the water balloon tossing fun:
So here’s an alternative way to get your kids involved in the water balloon tossing fun:
- Make Targets - grab some black trash bags and white trash bags or colored disposable plastic table cloths. Use different sized bowls from your kitchen to trace circles on the white and/or colored plastic. Cut out the circles and arrange them artfully on the black plastic rectangle. Attach the circles to the black plastic with tape, glue, staples, or even stitch them on using dental floss as thread. If you children are a little older you can assign point values by adding numbers to the circles.
- Attach the Targets to the Fence - attach a second black trash bag above the target piece so that the total black plastic rectangular is now twice as tall (not twice as fat). Make sure the two bags are attached securely to each other. You can throw the black bag over the fence so that it hangs on the opposite side, leaving the targets on the desired side of the fence.
- Fill Up Water Balloons - you can put the filled balloons in a plastic tote or rectangular beverage cooler. If you need a smaller faucet to fill the water balloons, you may want to fill them indoors without the help of your children.
- Grab Some Old Towels - no need to use big beach towels or the nicest towels you own. Even towels that are fraying at the edges will work great. Keep in mind that small hands and arms will probably do better with average sized bath towels than full size beach towels any way.
- Demonstrate How the Activity Works - each towel needs two people to turn it into a catapult. Have each child hold the short side of one end of the towel with another child holding the opposite end. Gently place a water balloon in the center of the towel. The kids will then use the towel to work together in tossing balloons toward the targets.
Your kids may have to test out various strategies and be patient in their efforts to strike the target. Keep offering suggestions when helpful and encourage them to keep trying. If hitting the target gets too easy, add additional requirements like scooting back farther or keeping their eyes closed.
Synchronized Sprinkler Dancing - If you have some natural dancers in your family, then this is the perfect activity for you to encourage:
Some of your little dancers may be very skilled and adventurous. If this is the case, be sure to remind your dancers that the grass gets very slippery when wet so they shouldn’t do anything too crazy. Tumbling tricks, big jumps, and leaps are much better for dancing on the dry grass.
- Set a sprinkler out in an open area.
- Make sure the chosen sprinkler doesn’t have any sharp edges.
- Turn on the hose to medium or full blast.
- Tell your little dancers to work together to make up a dance in the water.
- Bring a stereo or speakers outside and turn on some of their favorite tunes.
- Give them a chance to perform their routine for you.
- Be generous in praising their artistic performance.
Some of your little dancers may be very skilled and adventurous. If this is the case, be sure to remind your dancers that the grass gets very slippery when wet so they shouldn’t do anything too crazy. Tumbling tricks, big jumps, and leaps are much better for dancing on the dry grass.
Water Relays - Get your kids practicing coordination while having some fun in the sun. Here are some water relay ideas to try out with your kids:
- Sponge Passing - Have the kids lay on their backs and pass a wet sponge down the line using only their feet
- Sponge Squeezing - Have the kids line up and give the first child a wet sponge. Place an empty mason jar or other small container across the yard. Each child will race to the container and squeeze as much water from the sponge as possible. The race continues until the container of water starts to overflow.
- Plastic Cup Balancing - Put a small amount of water in a few plastic cups. Have the children line up and put one cup right side up on the head of each child. Encourage them to walk across the yard while balancing the cup on their head.
Bicycle Washing - Summer is a great time to make chores fun. You can set up a bicycle wash in your own driveway or yard. While the main goal is to wash bicycles, I am sure you can already picture what will happen when you set your kids loose with the hose, buckets of soapy water, and some rags or sponges. Don’t be afraid to let the kids get a little crazy while washing their bikes. After all, this is one way your kids can enjoy a lot of fun without making a huge mess.
Here are a few tips to make your bicycle washing successful:
- Fill a few small buckets or empty gallon ice cream containers with water and dish soap.
- Make sure the hose will easily reach to the washing area.
- Let the kids put on their swimming suits before setting them loose.
- Give each child their own rag or sponge.
- Supervise the kids to make sure they don’t put soap in each other’s eyes or cut their fingers on the bicycle chains. You may also have a child that will hog the hose so be ready to encourage them to share the resources.
- Keep a watchful eye on any toddlers in your family and always keep them away from the buckets of water.
Keep an eye on your children whenever they are playing with water. Water makes the ground slick which can lead to potential injuries if children fall while racing around. Remember to apply sunscreen liberally to each child before setting them loose in the yard. Even on cloudy days, the sun can be relentless on young skin.
The best intentions often go awry when dealing with kids and the summer sun. If one of your children ends up getting a sunburn after spending time in the sun, make sure you have some remedies on hand to alleviate the pain and discomfort.
The best intentions often go awry when dealing with kids and the summer sun. If one of your children ends up getting a sunburn after spending time in the sun, make sure you have some remedies on hand to alleviate the pain and discomfort.
If you are looking for an effective natural solution for sun-repair, you may want to try this Vitamin C lotion.
Give all of these activities a try this summer! Encourage your kids to come up with additional ideas of how to have fun with water outside too. With a little preparation, some sunshine, and cool water, your family will surely experience one memorable summer.
Whitney Hollingshead is an optimist, a dreamer, and a professional writer. She loves learning and sharing tips, tricks, and fun facts with others. In her spare time she thrives on coming up with fun and creative solutions for everyday opportunities, especially when the solutions enable her to spend more time with family and friends.
