What is it with kids and water?! When the sun’s out mine love a splash in the paddling pool, or to jump in and out of the garden sprinkler. Filling and emptying containers with water seems to keep them busy for hours! Here are my favourite 5 water games, perfect for keeping the kids (and you?!) busy over the summer. Just keep the towels handy!
Water Gun Tag
Instead of traditional ‘catch’ or ‘it’, in this game children shoot water with a pistol to catch their opponent!
Water Transfer (fun for little ones!)
Give your child 2 buckets, one with water and another without. Ask them to transfer the water from one bucket to the other using only a sponge! This keeps my 3 year old happy all afternoon! Watch out though, sometimes they decide it’s more fun just to get in!!
Water Ball Shooter
Create a goal/ target on the ground using rope or similar. Line up some lightweight balls and use a hose to move/ push the balls into the goal using the water (a hose with a sprayer on the end works best)
Water Fights
What better way to have some ‘extreme’ fun as a family that a water fight in the garden. Here are some fun ways to make sure you do it in style
Firstly decide if you are playing individually or as a team.
- Choose a base for each person / team. This is the ‘safe’ zone so no soaking allowed!
- Give each person/ team a selection of plastic containers, to fill with water.
- Hide these containers around the garden/ game area to use as refills!
- OR choose coloured water bomb balloons for each person and hide them around the garden so you can give your ‘enemies’ a surprise soaking!!
- The person/ team who remain the driest when the water runs out wins! (but what’s the fun in staying dry?!!
Watering Plants
OK, so technically this isn’t a game but it’s something that mine really enjoy and will do independently. I fill the paddling pool (or a large bucket) with water, then give the children various containers, such as spray bottles, watering cans, cups and plastic bottles. They fill the containers and use them to water plants all around the garden. Their favourites are the squeezy drinks bottle type containers that squirt water at the plants.
Enjoy!
