During the warmest stretch of the summer, kids love to engage in water games to cool down. However, the typical sprinkler or small pool can quickly lose its appeal. Here are seven budget-friendly, easy-to-set-up, do-it-yourself outdoor water activities to keep your little ones entertained and cool, no matter their age.
DIY Sprinkler from a Soda Bottle:
Convert a two-liter plastic bottle into a fun sprinkler. Clean the bottle and drill multiple holes on its sides with a handheld drill. Depending on the water spray effect you want, you can make many small holes or fewer, larger ones. Connect the bottle to a garden hose with a hose adapter and turn on the water. The kids will love the new sprinkler on the lawn or hanging from a swingset or tree branch to mimic a “shower.”
Homemade Liquid Chalk Paint:
Enhance outdoor creativity with your homemade liquid chalk paint, an upgrade from regular sidewalk chalk. Buy large washable chalks from a dollar store and crush them into a powder. This can be achieved by either hitting the chalk with a hammer inside a sealed plastic bag or grating the chalk with a cheese grater. Dissolve the chalk powder in water inside a food storage container. A half cup of water per large chalk piece gives a good consistency. Repeat with various chalk colors. Hand the kids paintbrushes and let them express their creativity on the fence, concrete porch, or sidewalk. Once they’re done, wash away their artwork with the hose to start over.
Water Gun Shooting Range:
To diversify water gun games, set up targets for children to aim at. One simple method is to draw targets with washable chalk on a fence. Sketch several circles, with a smaller “bullseye” in the center, each one bigger than the last. Each circle can represent different points, and the kids can compete to hit the highest scoring targets! Plastic cups also serve as perfect targets when lined up on a deck railing or stacked upside down into a pyramid.
Watery Piñata:
Create a water-filled piñata to help kids vent energy while cooling down. Half fill a plastic grocery bag with water and tie it over a tree branch using the bag’s handles. Let the kids burst the water bag with tennis rackets, plastic bats, or cardboard tubes. They won’t last long, but getting wet is the fun part of this activity. Plus, it’s a creative way to recycle plastic grocery bags!
Ice Digging Game:
Freeze small plastic toys in ice blocks and let kids excavate them! Fill plastic cups or small food containers two-thirds full with water and drop a couple of toys in each. Freeze them until they turn into solid ice blocks. Remove the ice blocks and place them outside in a large plastic bowl or metal dish. The challenge for the kids is to figure out how to retrieve the toys from the ice. They can use warm water-filled squirt guns, salt, or cups of warm water. Older children can chip away at the ice with metal forks or butter knives. Add a touch of excitement by coloring the water with food dye and using themed toys, like ocean animals with blue water or tiny dinosaurs with green water.
Colorful Ice Cubes:
This one is perfect for toddlers. Fill an ice cube tray with water and add a few drops of food coloring to each compartment. After they’re frozen, place the colored ice cubes in a baby pool or plastic bowl full of water. Toddlers will love playing with and watching the colorful ice cubes melt and dye the water. Plus, since the dye is food-grade, the ice cubes are safe to taste. As always, ensure children are under close adult supervision near any water.
Water Racing Track or Miniature River:
Kids are fascinated by watching items float downstream! Here are two methods to create a mini river or water racecourse. For a race track, buy a small piece of gutter (the type used on roofs) from a local hardware store. Position the gutter against a lawn chair in your backyard, ensuring it slopes down towards the ground. Place a garden hose at the higher end of the gutter, turn on the water, and let the races begin! Children can float leaves, flowers, or bath toys down the waterway. For added fun, set up two “tracks” and host a race! Alternatively, you can create a more relaxed stream using aluminum foil shaped into a gutter, placed directly on a gently sloping section of your lawn. Kids can pour water down this “river” with a cup or a bucket, or you can use a hose to create the water flow.