11 Water Games and Summer Activities for Kids

Courtesy of:  Parenting.com 

If you are trying to beat the heat this summer, here are some great activities to cool you and your family off.

• Jump Water. Run a strong stream from a garden hose back and forth like a snake under your child’s feet, allowing him to jump over it. With more kids, turn it into a competition: Whoever’s feet don’t get drenched wins!

• Liquid limbo. Use the stream from a water hose as the stick for a high-stakes game of limbo. 

• Backyard Bath. Take advantage of a warm summer evening by bathing your baby (and older siblings if they’re game!) outdoors. Fill a kiddie pool with water, bath toys, and bubbles, and turn a chore into a delight.

• Sponge-worthy. Give each of your kids two buckets — one filled with water and one empty — and a sponge. Instruct them to transfer the water from one bucket to the other using only the sponge. Whoever does it the fastest gets first choice of ice-pops. Solo kids can also play by racing against the clock.

•  Spray of light. Little tykes can help you garden by watering plants with a spray bottle; give bigger guys the whole hose (and expect them to get wet!). If it’s a sunny day, show them how they can spot a rainbow in the mist.

•  Ball blast. Use ropes to create a circle or square on your lawn. Place balls of varying sizes and weights inside. Give your child a hose and challenge her to push the balls out with the water in less than a minute.

• Balloon babies. Fill up a water balloon and draw a face on it with a dark marker. Wrap it in a paper towel, then hand your child (ages 4 and up) his new “baby.” See how long he can take care of it before it breaks.

• Water-gun tag. This clever twist on a classic is pretty self-explanatory: Have everyone don bathing suits and play tag. Whoever is “It” gets the water gun and tries to tag the other players with a cold squirt!

• Freeze! Place plastic bugs, toy cars, or other small treasures in your cube tray, add water, and freeze. Then hand a piece of ice to your child (age 3 and up) and have her melt it in her hands until the prize emerges.

• Pool ping-pong. Float an inner tube in the center of the pool, then toss a bunch of ping-pong balls in the water. Kids who know how to swim unassisted can jump in, retrieve the balls, and try to toss them in the tube.

• Drink up. Encourage your child to try water flavored with different ingredients. Include slices of cucumber, lemon, lime, orange, and various berries (raspberry, strawberry, blueberry) — and see which one she likes best.

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