Are you ready to make a splash with these epic home water games? Don’t worry about keeping your kids entertained and cool during those hot summer days. Here we give you ideas to use all summer long.
This time of year can be challenging if you have kids, especially when you’re at home trying to find engaging activities for them. Sometimes it feels like today’s kids have way too many toys, technology games, and gadgets, and we long for those simpler times when we used to spend our summers playing in the backyard, splashing around, and even washing the family car to earn a few extra bucks for that sweet ice cream treat.
You can recreate those nostalgic moments and bring back the joy of simple summer fun. Take a trip down memory lane and check out how your kids respond to the simple pleasures you enjoyed as a child.
Splash Limbo
Get ready to turn up the fun and beat the summer heat with Splash Limbo! It’s the perfect way to keep your kids entertained while creating refreshing memories together.
Set up the splash zone: find a spot in your backyard where you can set up a water sprinkler or attach a hose with an adjustable nozzle to make sure the water is spraying in a low arc, creating a cool and refreshing tunnel for your limbo dancers. Create a lively playlist with your kids’ favorite tunes. Have your kids take turns stepping up to the challenge.
With the water spraying gently overhead, they’ll need to show off their limbo skills and shimmy under the refreshing water. To make it more challenging, keep lowering the water level after each round. It’s all about finding that perfect balance between staying dry and making a splash!
Bowling is a great way to introduce sports to children or to get the whole family involved in a positive, healthy, and skill-building activity.
Drip, Drip, Splash
This is a playful twist on the classic game of “Duck, Duck, Goose” that will keep your little ones engaged and create loads of laughter-filled memories.
Kids sit in a circle. One child walks around with a cup of water and lightly drips water on each child’s head, saying “drip” each time. Finally, when they choose someone to be “splash,” they pour a cup of water over their head, and the chase is on! With this game, you’ll create an engaging and refreshing activity that allows your kids to cool off and have a blast. Plus, it’s a great way to develop their anticipation skills and get them moving!
Water Relay Race
First, you have to set up a start and a finish line in your backyard. Then you can divide the kids into teams and give each team a large sponge. The goal is to soak the sponge in a bucket filled with water, race to the finish line, and squeeze the water out into another container. The team that fills their container first wins the game!
You can make the game more interesting by adding new challenges, such as jumping on one leg, jumping together and holding hands, crawling, and anything else that will make it more fun and challenging.
Summer is all about enjoying and keeping the family happy, and these kids have lots of energy to burn.
Slip ‘n Slide
Set up a classic slip ‘n slide in your backyard using a tarp, some water, and a bit of dish soap for extra slippery fun. Kids can slide, glide, and have a blast racing each other to the finish line.
Lay a long tarp or plastic sheet on a gentle slope in your backyard. Add water and a little soap to create a slippery surface, just make sure to supervise for safety! This activity has no end; most adults end up participating too. Summer is all about embracing carefree moments and creating joyful memories. The best part of the slip ‘n slide is that you can leave it set up for more fun the next day or even invite friends and neighbors over to join in on the laughter. So gather your crew and celebrate the beautiful chaos of summer together. You’ve got this!
Create a Backyard Water Park
It’s super easy; just set up sprinklers, inflatable pools, inflatable toys, water slides, and water balloons in your garden (most families have these at home). Let your kids splash, run through the water, and have a blast. It’s a fantastic way to cool down and enjoy classic summer fun. It can be as big and crazy as your imagination and supplies allow.
Tap into your childhood memories and have fun. Buckets, containers, or anything water-friendly can be great tools or equipment to set this up and enjoy. Ask your children to gather whatever they think may work; they might surprise you. Their creative brains are always thinking outside the box, and when it comes to summer fun, imagination, and freedom are key!
Have a Family Car Wash
The whole family gets involved in washing the car. Grab buckets, sponges, and soap. Let your kids help scrub and shine the car. Not only will it keep them engaged, but you can also beat the heat by splashing each other with water in the process. It can also be a money saver, a great opportunity to teach about finance, earning money and saving it for some goal they have, or buying ice cream later!
Set up an Obstacle Course
Use household items like cones, hula hoops, and ropes to create an exciting and unique obstacle course in your backyard. To take it to the next level, you can time your kids as they navigate and challenge them to beat their own records. You can splash them with the hose to make it more fun. If you have time and energy, you can add flags and different items for kids to find and grab at each level.
Water Balloon Toss
For this game, you just have to pair up the kids and give each pair a water balloon. Have them stand a few feet apart and toss the balloon back and forth. After each successful catch, they take a step back.
The team with the last unbroken water balloon wins! This is a classic game that never fails. People of all ages love to play it. If you dare to make it more exciting, you can fill some balloons with water and slime. Get creative; maybe your toddlers have more suggestions and would love to experiment with games. Another way to make this game more extreme is to buy super-sized balloons.
Water Lawn Twister
Use washable spray paint to create a Twister board directly on your lawn, or you can cut paper circles or even use the classic game if you have it. Spin the wheel and call out the moves as your kids twist and stretch to reach the right spots. Here’s the summer twist: whoever moves, gets hosed down or makes a water balloon splash.
It’s a hilarious game that will leave everyone in fits of laughter!
Water Laser Obstacle Course
Get ready to transform your backyard into a thrilling water laser obstacle course that will have your little ones feeling like they’re in a real-life Mission Impossible movie! Brace yourselves for non-stop excitement and laughter as your kids navigate through this ultimate summer adventure.
Gather your supplies. Start by setting up a series of sprinklers or water hoses strategically across your backyard. These will act as laser beams that the kids must avoid. If you don’t have many sprinklers, don’t worry! You can stand in the yard and create new obstacles for the kids to jump over, crawl under, or maneuver around.
Map out the course: Plan a challenging route that includes various obstacles. This can include low ropes for them to jump over or even water-filled buckets for them to tiptoe around. Be creative and make it as exciting as possible!
Establish the rules: Explain to your kids that the goal is to complete the course without touching any of the “laser beams” (sprinklers or improvised obstacles). Encourage them to use their agility, problem-solving skills, and quick thinking to navigate through the course successfully.
You can time them and see who can complete it the fastest, or challenge them to beat their own records. Don’t forget to cheer them on and celebrate their achievements!
Remember to prioritize safety throughout the activity. Make sure the water pressure from the sprinklers is suitable for your children’s age, and ensure that the area is clear of any potential hazards.
Paper Boat Speed Race
Get ready to embark on an exciting paper boat speed race right in your backyard. This classic activity will bring back memories and create new ones for your kids.
Find a spacious water container, such as an inflatable pool or any other, that is big enough to hold multiple paper boats. Make paper boats: gather colorful sheets of paper and fold them into boat shapes. You can find various boat folding tutorials online to make different designs.
You can mark the race lanes: Use waterproof tape or markers to mark multiple lanes in the water container. These lanes will be the designated tracks for the paper boat race. Make sure they are evenly spaced and clearly visible. Now you can start the race! Line up the paper boats at the starting line, and let your little captains place their boats in their chosen lanes.
