Funny laughing little girl in a colorful swimming suit playing with toy ball garden sprinkler with water splashes having fun in the backyard on a sunny hot summer vacation day Child playing with toy ball garden sprinkler. Preschooler kid run and jump. Summer outdoor water fun in the backyard. Children play with hose watering flowers. Kids splash on sunny day.
It’s summer! Has the excitement of summer vacation already begun to wane? Here’s a list of ways to stay cool midsummer at home and add some excitement into the second half of your kids’ break from school.
- Slip and slide. This old school classic is one all kids and brave parents alike should try this summer. If you don’t have the actual product, try making your own version and inviting the neighborhood over for some water fun!
- Another classic way to get cool is a basic sprinkler in the yard. Introduce your littles and bribe your older kids to take some time to play in the water.
- Dodgeball. Get a couple of teams together and play dodgeball either with water balloons or the splash balls used in swimming pools. Make sure to have buckets with extra water balloons or water to re-soak the balls.
- Sponge balls. As a twist to dodgeball or even just tag, craft some sponge balls. Before you play, have craft time, cutting up sponges and tying them with rubber bands. Two activities equal longer busy time!
- Another fun game is Annie, Annie, Over, played over a garage or ranch-style house perhaps. Instead of a normal ball, use water balloons or splash balls. I remember playing this fun game as a kid!
- Water limbo. You can get crafty and make your own version out of PVC pipe hooked up to a sprinkler or simply play with a pool noodle near a sprinkler Another option is to hit the easy button and buy one at Target!
- Water table or pouring station. When my older two were toddlers, I would just give them a bunch of buckets of water and various scoops to play with outside. Eventually, we purchased a legit water table for our third because he had so many hand-me-down toys from older siblings but still needed a birthday present. This same child also tended to play in the dog’s water bowl too. If you’ve ever been to a children’s museum, you know the water station is always a hit!
- Mud pie. If you’re a mom with extra heaps of patience, you can add a mud pie station with your water area. Include real or fake worms, baking dishes and more. A quick trip to the Dollar Tree will get you stocked.
- Ice play. Take a few little toys and freeze them either in water balloons or various pans, then let the kids chisel them out with their toy tools.
- Make Popsicles! Kids love these frozen treats, and they are simple to make. My brother and I used to simply freeze lemonade in ice cube trays with toothpicks stuck through plastic wrap, and they were our favorite! Numerous molds are available to purchase, and the recipes are endless—from lemonade to smoothies or even pudding for some homemade fudgesicles! Add some fruit for a healthier spin, or let the kids experiment with their own recipes. You even can make puppy Popsicles for your canine friends.
- Water the plants. Give young kids free rein on watering all the plants and trees in the yard. If your kids are older, let them help you with your garden or encourage them to have their own garden. Maybe even let them plant seeds from all the produce they eat over the summer and see what grows.
- Trampoline or swings with the sprinkler. Let the kids set up the sprinkler under the trampoline or in front of the swing set to burn some energy while staying cool.
- A soggy game of H-O-R-S-E. Play the classic basketball game but add the twist of dumping a cup of water on your head each time you get another letter.
- Squirt gun war. This is especially fun when parents surprise the kids with an epic battle! A tip for the younger crowd: Cheap spray bottles found in the travel toiletries area at your local box store are easier for smaller hands to squeeze.
- Spray bottles and chalk. Have your kids draw with chalk or work on some letter, shape, number or sight word recognition by spraying the word you call out. Don’t let the “summer slide” happen at your house!
- Lawn waterbed or water blob! I made one of these for my daughter’s 4th birthday a few years ago and it was fun! Check out the directions at MyFrugalAdventures.com and search “giant outdoor waterbed.”
- Minute to Win It water games. A Google search will lead you to some great games to make family game night or a dinner party super fun this summer!
- If you’re feeling ambitious, set up a water obstacle course with buckets, hoses, sprinklers and more—or give your kids some ideas and let them set it up. A stopwatch is key to making this more fun and competitive for your kids.
- Car wash. Bring out the hot wheels and make a sudsy car wash station complete with sponges and scrubbies. Younger kids could wash off their Cozy Coupe, and older kids can help wash Mom and Dad’s cars too.
- Baby doll bath station. As with the car wash, let your kids bring out waterproof baby dolls to wash in tubs or even an infant bathtub you may have lying around. Spread out beach towels for drying them off for this version of dramatic play with water.
- Build a moat. Let the kids take buckets of water to the sandbox to build a castle with an actual moat. Bonus points for little toy alligators to add to their creation.
The summer months can be long and hot. Just remember that childhood is pretty short in the grand scheme of things, and these will be wet and wild activities make for memories you will all have years from now.
Stephanie Loux is a mother of three and enjoys soaking up summers with her kids while they’re home from school.