This summer will go down in history, considering so much has changed and not much is normal or predictable, compared to past years. Our upcoming summer plans will be different and at-home “staycations” might be the norm. If the thought of long, sweltering days, and little voices claiming there’s nothing to do, makes you want to run away from home, take a moment to cool down. Literally.
Think back to your childhood summers. Remember the fun you had with just a garden hose, a sheet of plastic, and a yard that sloped? Well, my friends, water play has come a long way since the makeshift slip-and-slide. Sure, you can buy some pretty impressive sprinklers and water slide setups these days, but if you’re in money-saving mode, here are some simple ideas for do-it-yourself backyard water fun.
Backwards Water Balloon Basketball
Fill water balloons. Player A holds a plastic colander (the “basket”) on his head while Player B stands behind him and tries to toss a water balloon into the basket.
Water Balloon Piñatas
Fill water balloons and hang them from tree branches using string or twine. Players take turns being blindfolded and using a lightweight plastic bat to whack the water out of as many balloons as possible.
DIY Sprinklers
Don’t have a sprinkler? Try making your own out of a two-liter soda bottle. Simply poke a few holes into the bottle and attach it to your garden hose with waterproof tape. Or, for more sprinkling coverage, use an old pool noodle instead of a plastic bottle.
Take Aim Target Practice
Dig out the old water guns and fill them up, one for every player. Stand empty plastic bottles or cups in a line on the driveway. Players sit behind a line and take turns seeing how many bottles or cups they can knock over before they need to re-fill.
Jump Rope Splash
Have two players turn the rope while a third player jumps—holding a plastic cup filled with water. Get two teams going at the same time and see which jumper has the most water remaining in their cup after ten jumps.
Wet Sponge Relay
Divide into teams and give each team an extra-large sponge and two buckets—one filled with water and the other empty. Place the buckets of water several years away from the empty buckets. Players race each other by running to their water bucket, fill the sponge, and run back to squeeze as much water as possible into the empty bucket. The sponge then gets handed to the next person on the team. The team with the most water moved from the filled bucket to the empty one wins.
Water Balloon Towel Toss
Fill water balloons. Pick partners and give each pair a beach towel. Partners hold the outstretched towel by all four corners with a water balloon in the center. The object of the game is to safely transfer the balloon to another pair by tossing the balloon from one towel to the other. Increase the level of difficulty by adding a net or rope over which the water balloon must be tossed.
Pour it Backwards
Divide into teams, form two lines, and give each player a plastic cup. The first person in each line should have a full cup of water; the others on that team should have empty cups. The first person holds their cup over their head and pours out the water while the second person uses their own cup to try and catch the water. The second person then “passes” the water, in the same way, to the third person. The team with the most water in the last person’s cup wins.
Classic Water Balloon Catch
Player A tosses a water balloon to Player B. If Player B catches the balloon, each player takes a step backwards. Player B then tosses the water balloon back to Player A. If successful, take another step backwards. Toss and catch until the balloon breaks. Then, go again!
Water Balloon Relay Race
Fill water balloons and divide players into teams. Designate a starting line and a finish line and give the first person on each team a wooden spoon and a water balloon. Each player must transport their water balloon safely on the spoon, from person to person. The first team to cross the finish line with their water balloon wins.
Quiet Time Glow Pool
Fill a child’s pool with water early in the day so that by dusk the water is as warm as a bath. When it’s almost time to call it a day, snap a bunch of glow sticks and toss them in. You’ll surprise your little ones with one last bit of mesmerizing colorful fun.
Families in our area have found some truly incredible and creative ways to keep peace within their homes and occupy the minds and bodies of the ones they love. The summer months needn’t be any different. Set aside thoughts of what we cannot or should not do and make this summer memorable—for all the right reasons.
