Don’t have the time or energy to take your family to the pool this weekend? Make a splash right at home with these fun water games in your yard!
Balloon Batting Practice
Is it swing and a miss, or swing and a swish? That depends on how good your youngsters are at baseball! Grab a wiffle ball bat and swap out the balls for water balloons, and see who can hit the most “home runs.” An added bonus - batters won’t get bruised if they get hit by these pitches.Hula Hoop Bubbles
Blowing bubbles never gets old, but want to see what it’s like to be inside one? All you need is a kiddie pool, some dish soap, and a hula hoop. Fill the pool with five gallons of water and 10 cups of regular (not antibacterial) dish soap. Stir gently and let the solution sit for at least a few hours ... fewer suds = better bubbles. When you’re ready, place a hula hoop inside the pool and have a person step inside the hoop. Slowly pull the hoop up around them until they are enveloped by the bubble!Water Bucket Relays
This one’s fun for larger families or bigger groups of kids. Grab one bucket and one smaller container per team. Place the empty buckets on one side of the yard away from your hose. The goal is to fill containers from the hose, hold them on players’ heads, and run to the buckets trying not to spill the water. The team that fills its bucket first, wins! For some added fun and challenge, drill a hole in the bottom of each relay container.Pouring Piñatas
Kind of like batting practice, hang some water balloons from a branch and let the little ones swing away while blindfolded. These “piñatas” will give winners a quick cooldown on a hot summer day, no spoiled appetites or cavities required.Spongeball Fight
No, we don’t mean snowballs. Stop by the dollar store and stock up on cheap colorful kitchen sponges. Cut them in half, if necessary, and toss them in a couple buckets of water. Let the kids go to town.Giant Water Pong
Like its tabletop “adult” version, giant water pong is a red solo cupful of fun. You can play this with (new) trash cans and soccer balls, or scale down a bit to use five-gallon buckets and wiffle balls. Set up both sides each with 6-10 cans/buckets in a triangle, and whichever team can clear the other side’s containers first, wins. Leave the drinking portion out when playing with kids.DIY Slip & Slide
You know the saying, “go big or go home.” Well, you’re already at home but why not go big, too? Store-bought Slip & Slides are plentiful, but their questionable quality usually doesn’t allow more than a few uses before they tear apart. Instead, a quick visit to your local home improvement store can yield a far better and more fun project. You’ll need:- A roll of heavy plastic sheeting (look for 6-mil or thicker)
- 10 pool noodles
- Two peel & stick Velcro sheets
- A hose and a sprinkler (if you don’t already have these at home)