It looks like today is set to be the hottest day of the year here, which is convenient timing since it’s also the first official day of Summer Vacation! I thought this might be the perfect time to do a round up of some exciting ideas for outdoor water play from around the web.
As usual, these ideas are Not Just Cute, they also encourage experimentation, gross motor development, and an understanding of the properties of water. As far as your kids can tell though, they’re just plain fun!
Try out this fun game of Sponge Bomb Bucket Toss from Inner Child Fun! Kids get to cool off while also building large motor skills and hand eye coordination — and having a blast in the process!
Build a foil river like this one from Filth Wizardry and experiment floating all kinds of home-made boats and nature treasures down your stream.
If you’re feeling handy, you can build this awesome Kid Wash with these instructions from Instructables. Before you know it, you’ll have all the kids in your neighborhood lining up to take a turn!
You could also go more free-form, letting your kids build and re-build a backyard sprinkler structure like this one at Preschool Daze. Just PVC pipe and fittings (which are generally fairly inexpensive), a hose, and a little imagination! What a great exercise in creativity and ingenuity!
Expand on that idea by creating a water exploration station, adding tubes, funnels, spigots, and valves like this example from Disney’s Family Fun.
You can also find more fun ideas for water exploration in my Preschool Water Study Unit.
What are your favorite ways to cool off with the kiddos?
[…] https://notjustcute.com/2012/06/04/wet-wild-fun-for-hot-summer-days/ and […]