Water Fun in the Sun

Sizzling summer days and water go great together. It is the perfect time to try some water activities that everyone will enjoy. Swimming pools are refreshing and a fantastic way to cool off while encouraging physical activity. However, we may not have access to a swimming pool or are looking for ways to cool off in our own backyard.

Water fun at home may include using a garden hose, sprinklers, buckets, bowls, cups, and other items that hold water. These simple supplies can be a lot of fun and break the same old complaint of being bored. Introduce these ideas to your family and see what other ideas they create for a fun afternoon of water play. Put on your swimsuit or clothing that can get wet and start playing!

• Jump the Water: Move a garden hose like a snake so the water sprays back and forth. Everyone jumps over the water as it moves.
• Water Limbo: Hold a garden hose and create a stream of water at shoulder height. Have participants go under the water stream while trying not to touch the water. Keep lowering the stream of water until everyone is wet.
• Water Tag: The person that is "it" gets the water gun or soaker and tries to “tag” someone by spraying them with water. Set boundary lines to limit the playing field and keep participants safe.
• Prize Freeze: Find small, age-appropriate toys (watch choking hazards for young children) that are waterproof. Place them in small containers or ice cube trays. Add water and freeze. Give the frozen chunks of ice to the participants. As soon as the ice melts, they get to play with the "prize". Participants can try different ways to get the ice to melt faster such as placing the ice on the hot cement, in their hands, in water, etc.
• Sponge Relay: Each team will need two buckets and one sponge. Fill one bucket with water and put a sponge in it for each team. Place the other bucket a set distance apart and see which team can transfer the most water from the full bucket to the empty bucket in a set amount of time. Try using plastic measuring cups to have the teams 'accurately' measure how much water they transferred.