Cool Off with Outdoor Summer Fun

Summer is here, woohoo!  Hot weather, long days and the need to cool off go hand in hand with water games for kids.  Kids, and even adults, can have a blast in the yard, in a pool, at the lake or at the beach playing with water. Get your squirt guns ready!

I don't have my kids in back-to-back summer camps, so this leaves a big chunk of time for me to fill or let them fill themselves.  As any parent will tell you, our children's ability to find ways to entertain themselves can be a blessing or a curse! With hot weather, water games are always a big hit with my kids. If I use a little planning and then let the children play on their own it becomes a win-win for both of us.

I have some ground rules that I set for the kids before I let them go crazy with water.  First, the kids must be in their bathing suits before the fun starts. I let them know the boundaries of where they can play and what can get wet.  I also have a "stay outside" policy.  Once a child wants to come in they must get dried off and they can't go back outside for water games (I'm sure I've broken this rule a few times for potty breaks).  Overall, I found that when I let my children know what is expected prior to playing, even if they just played with buckets of water yesterday, then it all goes much more smoothly.

One of my favorite games for a bigger group of kids is the bucket relay.  It's best to have four buckets, but three will work as well.  Two buckets need to be the same size.  One or two buckets are filled with water and the two identical buckets are empty.  Using clean sponges (preferably one for each child), or smaller plastic containers that are the same size, see how high you can fill your empty bucket.  Set the empty buckets a reasonable distance from the full bucket(s). This game easily turns into a fun water fight with soaked sponges flying everywhere.

Water balloons are fun, but a bit messy.  The additional "you'll have to pick up the broken balloons" needs to be added to the ground rules.  Start with a water balloon toss.  We all know how this one ends!  Often the water balloons break so fast that cleaning up the balloons, not to mention filling the balloons, takes far longer than the game.  I like to have water guns ready for the kids once the water balloons have all broken.  This way they can get enough time playing with water.

Every kid loves Slip 'n Slide, even big kids.  My college age niece bought a double wide and had my children come over to her house to play. She said the Slip 'n Slide could have been longer for her, but she definitely enjoyed it!  Get creative and make your own out of tarps, garbage bags, plastic table cloths or other sturdy plastic material, some duct tape and a hose. It's a great project for your teenage kids, and they can make it longer than the store bought varieties that are generally only 16-20 ft. long. Rash guards are perfect for protecting the skin on tummies.  If you have no time for setting up the Slip 'n Slide, running through the sprinklers is always another good option for cooling down.

If you have a pool then get some games going.  Marco Polo is a classic.  My summer memories are filled with this game at my cousin's pool.  We never got bored of it!  Pool races are also fun.  Try a race where each person is pulling something.  Paddle races on rafts are great for a lake, but can also work in a pool. Rafts races can be very challenging and hilarious.

For your little ones, a wading pool is always a hit.  Have some small plastic containers for your toddler to fill and pour.  New, clean sponges are also entertaining.  A bucket or plastic wash basin will keep a toddler almost as happy as a kiddy pool.  Remember to always supervise your little ones around water, even a bucket of water can be a hazard.

Do you have any great water games that you played as a kid or that your children enjoy now?  Share with us.

Get wet, stay cool and have some fun!