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5 Fun and Easy Ways to Play with Water

By Jen Kossowan, Mama.Papa.Bubba

Jul 21, 2016

Playing with water on a warm sunny day is fun, it’s easy, it’s inexpensive, and I don’t think I’ve ever met a kid who doesn’t enjoy it! There’s just something wonderful about getting wet and drying in the summer sun, isn’t there? 

Here are 5 tried and tested water play ideas that are easy to set up, use things you already have around the house, and are enjoyable for big and little kids:

A little girl washing a wagon with a sponge and a bowl of soapy water.
1. Wagon wash 

Or bike, scooter or play house wash, for that matter. Kids love to wash things, so give your little ones a bucket of warm soapy water and a cloth or a sponge, and let them go to town on all of their outdoor toys!  Everything will be shiny and clean in no time.


You'll also love: Mermaid Ice Excavation—Sensory Play


Using droppers to mix food colouring and water in a plastic ice-cube tray.
2.  Water colour laboratory 

Combining colours to create new ones is such a magical thing for little ones. Set up a colour laboratory by putting out a tray of containers and filling just a few of them with red, blue, and yellow water coloured with food dye or liquid water colours. If you have them, pipettes or old medicine droppers make a fun addition too. With everything set out, invite your little ones to pour and mix until their heart’s content.

Washing a baby doll in a small tub of soapy water.
3. Baby bath

Turn a big plastic bin into a baby doll bath with the addition of some warm soapy water, a cloth, and a rubber ducky. If you have one, fill a nearly empty liquid soap container up with water (the foaming ones are especially fun) and toss in an old toothbrush too! Your kiddos will love making sure their babies are squeaky clean.


You'll Also Love: Dinosaur Sensory Soup—Water Play Activity


Pouring brown-coloured water into a cup.
4.  Pretend play cafe.

Put empty coffee shop cups, lids, and straws to good use by opening your own outdoor cafe. Include some ice cubes and a pitcher filled with cool water dyed brown with food colouring or liquid watercolours and let your little barista fill orders for iced drinks! 

A tub of soapy water with plastic dishes being dipped and washed.
5.  Outdoor dishwashing station 

Oh, the fun! Let your little one be just like mom or dad by filling a bin with warm soapy water and giving them a cloth, scrub brush and some plastic dishes to wash. A squeeze bottle filled with clean water is perfect for rinsing the dishes afterwards and a dish drying rack adds to the fun too! 

Well, that’s it!  5 fun and easy ways to play with water with your munchkins this summer…  Enjoy getting wet!

Article Author Jen Kossowan
Jen Kossowan

See all of Jen's posts.

Jen is a teacher, blogger, and mama to a spirited little lady and a preemie baby boy. She's passionate about play, loves a good DIY project, adores travelling, and can often be found in the kitchen creating recipes that meet her crunchy mama criteria. You can follow Jen on her blog, Mama.Papa.Bubba, and on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.