Water games are the ultimate fun activity in summer!

If there’s a topic most people discussed over the past few weeks, it’s definitely the high temperatures we have encountered lately. Not just locally in Malta, but practically all around the world wherever it is summer. What a heat wave that was! Gladly the worst seems to be over, but this summer is still a scorcher!

Apart from going to the beach or for a relaxing day by the pool, water games can easily be carried out at home in your yard or up on your roof.
These water games can be enjoyed by all the family, so they offer a great opportunity for quality time at home that will surely keep the children engaged, active and above all, fresh!

Here are my 5 simple and easy ideas for water games

1) Ice bowl treasures

What you need – a bowl, a few of your child’s smaller sized toys (that are fine getting wet), and water. 

  1. Put the toys in the bowl and fill the bowl with water.  Some toys will sink, others will float – that’s perfectly okay, and part of the fun!
  2. Place the bowl in the freezer and give it time until it freezes completely. The water and all the toys inside the bowl should be frozen into one block of ice. 
  3. Find a suitable place to carry out this activity. Ideally it should be outside in a yard on non-slippery floors or turf. 
  4. Flip the bowl upside down and wait for the block of ice to detach from the bowl
  5. Introduce it to your child as an ice block with hidden treasures inside. Allow them to use their toy hammers, tools, wooden spoons or anything they can dig and hit with. If your child is a fan of the Frozen movie, you may also present the ice block by pretending that Elsa froze the toys with her superpowers. 
  6. Hit after hit and dig after dig, the ice will melt slowly slowly and they will be able to save their toys out of the block of ice. 

    This should keep them occupied for a good time.. the bigger the bowl you choose, and the more toys you add, the longer they’re entertained! This is one of my youngest’s new favourite of all water games!

2) Water fight using DIY water bottles (instead of water guns)

What you need – 2 litre water bottles, one per person, and water

  1. Drill the caps of the 2 litre water bottles to make a hole in the middle of the cap.
  2. Fill the bottles with water.
  3. Hold it as if you are holding a water gun. Once you slightly squash the bottle, water will be squirted out of the hole. 
  4. Aim at each other and ‘fight’ till you get soaked wet! Refill and replay to your heart’s content! 

    Nothing like a good soak to make water games really fun!

3) Water balloon fun

What you need – water balloons, water

  1. Fill up the balloons with water to create a water balloon.
  2. Pretend the water balloons are water bombs, aim at each other, throw, and hope it pops onto your opponent!

4) Happy feet 

What you need – a bath or a small paddling pool, a few pebbles, and water

  1. Fill up the paddling pool or bath with some water and throw pebbles into the water. 
  2. Set a timer for your child. Their task is to grab the pebbles using their toes and drag them out of the water.
  3. Stop the timer once your child manages to save all the pebbles from the bottom.
  4. They can play again and again to try to beat their own record time.

This is one of the water games that not only keeps them refreshed and engaged, but also helps to improve their sensory skills and coordination abilities.

5) Musical statues

What you need – music, cup, and a bucketful of water

  1. Choose your child’s favourite music and let them dance along to it.
  2. Once you pause the song, your child needs to stop moving instantly. Just like when we play musical statues, they are only allowed to blink.
  3. You get to throw a cup of water at them whenever you catch them move or giggle.

There you have it! My 5 Easy Water Games for a Fun Summer Afternoon!
Guaranteed to beat the heat, and boredom too! Don’t forget to participate and have fun as a family, too!

Love,

Kayleigh xxx

PS: Learn more about Kayleigh and what she does at Kamaja Outdoors >
https://www.kamajaoutdoors.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/kayleigh_._x/