With summer just around the corner, you’re probably already brainstorming ideas to keep you and your kids cool over summer vacation. The blazing sun, the rising temperatures, and boundless amounts of energy all mean finding the right games for the kids to play is imperative. One of the best ways to keep the kids cool this summer is to play water games. But what else can you do besides simply spray them with a hose or have them run around through the sprinklers? Well, we’ve got you covered with these 30 super fun water games for kids to play all summer long.
WATER RACING GAMES FOR KIDS
Who doesn’t love a good race? Running around is sure to get you sweaty, so you might as well turn a standard race into a water racing game of some sort!
1. SPONGE RELAY
This is a relay race in which teams race to fill a bucket with just a sponge. To play this, set up a bucket full of water on one end of the race area. Then, place a small empty bucket beside each team, lining up behind the starting point. Then, when the race sounds, the first player of each team runs to the bucket full of water with a sponge. They must submerge the sponge in the water and race the sponge back to the empty bucket to squeeze as much water as they can into the bucket. Then, that player passes the sponge to the second player of the team, who does the same. Keep taking turns running to the water bucket and back to fill up the empty bucket with water as fast as possible. The first team to fill up their bucket wins!
2. SLIP AND SLIDE
A good slip and slide is always a fantastic idea for a hot day. But in this case, instead of simply running and sliding down the tarp, kids race down the slide (if there’s not enough space, use a timer to time it). The fastest wins the race!
3. WET T-SHIRT RELAY
A wet t-shirt is an amazing way to keep kids cool. To prepare for this water game for kids, you’ll need several t-shirts—one for each player. Then, divide everyone into teams to start the relay. Everyone lines up behind the starting point. Place a large bucket full of water on the other end of the relay race area and put all of the t-shirts inside, making sure each one is completely soaked.
Now that everything is ready, the game begins. The first player of each team runs to the large bucket and takes out one t-shirt that they need to put on themselves fully before they can run back to their team to tag the next player to do the same. The first team to finish wins.
4. LEAKY CUP RELAY
This is a super frustrating relay race that the kids will love playing. In this game, you’ll need to prepare beforehand by stabbing tiny holes at the bottom of every plastic cup that will be used for the game. To play this relay, teams race to one end of the playing field to fill their hole-y cup with water from a large bucket to transport back to their smaller bucket at the starting point. Then, the next player of each team can do the same. The first team to fill up their bucket despite their leaky cup wins.
5. ICE CRAWL
For this water game race, you’ll need ice cubes—the larger, the better. Give each player an ice cube to place in front of them at the starting point of the race. Then, when the race begins, each player must crawl on all fours and race their ice cube to the finish line by pushing it with their nose! The fastest player wins.
WATER GUN GAMES FOR KIDS
What’s a hot summer without some water guns? If you’ve got some water guns lying around, these are the best games for kids to play to stay cool in the summer heat.
6. DUCK RACE
Now, this is a super fun water gun game that is also a race. To play Duck Race, give each player a rubber duck and a water gun. If you don’t have enough for each kid, have them take turns and time their attempts. The objective of the game? Spray the rubber duckie from one end of a pool to the other. The fastest wins.
7. WATER GUN ARTIST
Water guns may typically be used to spray other people, but did you know that these guns can bring out the artistic side of you as well? You can use the precision of the stream to draw things on the pavement. Yell out certain things that the players have to draw with their water gun. The best drawing wins.
8. TARGET SHOOT
Set up a pyramid of plastic cups on one end of a table. All the players must stand behind the other end of the table. The players must use their water guns to knock over all 10 of the cups within a certain timeframe.
9. WATER GUN TAG
Probably one of the most classic water gun games for kids is Water Gun Tag. You play this game similarly to normal tag. However, instead of tagging players by tapping on them, you tag them by spraying them. So whoever gets sprayed is the new “it!”
10. PAINT THE T-SHIRT
This is a super fun water game for kids to play, but it will require a little bit of prep that is just as fun! To play, you’ll need a white t-shirt for each kid. Then, have the kids color targets in washable markers. Each kid should wear a t-shirt and grab a water gun. Now that everything is ready, here’s the objective: hit the bullseyes! Run around and try not to get hit on the bullseye while targeting other players!
11. DRIP TAG
This is a similar game, but instead of using a marker to draw a target, simply tape a piece of paper on the back of each player. As the players get soaked as they play standard tag, the paper may start to fall off! Once that happens, they’re out.
12. WATER GUN LIMBO
If you’re not sure about playing various versions of tag with a water gun, we’ve got a much calmer alternative for you. Limbo is one of our favorite birthday games for kids, but it’s perfect for any summer event. But put a wet twist to a classic game, and instead of using a stick, players have to limbo underneath a stream of water from a water gun! If you touch it, you’re out!
WATER BALLOON GAMES FOR KIDS
Your summer arsenal should always contain some water balloons. The balloons themselves are enough to entertain your kids, but if you want to make a game out of them, these are the best water balloon games for kids to play this summer.
13. WATER BALLOON TOSS
Let’s start off with an absolute classic in which you simply toss the balloons back and forth, taking a step back after each round, making it harder and harder. Inevitably, you’ll either drop the balloon or have it explode in your hand!
14. WATER BALLOON VOLLEYBALL
Did you know you can play volleyball with water balloons? Or, well, at least, a variation of it! Place a line that will act as the “net” with two players on either side. The two teammates must use a beach towel to lob the water balloon to the other team, who must try to catch it, and throw it back using their towel. If the water balloon drops on your side, the other team gets a point!
15. BALLOON PIÑATA
You’ll need to fill a lot of water balloons for this one! Then, hang them up on a tree or something similar. Blindfold the kids one by one and have them hit these makeshift piñatas with a stick!
16. WATER BALLOON POP RELAY
This is yet another fun relay game that’ll get all the kids having fun while keeping cool in the summer. In this relay, teams race against each other to run to the other side of the playing area to sit on a water balloon to pop it and then run back to tag the next player. The fastest team wins.
17. WATER BALLOON DODGEBALL
One of the most classic water games to play with a balloon is dodgeball. You play this just like you would play normal dodgeball, with two teams facing off against each other. However, instead of throwing balls back and forth to tag opposing players, you use water balloons. Whoever is hit by a balloon is out! And the team that manages to hit all of the other players of the other team before they are out wins.
18. WATER BALLOON RACE
This water balloon game for the summer works best with larger water balloons. To play this, pair everyone up. The pairs must work together to race to the finish line, but here’s the twist: a water balloon must be held between them at all times. This can be their stomachs, backs, or buttocks.
WATER GAMES FOR KIDS TO PLAY WITH A HOSE
Even if all you have is a hose, that’s enough to have fun all summer long! These are the best water games for kids to play with a garden hose.
19. FREEZE HOSE TAG
This is a fun water game to play that’ll have everyone running around screaming with laughter in no time. Simply play standard freeze tag, but the person with the hose is “it” and tries to freeze players with water. Remember, whoever is frozen can become unfrozen by being tagged by other players who are not “it”!
20. FILL THE CUP
Unlike the previous hose water game, this game is much calmer. But don’t worry; it will still keep the kids cool. For this game, you’ll need a large plastic cup or bucket. Players take turns filling the cup with the hose bit by bit. The player who makes the cup overflow loses.
21. HOSE JUMP ROPE
You may have played a variation of this game as kids before. In this one, one player stands in the middle holding the hose low. Then, they spin around and around as everyone jumps over the stream of water as it comes toward them. Try not to get wet!
22. HOSE THE BALLOON
Blow up a balloon (a normal one!) and have players spray the balloon with a hose in order to keep it up for as long as possible. Time all attempts to see who can keep the balloon up the longest.
23. DIY WATER SLIDE
To make your own DIY water slide, you do need extra materials beyond a simple garden hose. You’ll also need a camping tarp (the larger, the better) and some shampoo! Spread the tarp out on a sloped part of your yard, angle the hose just right so that it has a constant stream of water on top of the tarp, and lather the tarp with some shampoo to get it super slippery. Then, have kids simply slide down the slide for some summer fun!
Don’t worry if you don’t have a slope to place the tarp on. You can also put the tarp on a flat surface and have the kids run to slide across the tarp, which is just as fun!
24. POOL NOODLE SPRINKLER
In order to play this water game, you’ll need some pool noodles and duct tape. Tape all the noodles together to form a circle, then poke some holes in the noodles. Now, create a bigger hole on the top of the circle of noodles to place your hose in and start the water. And there you have it! A DIY sprinkler kids can run through and have fun in!
OTHER FUN WATER GAMES FOR KIDS
While these water games may not fall into a specific category, they are just as fun to play in the summer. Check out these other fun water games for kids.
25. SINK OR FLOAT
If you have younger kids and want to play something a little more educational, this is a fun one. Collect various items from around the house and gather them around a pool or tub. Then, have the kids guess whether the item will sink or float!
26. POOL FISHING
One of our favorite pool party games is pool fishing. For this game, you’ll need to buy a pool fishing kit, which you can easily find on Amazon. Then, simply let the magnetic toys loose in the pool, kiddie pool, or bathtub, and have the kids fish them out!
27. WATER PAINTING
Give the kids a cup of water and a brush for them to paint fences or sidewalks with water. Let their creativity run wild!
28. COLD POTATO
You may have heard of the game hot potato (a popular game for summer camp), but what about cold potato for the summer? You’ll need to prep for this game beforehand by freezing a wet sponge. Then, start the music and have the kids sit in a circle and pass the sponge around. Whoever is caught holding it when the music stops is out!
29. KIDDIE POOL BUBBLE BATH
If you’re looking for water games to play in a kiddie pool, this is a great one. When filling up the kiddie pool, add bubble bath to make the water foamy for some extra fun!
30. ICE RESCUE
A couple of days before, fill up an ice cream tub with water and place a few toys inside. When this block is fully frozen, place it outside for kids to rescue all of their frozen toys from the ice block. Allow them to be creative in retrieving their toys, using any (safe) tools at their disposal.
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