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It’s Summer: Time For Fun And Games In The Water!
Water games, sprinklers, pools, and water balloons! Give your kids and volunteers tons of fun and will be so refreshing at your next event. Check out these creative water games to cool off your summer. These games are low-prep!
Water Balloon Games
Water Balloon Hoop Toss
Kids, standing 10-15 feet away, toss water balloons through the hoop (basketball hoop, hula hoop, tire swing, pool noodle duct-taped together to make a hoop). The winner is the one who gets the most balloons through the hoop in 10 seconds.
Water Ball Distance Toss
Using water balls, have kids form two lines facing each other. Give each member on Side A one soaked water ball. Have kids toss the water ball back and forth. Each time someone catches the ball, they take one step backward. (If you miss a catch, you and your partner are out of the game.) Re-soak balls as needed. Continue the play until there is only one team remaining. The winning team is the team that has the greatest distance between them.
Water Balloon Volleyball
The first team tosses a large balloon filled with water, underhand, over the next. The other team catches it and underhand tosses it back over. Teams earn points when the balloon breaks on the opposing team’s side. The winning team is the first team to earn 11 points. (Hint: In the game, the more water in the balloon, the better.)
Water Balloon Hot Potato
Play music while players stand or sit in a circle and toss a very filled water balloon around the circle. Stop the music at random. The person with the balloon when the music stops is “out.” The play continues until only one person remains.
Sprinkler Games
Sprinkler Freeze
While the sprinkler is turned off, have the kids dance to a song or play tag. Turn the sprinkler on and off at random. When the sprinkler is on, kids will stop and freeze until the water is off again.
Red Light, Green Light Under The Sprinkler
Play Red Light, Green Light with the sprinklers! Make it more interesting by turning the sprinkler off when it is a green light and on when it is a red light.
Cereal Bowl Race
Have kids stand in the sprinkler area, holding a cereal bowl on their heads. When they think it’s full, run to their team bucket, dump the bowl, and go back to the sprinkler to start again. The first team that fills their bucket wins. This game is fantastic because all players are in the game at the same time!
Duck, Duck, Goose … Sprinkler Style
Start it when the sprinkler is off. Then, turn it on mid-game.
Just For The Fun Of It
These ones are not a competition. Sing “Father Abraham”, do the hokey pokey, or dance to a kid’s praise song while in the sprinkler area.
Sprinkler Obstacle Course
Ahead of time, set up an obstacle course that goes in and out of the sprinkler area. Turn on the sprinkler and let the children do the course. Include activities like jumping jacks, walking like an elephant, or hopping like a rabbit.
Sprinkler Line Dance
Teach the kids a line dance to music, then do it under the sprinkler.
Relay Race With Sponges
Using 1 or 2 sponges per person, one at a time, run down to the big bucket full of water. Take your sponge and soak it in as much water as possible. Run back to your (smaller) team bucket and squeeze out the water. The next person runs to fill up their sponge. The first team to fill their bucket wins!
Sponge On Head Team Race
Using one big sponge per person, one at a time, run down to the big bucket full of water. Take your sponge and soak it in as much water as possible. Balance it on your head and run back to your (smaller) team bucket and squeeze out the water. Repeat with the next player. The first team to fill their bucket wins!
Squirt Guns Or Nerf Super Soakers Fun
Use empty soda pop cans, balloons tied to a string, stacked plastic cups, or helium-filled balloons. Use squirt guns Or Nerf Super Soakers to knock them down. NEVER encourage aiming a squirt gun at a person!
Cup Relay
Divide kids into two teams. Place a bucket at both the front and end of each line. The end bucket should have a line drawn around it marking the half-full measure. All kids face the front of the line except the last person. The last person sits with his back to the line, facing his bucket. The first player fills a plastic cup with water and hands it over his head to the next player. The play continues like that to the last person who dumps the water into the bucket. Once the last person pours the water into the end bucket, players pass the cup over their heads to the front person. Repeat until the end bucket is half full. The winning team is the first team to fill their bucket to the line.
Inflatable (Or Plastic) Pool Games
Blindfold Treasure Hunt
Fill the pool with small plastic toys, water toys, plastic eggs filled with coins, or bathtub toys. With a small pool, have the child kneel at the edge. Blindfold them, swirl the water, and have them reach out or down to get a prize. With a larger inflatable pool, let them kneel inside before being blindfolded. (Be sure if they move to SLIDE their knees in the pool, not lift them. This is a safer way to move.)
Balloon Volleyball In A Pool
Using a chair on each side of the pool, tie a rope on the chairs to create “the net.” Blow up a large balloon and play volleyball. For safety, be sure to have plenty of space between players.
Water Bottle Relay
One inflatable or plastic pool is needed to share, and each team has its own bucket and one water bottle. Place team buckets in a circle, every 20 feet from the pool. One team member grabs their water bottle, runs to the pool, fills it, then runs back and dumps it into their bucket. The play continues with the next team member. The first to fill their bucket is the winner. (Use 20 oz water bottles, 2 or 3-liter bottles, or any other plastic bottle. For fairness, be sure the teams all have the same size water bottle with the same sized opening.)
Diving For Treasure: No Hands, Just Feet
Fill a short pool with water and small toys such as these ocean creatures. Kids sit on the grass at the edge of the pool and use their feet to search for “treasure” and get a prize.
These water games are sure to make your next church picnic, Kids Water Day, or Youth Wacky Water Night a success! Choose your games, gather your supplies, and have a great time!
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