My focus for this series is to identify ways my kids can play outside. There are currently 2 things my kids know how to do outside and that’s play with the hose and swim in the pool. Anything beyond that and they seem to shut down. So I’m hoping this list will help them expand out of their comfort zone and find other fun things to do.

I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but this list is all about water! They naturally gravitate towards it. So far it’s been the one thing that keeps them entertained and outside playing the longest. Let’s use that as our starting point.

5 Fun Things to do Outside with Water:

1. Play in the Hose – OK, this one is really obvious! When I was a kid, we used to put our thumb over the end of the hose and spray it up like a rainbow. The others would run through it. This also works with an attachment on the end of the hose. Regardless, it’s an easy way to cool off in the summer heat. Or simply take turns spraying each other. That’s what my kids like to do (the only thing they seem to like to do outside).
2. Squirt Gun Tag – What better way to cool down than to play with squirt guns. They don’t even have to play tag. Just put a full squirt gun in their hand and they should be completely distracted with spraying each other and everything else in sight.
3. Slip & Slide – You can find them in stores. However, our experience is they aren’t very good. At least not how I remember them being. You can also make one yourself with some plastic poly sheeting from Home Depot/Lowes (paint section). This would be a little more heavy duty. Just roll it out in the yard (preferably on a hill). Either weigh it down with something that is heavy but won’t hurt as you slide past like sand bags. Or try yard staples. Wet it down with the hose or rain and you are set! For added slip, put a little soap on it (dish soap or tearless baby shampoo).
4. Sprinklers – Of course you can buy a sprinkler at the store. You can also make one with a 20 ounce Coke bottle. Just remove the lid, drill lots of tiny holes through the plastic, then attach it to the end of your hose. We have used duct tape to make it easy. Lay it in the yard and when you turn the water on it will fill up and spray water out through the holes. Instant sprinkler.
5. Sponge Bombs – I’m sure you’ve seen all of the pins on Pinterest to make your own sponge bombs. It’s simple. Buy sponges at the dollar store. Cut them into 1/2 inch strips. Put a rubber band tightly around the center of a group of sponge strips. One sponge per bomb. Then manually move the pieces around and fan them out to get the shape you want.What can you do with sponge bombs?
   1. Sponge Fight – Give each kid a bucket of water to dip their sponges in. Throw them at each other.
   2. Bucket Fill Up – Give each kid 2 buckets/bowls. Fill one up with water. Have a relay race. Have them run down to the water, dip their sponge, and run back to the empty bowl. Squeeze as much water out as they can into the empty bowl. Continue for a specified amount of time. The person with the most water in their bowl wins.
   3. Catch – Give one kid a bucket with water and sponges in it. The other kid gets a bowl to catch them in. Pick up a water soaked sponge and throw it up in the air. Then try to catch them while getting splashed. Or let each kid throw their own wet sponge into the air and catch it.

To check out the first two installments of the list see the links below.

Part 1 of the List: Balls
Part 2 of the List: Dirt

Enjoy!