Water is the best way to beat the heat! Grab beach towels and sunscreen, fill up the water balloons, and roll out the hose. Here are the best water activities to get kids—from toddlers to teens—learning and having fun in the summer sun. We even have some fun water activities that can be done inside on a gloomy day!
STAFF PICK
1. Create a rainbow
This crawling rainbow experiment will amaze the kids in your life. This science experiment teaches about capillary action using just water, paper towels, and food coloring. Watch our free video tutorial and grab the free Rainbow Walking Water Experiment printable worksheet.
2. Turn a plastic bottle into a sprinkler
No sprinkler? No problem! Upcycle a plastic water bottle and use your DIY sprinkler for all kinds of water activities.
Get tutorial: Build Your Own Sprinkler
3. Make your own slip-’n’-slide
A slip-’n’-slide is always a hit in summer. Make your own with plastic sheeting and stakes to hold it in place for an afternoon of sliding.
Get tutorial: How To Make a Giant Slip and Slide
Buy it: 6-pack of pool noodles, plastic sheeting, and lawn stakes at Amazon
4. Water ABC flowers
Grab the sidewalk chalk and plant a garden of colorful alphabet flowers. Then fill a watering can and “water” the flowers, calling out the letters along the way.
Get tutorial: Water the Flowers Alphabet Activity
5. Explore the water cycle
A sealed plastic bag is the perfect environment for re-creating the water cycle. Hang it in a sunny window and watch evaporation, condensation, and precipitation in action.
Get tutorial: The Water Cycle
Learn more: The Water Cycle for Kids (Google Slides, Video, and More)
6. Make and toss sponge bombs
Water balloons are fun, but they’re wasteful and messy too. These reusable “water bombs” are cheap, easy to make, and can be used for water activities over and over again.
Get tutorial: How To Make Sponge Bombs
Buy it: Sponges at Amazon
7. Build a water wheel
Brush up on your engineering skills and assemble a water wheel with paper plates and cups. Try it out in the sink, or take it outside and use a hose instead.
Get tutorial: Water Wheel STEM Activity
Buy it: Paper cups and paper plates at Amazon
8. Create a water blob
This trendy toy is all over the web, but there’s no need to spend big bucks to buy one. Instead, get some plastic sheeting and a hose and make your own.
Get tutorial: DIY Water Blob
9. Go fishing for numbers
Go fish! Float foam fish in a water table or kiddie pool. Add a paper clip to each one, and fish for them with a magnet on a string.
Get tutorial: Fishing for Numbers
10. Experiment with water filtration
STEM water activities are fun, educational, and perfect for summertime exploration. Scoop up water from a creek or lake, then see how different types of filtration work.
Get tutorial: Water Filtration Experiment
11. Play tag with spray bottles
Add a new twist to the classic game of tag. The kid who’s “It” gets the water bottle and chases the others down. If you’re hit by the spray, it’s your turn to be “It”!
Get tutorial: Spray Bottle Freeze Tag
Buy it: Spray bottles at Amazon
12. Make it rain
A little shaving cream and food coloring are all you need to perform this popular water science experiment about clouds and rain. Simple and fun!
Get tutorial: How Clouds Make Rain
13. Mix up bottle cap soup
Save bottle caps and paint letters on them. Then mix them all up in a big bowl of “soup” and let kids have fun scooping them out with spoons, ladles, or other tools.
Get tutorial: Simple Bottle Cap Soup Sensory Play
14. Water balloon joust
With a pool noodle and a fork for a sword, you can joust for water balloons! It’s lots of fun and good for kids’ hand-eye coordination too.
Get tutorial: Water Balloon Jousting Game
Buy it: 6-pack of pool noodles and Bunch-o’-Balloons water balloons at Amazon
15. The ol’ water bag trick
This is one of those STEM water activities that you simply have to see to believe. Pierce a water-filled bag again and again without spilling a drop of water!
Get tutorial: Pencil Through a Bag of Water Experiment: How-To Plus Free Worksheet
16. Rainbow water xylophone
This colorful, tuneful activity is sure to be a hit with kids of all ages. Experiment with different water depths and mallet styles to make all kinds of beautiful music.
Get tutorial: Rainbow Water Xylophone
17. Play Duck, Duck, Splash
It’s so much fun to turn classic games into water activities. In this take on Duck, Duck, Goose, the tagged person gets a good splash of water before they run.
Get tutorial: Duck, Duck, Splash
18. Water balloon phonics
Set up letter targets, then toss water balloons marked with letter combinations to make words. Water activities can be a fun way to learn sight words.
Get tutorial: Water Balloon Phonics
Buy it: Bunch-o’-Balloons water balloons at Amazon
19. Make a water cycle terrarium
This mini terrarium is a cinch to put together, and kids will be amazed to see how well it replicates the water cycle.
Get tutorial: Hands-On Water Cycle Fun
20. Water balloon piñatas
Dangle water balloons from a clothesline, then swing at them with a bag or stick. Instead of candy, you’re rewarded with a cool splash!
Get tutorial: How To Make Water Balloon Piñatas
Buy it: Bunch-o’-Balloons water balloons at Amazon
21. Build a LEGO dam
LEGO bricks are great on their own, but they also can be used for water activities. Use colorful bricks to build a dam, pool, or water course.
Get tutorial: LEGO STEM: Building Water Dams
22. Discover buoyancy and density
Take a nature stroll on a sunny day and pick up a variety of objects. Then bring them home and find out which ones float and which sink. Some of the results may surprise you!
Get tutorial: Sink and Float Water Play
23. Make a PVC pipe water shooter
These water shooters are simple to put together, and kids will be amazed by how far they shoot. Set up targets to test your accuracy.
Get tutorial: PVC Pipe Water Shooter Toy
Buy it: 1.5” PVC pipe, 3/4“ PVC pipe, and 6-pack of pool noodles at Amazon
24. Target toss
Draw a giant target marked with numbers, then stand back and aim with water balloons. Add up the numbers kids manage to hit to see who can get the highest score.
Get tutorial: Water Balloon Number Target Practice
Buy it: Bunch-o’-Balloons water balloons at Amazon
25. Pool noodle sprinkler
You don’t need a pool to get wet with these noodles! Tape them together and poke some holes, then connect them to a hose for the coolest sprinkler around.
Get tutorial: Ultimate Pool Noodle Sprinkler
Buy it: 6-pack of pool noodles at Amazon
26. Race to fill the bucket
Teams race to transfer water from one bucket to another using a sponge. Everyone is sure to get wet, and they’ll also have a blast!
Get tutorial: Fill the Bucket Outdoor Water Game
27. Make rainbow bubbles
What kid doesn’t love to play with bubbles? Fill a kiddie pool with them, and create a rainbow using liquid watercolor paints.
Get tutorial: Rainbow Bubbles
28. Swimming pool Scrabble
How clever is this? Write letters on sponges and float them in the pool. Kids swim out and grab letters, then bring them back to spell the best word they can.
Get tutorial: Swimming Pool Scrabble
29. Glow up the pool
Fill the pool with glow sticks to keep the water fun going after the sun goes down.
Get tutorial: Nighttime Pool Fun
Buy it: Glow sticks at Amazon
30. Water balloon yo-yo
Under-fill a water balloon and turn it into a yo-yo! Of course, it won’t last forever, so be prepared to get a little wet.
Get tutorial: Water Balloon Yo-Yos
Buy it: Bunch-o’-Balloons water balloons at Amazon
31. Make a water wall
Attach pool noodles to a pegboard using zip ties, then pour water to see where it lands. Simple water activities like this one can keep kids busy for hours.
Get tutorial: Pool Noodle Water Wall
Buy it: 6-pack of pool noodles at Amazon
32. Play car wash
Design a car wash with sponges and pool noodles that kids can take their bikes through.
Get tutorial: Tricycle Car Wash
Buy it: 6-pack of pool noodles and sponges at Amazon
33. Create a water maze
A collection of PVC pipes and connectors make totally fun real-life building toys. Add water for an even bigger impact.
Get tutorial: PVC Pipe Water Physics
Buy it: 1.5” PVC pipe at Amazon
34. Glow-in-the-dark water balloons
Join the fireflies with a nighttime water balloon fight! Simply add a glow stick to each balloon before you tie it off.
Get tutorial: Glow-in-the-Dark Water Balloons
Buy it: Glow sticks and Bunch-o’-Balloons water balloons at Amazon
35. Water balloon baseball
Use a plastic bat or pool noodle and some water balloons to play a game of baseball … for as long as the water balloons last, that is.
Get tutorial: Water Balloon Baseball
Buy it: Bunch-o’-Balloons water balloons at Amazon
36. Trampoline water balloons
You may need to make sure the adults don’t take over this activity! Fill a trampoline with water balloons and hop till they’re all popped.
Get tutorial: Water Balloon Splash
Buy it: Bunch-o’-Balloons water balloons at Amazon
37. Walk the plank
A baby pool, two supports, and a board are all you need to set up this pirate walk-the-plank activity. Add an inflatable crocodile for added suspense.
Get tutorial: Walk the Plank
38. Set up a pouring station
Toddlers and big kids love playing with water and jugs. Set up a pouring station and let them go to town pouring and mixing. Add food coloring to turn this into an art activity.
Get tutorial: Pouring Station Activity
39. Ice cube transfer
Ice cubes, a bowl, and tongs are the only things you’ll need for this activity. It seems simple, but sometimes simple is all kids need (and ice cubes, of course).
Get tutorial: Ice Transfer Activity
40. Water drop race
This activity that shows students how surface tension works using water droplets is a hit with kids of all ages.
Get tutorial: Surface Tension Water Drop Races
41. Water obstacle course
Use all the materials you have—hoses, sprinklers, buckets, and more—to create a water obstacle course. Even better, have the kids set it up and manage how they move through it.
Get tutorial: Outdoor Water Obstacle Course
42. Ocean sensory bin
Ocean animals, sand, and water create a sensory bin that will keep your kids occupied for hours.
Get tutorial: Ocean Small World and Sensory Bin
Buy it: 60-piece ocean animal set at Amazon
43. Wash dishes
This is another simple activity that kids love. Set up dishes and two bins for them to soap up and rinse, then dry them in the sun.
Get tutorial: Washing Dishes Sensory Bin
44. Spoon and balloon race
Turn the classic egg-and-spoon relay into a water activity using water balloons and wooden spoons.
Get tutorial: Water Balloon Egg & Spoon Race
Buy it: Bunch-o’-Balloons water balloons at Amazon
45. Freeze dino eggs
Freeze mini plastic dinosaurs in eggs and then chip away or smash them to get the dinos out.
Get tutorial: Frozen Dinosaur Eggs
Buy it: Miniature dinosaurs at Amazon
46. Paint with water
Get out all the painting materials and let kids go to town painting the patio, driveway, bricks, etc. By the time they’ve finished painting one area, they can go back and start again on the areas that have dried.
Get tutorial: Painting With Water
47. Letter target practice
Use golf balls, tees, and a water gun to set up alphabet target practice.
Get tutorial: Alphabet Target Practice With Water Guns
Buy it: Ping-Pong balls and water squirters at Amazon
48. Race cars with water shooters
See how powerful water can be by using it to push toy cars down the sidewalk.
Get tutorial: Car Race
Buy it: Water squirters at Amazon
49. Water balloon toss
Not just for the county fair, this game is fun for kids to set up and play with water balloons or wet sponges.
Get tutorial: Water Balloon Toss
Buy it: Bunch-o’-Balloons water balloons at Amazon
50. Create a sponge boat
Use a sponge and a water balloon to create a boat that will really go!
Get tutorial: Balloon-Powered Sponge Boat
Buy it: Bunch-o’-Balloons water balloons at Amazon
51. Paint with squirt guns
Set up an easel, fill squirt guns with colorful water, and go to town!
Get tutorial: Colorful Squirt Gun Painting
52. Make a river
This is a great way to maximize outdoor play or a sandbox. Use foil to create a river and use whatever you find in the backyard to create obstacles, bridges, and other features.
Get tutorial: Make a River
53. Take a sensory walk
This is a fun and easy thing to set up outside for kids during those warmer months. Get some low plastic buckets to fill with water and various other substances, and then make a chain of them for kids to walk through.
54. Throw a tea party
Who doesn’t love a good tea party, especially one that involves all of your favorite stuffed animals and buddies? Get a simple tea set and some plastic or paper bowls that kids can fill with water. Then, let their imaginations run wild as they act as the perfect host/hostess!
Buy it: Pretend Play Tea Set
55. Practice measuring
Cooking and baking with kids is always fun, but before you do, it makes sense to teach them to measure. Use colored salt or sand and water to practice measuring liquids and solids.
Get tutorial: Learning To Measure
Buy it: Rainbow Measuring Cups
56. Whip up a tornado
Grab some water, dish soap, vinegar, food coloring, and a bottle, and follow along to create your own storm!
57. Hold a rain gutter regatta
If you’re looking for a water activity for a group or organization, this staple of the Scouts is a great choice! Have kids make sailboats from recycled materials, then race them down the inflatable course. Kids blow on their sailboats to propel them down the lanes.
Buy it: Raingutter Regatta Inflatable at Amazon
58. Assemble ocean zone bottles
Learn the zones of the ocean with these clever bottles. Simply use food coloring to dye the water deeper shades of blue to represent the amount of sunlight that reaches each zone, then add a representative sea animal toy.
Learn more: Ocean Zones for Kids
59. Experiment with reusable water balloons
Reusable water balloons can be a lot of fun, and we especially like the idea of helping the environment by saving on waste. Purchase different types and then let your kids review them!
Buy it: Magnetic Reusable Water Balloons and Reusable Water Balls at Amazon
60. Race to fill and empty
This simple water-based relay race is easy to re-create. You’ll need empty water bottles, cups, and a bucket filled with water across from each of the racers. Then kids race to fill their water bottle and cross the line before their teammate races back to empty it.
Looking for more ways to have fun outside? Check out these Wet and Wild Outdoor Science Experiments and Activities.
Plus, check out 33 Books About Summer for Kids.
