Summertime is here. I remember as a kid spending most of the summer playing outside with your brothers in the backyard. We had a pool, toys, trees and our imaginations to keep us occupied for hours on end.
As a mom, I want my kids to remain active throughout the summer months. I certainly don’t want them inactive watching television when it is gorgeous outside. Summer gives us new occasions for creative play. That means more time for water play at pools and beaches as well as at home.
For those of us that are stay-at-home moms/dads or anyone taking care of kids, summer is a great welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the school-year routine but can also create a challenge with regard to ways of keeping the kids engaged in learning outside of the home. The adjustment in the regular daily routine in addition to taking advantage of the change in weather makes for a perfect time to get the kids outdoors.
Toddlers and kids alike love the water. Whether they are stirring water, splashing in it, pouring it, adding things to it, they just love it. Water is an enormously valuable tool in child development. Water play can help teach science and math, improve physical ability, and cultivate cognitive development.
Here are some great toddler backyard water play activities for kids that are certain to keep them entertained and engaged all summer long.
Items
A few items for backyard water play (pick those that you have handy or buy from the dollar store):
• Buckets or dish tubs
• Small wading pool
• Large bowls
• Cups
• Pie tin
• Plastic jugs
• Plastic bottles
• Funnels
• Spray bottles
• Sponges
• Whisks
• Spoons
• Ladles
• Paint brushes or rollers
• Household items that float or sink (for example foam sheets, sticks, toys, paper, wash cloths, dolls, leaves, sand, rocks, etc.)
Activity Idea Examples
Baby Bath Time –- Dish tub, sudsy water, washable baby dolls, wash cloths, bath toys, and towels.
Washing Clothes — dish tub, sudsy water, wash cloths.
Bake a Mud Pie –- Sand, dirt, grass, leaves, water, plastic spoons, pie tins
Paint Shop –- Buckets of water, various size paint brushes, paint rollers, sidewalk, walls, fence, patio, etc.
The water play possibilities are endless. To me, there is nothing more precious than hearing my kids playing; hearing them as they use their imaginations to make up stories and activities with their toys and other available items. It is important to remember that while there is without doubt a time and place for more structured activities; summertime backyard water play should be a time of free play for kids of all ages.
16 responses to “Toddler Backyard Water Play”
Water Play!!! My kids love open water play. Great ideas!
These are such great ideas! I have the best memories of summertime and playing in the water all day.
My boys love water and will play for a long time in it. Yesterday they ran through the park sprinklers.
My toddler loves water and being outside of course and I think she would have a blast with something like this! Simple for me but super entertaining for her — sounds like a win-win to me! Thanks for sharing.
Great ideas! I used to “bake” mud pies all the time growing up.
Yep, it’s important to keep the kids busy. My favorite thing about this list is that everything on it is already in the house!! Thanks for sharing. :)
I loved playing mud pies and painting. Good ideas that brought back some good memories. Enjoyed my visit.
These are some great ideas! My toddler will be kept very busy this summer.
Great ideas!
This is a great list! We love playing out back during the summer and adding water to the mix always makes it a million times better. Especially when the temperatures start rising.
I remember going to the local pool with my family all summer long.. Those were the days! now i have to take care of a pool that gives me tons of issues every year.
My baby loves the water. He was a water birth. We got him this water sprinkler thing for kids for his birthday. It shoots water out of straws on this spinning colorful base. I will have to take pictures of it sometime. I miss the ocean. Nice ideas. Thank you.
Cute idea my kids love playing in the water that’s for sure!
My daughters love playing in a little tub of water on our patio! They play “tea,” bathing animals, swimming with dolls, pouring, splashing, and tons of other stuff!
Awh!! This made me want to go outside with the wee ones- so we’re off!
Kids have the chance to enjoy while they are young…