Hot enough ? Water games with the kids ... - Big Big Forums

Jolie Rouge · 06-26-2009, 02:30 PM

It is over 100 degrees here and adding the heat index it has been over 115. So here are some ideas to keep it cool with the kids ...

Wacky Water Games For Your Kids Party
Twelve wacky water game ideas are a cool addition to any summer party. Choose from favorites like water limbo, musical sprinkler, sponge tag, and more.
BUBBLE POOL

Set up a kiddie pool and fill with bubble solution. Supply kids with an assortment of bubble blowers. Stretched coat hangers are great for giant bubbles. Have each child stand in the middle of the bubble pool inside a hula hoop. Pull the hoop upward to create a mega-bubble with the child inside it!

COLD POTATO

Have players stand or sit in a circle outside. A water balloon is passed from player to player. However, the balloon is not passed around the circle as in traditional "hot potato". It is thrown across the circle from player to player. If a players fails to catch the balloon, or it breaks when he or she attempts to catch it, that player is out.

If a players intentionally throw the balloon hard to make it explode in another's hands, he or she is called "out". Older kids can spread farther apart if necessary. The game proceeds until there is one dry person left.

WATER LIMBO

Set up a water hose in a grassy area. Line kids up as in traditional limbo. An adult is in charge of the water hose, shooting a powerful stream of water for kids to limbo under. Adult starts with the hose high, then lowers the steam of water after each round. Losers, of course, get soaked!

MUSICAL SPRINKLER

Hook up a sprinkler to your water source, but don't turn it on yet. Instruct players to move around the sprinkler area, dancing, hopping, or striking funny poses. When the sprinkler is turned on, kids must freeze in position without moving until the sprinkler is turned off again. Bathing suits a "must" for this game.

WATER BALLOON VOLLEY

You'll need a bucket full of water balloons for this game. Divide kids into two teams and pair them up. Each pair gets a beach towel and each child holds two corners of the towel. One side begins by placing a water balloon in the center of their towel. The object is to toss the balloon from one pair of kids to another, with the opposing side catching the balloon in their towel.

This can be played with a net, or simply pace off a distance between opposing teams. Kids volley back and forth till someone misses and the balloon breaks. This gives the other team a point.

For small children, use a sheet or blanket instead of towels. Divide into two teams and have each child hold onto the edge of the one of the sheets. Volley until one of the teams misses.

WATER BRIGADE

Divide players into two or more teams of about 4-5 kids. Place empty buckets for each team about 25 paces away. Each team gets their own full bucket of water at the starting line. The object of the game is to transfer water from the starting line to the finish line bucket, with whichever means is available...

Traditional - Each player gets a small cup to transfer water from the starting line to the finish line bucket.

Variation - Each player gets one of these items - spoon, cup, bowl, pie plate, Tupperware container

Sponge version- Each player gets a sponge to suck up water at the starting line and squeeze it out into the finish line bucket.

BUCKET BRIGADE

Divide players into two teams and line them up from start to finish line. Players each have a bucket in hand. A kiddie pool or large bucket is available at the starting line. The player closest to the water source scoops up a bucketful and pours it into the next closest player's bucket. That player turns and does the same, and so on down the line.

The last player dumps whatever water is left into the finish line bucket. The first team to fill their bucket wins. Kids will get excited and try to go fast, spilling water on themselves and each other. Good for a nice hot day.

SPONGE TAG

A twist on traditional tag, this game is played with a big soft sponge like the kind used to wash your car. The player who is "It" must use the wet sponge to tag another player, who then becomes the new "It". There will be no doubt about who is tagged because they'll be wearing a big wet splat mark on their back!

EXTERMINATOR

This is an outdoor party game, especially great for a hot day. Set off a game area and spread several beach towels on the ground in various locations. These are the anthills. One child is designated the "Exterminator" and is armed with a spray bottle of water. The other guests are ants. The Exterminator must get rid of the ants by spraying them with his bottle of insecticide.

When a player is sprayed, they must lay on the ground with arms and legs in the air - like a dead bug! The other players rescue the dead ants and bring them back to life by carrying them by the arms and legs to one of the anthills. (While an ant rescue is taking place, the Exterminator cannot spray any of the rescuers.) Once placed on an anthill, the dead ants come back to life and can rejoin the game. This game can go on for quite awhile!

ICE CUBE MELT

Divide players into two teams and line them up. The first player on each is given an ice cube. The child must rub the ice cube between his hands for as long as possible to try to make it melt. When he or she gets too cold, the ice cube is passed to the next child in line. The first team to melt the ice cube wins.

FABULOUS FROZEN FEET

Have kids sit along the edge of a kiddie pool filled with water. Each player has their own empty bucket or bowl beside them. Now dump a big pile of ice cubes into the pool. At the starting signal, players must pick up as many ice cubes as they can and put them into their own buckets. The catch is that they must use only their feet. The player who collects the most ice cubes
within a designated time period is the winner.

WATER WAR

Arm kids with an arsenal of water weapons, such as squirt guns, squirt bottles, turkey basters, sponges, water balloons - anything that can hold and/or shoot water. Let them go wild!

http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/2-26-2005-66293.asp

Jolie Rouge · 06-26-2009, 02:33 PM

Don't be a Drip!

You'll need: Balloons, a safety pin and a faucet

Poke a hole in a balloon using a safety pin.
Then fill it with water and tie the end to create a time bomb with a slow leak. Players stand in a circle and toss the balloon around. The idea is
not to be the one holding the balloon when it runs out of water.
The focus really isn't on winning or losing, it's on how much fun you have while cooling off!

Ice Ball Surprise

For each child, insert a small toy or piece of plastic jewelry into a balloon. Fill the balloon with water, knot and freeze solid over night. Before giving out the goodies, cut away the balloon Young guests will have fun pushing their ice ball around a kiddy pool and watching it melt into something special.
Bonus activity: Perfect party favor for a hot summer day?
Keeping empty frozen balloons in the freezer provides a quick response to "I'm hot and bored"

Squirt Water Relay - "The Turkey Baster Game"
This game has been a huge hit at all of our summer parties?
kids and adults enjoy the challenge.

Two buckets or tubs per team
A plastic turkey baster per team

To Play : Each team is given one full bucket of water at the start line.
Set the empty bucket some distance from the start line. The distance depends on the age of the players. The challenge is to be the first team to transfer the water in the full bucket to the empty bucket, using only a turkey baster. Players take turns relay race style

Variation? Use big sponges to transfer the water instead of basters.

"Bubble Pie."

What You'll Need:

Play area
Four buckets of liquid dish soap
Hose and water
Aluminum pie tins

Fill two big buckets with sudsy, soapy water. Put two empty buckets on the opposite end of the playing field.

Divide into two teams, each lined up behind the soapy bucket. The leader in each line holds the empty pie tin.

When the whistle blows, fill the pie tin with soapy water and head for the opposite end of the field. Dump what's left of your "pie" in the empty bucket and run back to your line.

Pass the empty pie pan to the next person in line, then head for the back of the line. That person repeats the whole process, which continues until everyone in the line has had a turn.

The team with the most bubbly water in the bucket at the other end of the field claims the bubble championship.

Spoon Spill
When you spill water on your favorite drawing, it's no fun. But in the spoon spill game, when you spill water spoon by spoon onto a piece of construction paper, it's a race to the wettest! Sometimes, soggy rules supreme!

What You'll Need:

Teaspoons
Dark-colored construction paper
Paper cups

Each player gets a teaspoon, a paper cup of water, and 60 seconds.

Whoever gets their piece of paper the wettest from a distance of three feet in just one minute wins the game.

But remember, no fair tossing your whole cup of water. The idea is to win this race one spoon at a time.

One hint: Be sure to use construction paper. It shows (and absorbs) water better than other kinds of paper.

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Water Balloon Launcher Activity
This water balloon launcher activity requires some help from an adult, but the payoff will be well worth it: Kids will be able to send water balloons rocketing through the air!

What You'll Need:

Adult
Awl or drill
Large plastic funnel
12 feet of rubber tubing
Dozens of water balloons
Two buckets
Plastic garbage can lids

Help kids assemble the water balloon launcher by using an awl or drill to make four holes in the upper rim of a large plastic funnel and cutting the rubber tubing into two equal lengths. Tie an end of the tubing to each of the four holes so that the funnel has two big loops of tube coming from each side.

Firing the launcher requires three people. Have two people hold the loops, one on each side, with their arms in the air and the launcher stretched between them.

The third person puts a water balloon in the funnel and pulls back on the funnel as far as it will go and touches it to the ground, then releases it, sending the balloon flying.

To play water balloon battleship, you'll need two launchers and two buckets of water balloons. Divide the players into two teams with at least four players per team.

Three "cannoneers" operate the launcher and the fourth, the "powder monkey," fetches the water balloons. Extra players can carry plastic garbage can lids to protect their teammates. Each bucket of balloons should be behind the team and off to the side.

At a signal, the powder monkeys run and fetch one water balloon at a time for their team. Teams fire balloons as fast as they can. A person hit directly is "wounded" and must move around on one leg only.

A second "hit" puts the player out of the game for an agreed-on period of time. You can vary the rules according to the number of players and how well they play. A heavy splash might count as a "wound" if a team's aim is not good.

Kid Classic: Spray-bottle Capture the Flag
Teams must defend water balloon "flags," while trying to stomp the opposition's!

WHAT YOU NEED:
Two filled water balloons
One spray bottle per player
4 players or more, divided into two teams

HOW TO PLAY:
1. To play this water version of the classic camp game, divide everyone into two teams.

2. Each must defend a flag (a water balloon) while trying to capture (and stomp on) the opposing team's.

3. Instead of tagging opposing players to "freeze" them, you squirt them with a spray bottle.

4. To release teammates from a freeze, you have to squirt them again.

My Cup Runneth Over
Every drop counts in this soaking-wet sprinkler challenge.

WHAT YOU NEED:
Plastic tumblers
Sprinkler

HOW TO PLAY:
1. Two players or teams stand on opposite sides of an oscillating sprinkler.

2. When the sheet of water passes into his or her side, each player tries to be the first to completely fill a cup or yogurt container.

3. Players must keep both feet planted. Anyone who takes a step has to dump the contents of their cup over their own head.

VARIATIONS:
Players gather around the perimeter of an impact sprinkler (the tick-tick-tick, fttttttttwp kind) and, without moving their feet, try to fill a cup as the stream of water passes by.

http://familyfun.go.com/games/indoor-outdoor-games/