You haven’t lived until you’ve played squirt gun soccer

We all know those summer days that are too hot and all you want is to jump through a sprinkler. With these water games, your family will have the chance to cool down while having a blast! Below, you’ll find our favorite water balloon games and water games for kids that will keep your family in cool-down mode all season long.

A note about water balloons: they are fun as can be, but please be sure to clean up your little pieces: they can be choking hazards for little birds. Have a few prizes as an incentive to get kids in on a quick clean-up.

1. Water Balloon Basketball

This easy water game is a slam dunk for any age because all kiddos need to do is point and shoot a squishy water balloon into a larger-than-regulation-sized hoop. To get the game started, have them hold a hula-hoop tummy level, the way you carry a laundry basket. Then line up kids for a turn to score two points. After each tiny baller sinks a splat-worthy shot, trade out the positions so everyone gets a turn. They shoot, they score on this one!

2. Water Balloon Towel Toss

Bust out beach towels for this easy-to-run toss water balloon game that’s a little like tennis, but without the net or the racquets. Kiddos play in teams of four, where each pair holds a beach towel gently between them, with a little bit of slack. The goal? To toss the balloon back and forth between two blankets without letting it drop… as many times as you can. The team with the most consecutive bounces (we’re betting they’ll be the driest of the bunch too!) wins!

3. Sponge Ball Relay

Get the energy out of your kiddos with a simple sponge ball relay race. Divide your group into two teams, then set up two empty buckets on one end of the yard, one for each team. Place another two buckets, full of water and sopping wet sponge balls, on the opposite end. When the whistle blows, one player from each team grabs a soaked sponge, runs it lickety-split to the empty bucket, and wrings out as much water as he or she can before running back to tag the next player. It’s easy to play this one with a time limit—the team with the fullest bucket wins! Or, until one team’s bucket spills over in victory.

4. Water Balloon Piñata

String up an array of colorful water balloons in the yard (over a tree, from the swing set) to serve as the piñata. Line up the Littles, and let each one take a swing in turn, with a plastic bat, or even a wrapping paper tube, in the hopes of hitting the delicate target, and letting loose the wild waterfall. Blindfolded or not, this is one guaranteed way to get wet! 

5. Water Balloon Pop!

water balloons for water games for kids
Gabriel Alenius via Unsplash

 

The kids will clock plenty of giggle mileage when they play this fast-paced water game. Break your group into two teams, each with a heaping bucket of fully-loaded water balloons. When you say go, one member from each team grabs a balloon, races down the yard, and tries to pop it with his or her body (think stomping, sitting, or even laying on it!). Guarantee a dousing by having the kids break balloons on a chair, or, let the ground take the brunt of the splash. Once the balloon is popped, it’s back to the start to tag the next kiddo. On your mark, get set, and go

6. Keep Your Eye on the Balloon

For this game, think carnival shooting range—floating balloons being used as target practice. For the set up you’ll need lots of helium balloons and weights that are strong enough to hold the balloons in place when they take direct hits. Spread the targets out on the playing field. Three rows—each a different height and different distance from the shooting line—work well. Then, have kidlets step right up and take their best shot; each time they get a hit, they get a prize. Bullseye!

7. Squirt Gun Soccer

You should probably start stockpiling super soakers for this one. Little athletes will have a blast with this no-kick version of soccer that trades feet for squirt guns, and traditional soccer balls for a lighter-than-air beach ball. To start this wannabe match, break the group into two teams, and arm each player with a fully loaded squirt gun. They’ll use the stream to move the ball around the field as they try to score (or block) a goal. Set up sports cones at either end of the field so they know where to aim, and then it’s time to play. Go, team! 

8. DIY Soakers

Just say no to broken water balloon bits littering the yard; use sponge balls instead! Just as throwable, just as drench-able, this soft alternative won’t leave behind a colorful mess for you to pick up. It’s Overflowing has the information you need in order to make your own colorful soakers.

9. Cup Races

Think NCAA tourney when you whip out cup races at the party. All the tiny kiddos will get a chance to work their way through the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight for a shot at the big time—the Final Four—as they compete head-to-head, racing plastic cups down a string, using squirt guns. Check out the setup and racing details at All for the Boys.

10. Sponge Ball Toss

Got buckets? Then you’ve got all you need for some sponge ball toss. Line the kidlets up facing each other a couple of feet apart, in two straight lines, Madeline style. One holds a bucket, the other a sopping wet sponge ball. The object? Toss the sponge ball into the bucket. The catch? With each successful toss, the bucket holder takes a step back. Once the player misses the bucket, it’s time to switch places. The prize? Soaking in the fun of it all.

11. Kiddie Pool Toe Diving

Put that tiny pool to good use with this water game. Fill it with trinkets, small toys, and pool toys. Then, set a time limit for each player. They have that amount of time to get as many items out of the pool with their toes as possible. The player with the most items at the end of the round wins. Want an adult version of this water game? Use a blindfold.

—with additional reporting by Taylor Clifton

 

Get ready to play! Inspired by products from the 1980s and 1990s, these toys from Fisher-Price will transport you back to the days of your youth.

If you buy something from the links in this article, we may earn affiliate commission or compensation.



Fisher-Price’s Laugh & Learn

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Puppy's Mixtape

$8 BUY NOW

The new Puppy Mixtape incorporates content that teaches the alphabet, counting and colors via fun songs, sounds and phrases. If you ever used a pencil to wrap the tape ribbon back up you'll love that Fisher-Price added an interactive tape ribbon that your little one can wind up and down.


Fisher-Price’s Laugh & Learn

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Busy Boombox

$20 BUY NOW

The Busy Boombox is loaded with music and lessons for babies. It even includes the key functions you would use the most in an actual boombox, such as the play button and volume lever.


Fisher-Price’s Laugh & Learn

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Lil' Gamer

$8 BUY NOW

This handheld pretend “gaming console” takes families back to the ‘90s with a D-pad, A and B buttons, pretend game cartridge and a light-up screen. The toy integrates nostalgic music, sounds and phrases, and teaches directions, colors, numbers and shapes.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of Fisher-Price

 

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Does your little one live for the daily visit from the postal worker? Now they can live out their mail dreams thanks to a special collaboration!

Kid Trax and the USPS have paired up to bring to special toys that bring the creative play and showcase local postal workers. Starting Jul. 13 you can order an interactive, ride-on USPS Mail Delivery Truck and USPS Post Office Tent that will make your kiddos feel like they’re the real deal.

The USPS Mail Delivery Truck Ride-On Toy is everything your little could want to deliver mail in style. It has a real mail slot, opening rear door, working headlights, horn, foot pedal acceleration and an FM radio/MP3 player input. Raise your hand if it’s fancier than your first car!

It comes with a mailbox, three plastic envelopes and a rechargeable battery and retails for $229.

And you can’t have a delivery truck without a post office! The USPS Post Office Tent has a roll-up front door, window, rear dock loading door, mail drop off slot, and a drive-up or walk-up delivery window. Parents will love that the play tent is easy to assemble and comes with a carrying case. It retails for $44 and is worth every penny!

The new toys will be available Amazon.com and KidTraxToys.com on Jul. 13.

––Karly Wood

All photos: Courtesy of Kid Trax

 

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Have you caught the first episode of the brand new Disney+ animated series, Star Wars: The Bad Batch? The spin-off series follows Clone Force 99, a group of mutated elite clone troopers and now kids can create their own with a brand new LEGO set.

The LEGO Star Wars™ The Bad Batch™ Attack Shuttle construction set is packed with all the Bad Batch details and includes two landspeeders, a buildable shuttle with weapons storage, spring-loaded shooters, foldable wings and the entire gang: Tech, Echo, Hunter, Wrecker and Crosshair.

 

The 969-piece set is geared towards kids nine and older has been created for children ages 9+. Once constructed, it measures seen inches high, 10 inches long and five inches wide.

The LEGO Star Wars™ The Bad Batch™ Attack Shuttle is priced at $99.99 and is available for pre-order now. General sales will be available starting Aug. 1 at LEGO.com, LEGO Stores and other retailers globally.

––Karly Wood

All photos: Courtesy of LEGO

 

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Like most four-year-olds, my granddaughter, Alma,” LOOOOVESSSS“ stickers! She has lots of sticker books that provoke limitless conversations and long periods of play.

From vehicles and outer space to ballerinas, unicorns, and various animals, these collections provide her with hours of fun. And in addition to being very entertaining, stickers are loaded with learning.

Discussions about her little stickies increase vocabulary and hone her verbal skills as she describes what they are and what they are doing. Using these stickers also develops excellent visual discrimination as well as sorting and categorization skills. Moving the stickers and placing them in new locations requires dexterity and improves fine motor skills, especially the important “pincer grasp” of thumb and pointer. All of the above are necessary skills for learning to read and write.

When Alma first came across the “pinata” sticker, she had never heard that word before. After learning what a pinata is and where you might find it, she set about to draw the picture above. Not only did she understand the meaning of a new word, but her imagination was sparked to create a scene complete with all the ingredients for a wonderful birthday celebration for her ladybug stuffy…presents, balloons, and yes, a piñata!

The next time you are considering a gift for a member of the Pre-K or kindergarten set, check out a sticker collection—they entertain and educate!

 

I am a parent and grandparent with over four decades of experience in early childhood education. I share my passion, wisdom and experience, with parents and the people who care for and about children at Little Folks Big Questions, where we're out to answer the questions parents face in today's world.

Spring is in the air, and that means it’s time to introduce my favorite toddler gardening activities! Gardening is great for kids ages 2-5 because it builds skills, gets them away from screens, and connects them with the big, wide world. Especially now, when there are fewer opportunities to get out and involved in the community, gardening can be another link in their social chain.

While it might sound exhausting to some moms, gardening with toddlers can be a lot of fun if you manage your expectations. Let’s be clear: there will be no Better Homes & Gardens cover images from your backyard. Your toddler will need to learn what they can and can’t do in the garden, and will probably make some mistakes along the way. But you’ll have something better than a pristine backyard: an occupied toddler!

Here are 7 concrete ways to get your toddler gardening that will keep them busy for at least fifteen minutes.

1. Planting
If you’re sowing plants with big seeds, call up the toddler troops. Pea, bean, squash, and sunflower seeds are the perfect sizes for little hands with limited coordination.

Start by grabbing a muffin tin and pressing it into the ground. This makes perfectly spaced indentations as a guide for your child. Have them poke one hole in each indentation (or one hole per pot if you’re gardening with containers). This will be about half the length of their pointer finger. Then they can practice putting one seed in each hole and covering it. In a few days, they’ll be rewarded with adorable green sprouts.

2. Watering
You know your kids best, so you can judge what exactly they can handle. Some toddlers might be able to use a partially filled adult-sized watering can. Others might be better suited to a toy watering can, or holding the hose with you. You can also make homemade watering cans using a milk jug with holes poked in the side. Finally, you might have a very young toddler whose best bet is a measuring cup filled and emptied over and over on some very sturdy plants.

3. Bug checks
One of the best ways to keep your garden pest-free is regularly picking bugs off your plants by hand. This is the perfect job for toddlers in the garden, especially those who love creepy-crawlies. I know my toddler just loves this job. (Well actually, she might just enjoy eating beetles.)

Teach your little one to identify good bugs like spiders, ladybugs, praying mantises. Then, learn what common bad bugs look like, including tomato hornworms, Japanese beetles, squash bugs. When you go out, bring a bucket of warm, soapy water around your garden. Every time they find one, have them drop it in the bucket.

4. Weeding
Of all the toddler gardening activities, this is the most dubious. After all, you don’t want your prized, heirloom tomato seedlings yanked up by an eager three-year-old!

I suggest only letting toddlers join your weeding team in July or later. Your veggies should be quite large by then, and the weeds are (hopefully) much smaller. Most older toddlers can follow a simple rule of “only pull the little ones.”

The other challenge with letting toddlers help weed is that they’re unlikely to have great technique. Instead of digging in and pulling weeds out by the roots, they’re likely to only yank aboveground leaves. If you’re making weeding a regular part of your daily schedule (or even just once or twice a week) this will be fine. Pulling weeds often is what prevents them from taking over.

5. Loading wheelbarrows 
Sometimes, you just want to do all the weeding yourself. That’s okay, because kids can still get involved by loading up wheelbarrows. Have them follow behind you, gleefully chucking little handfuls of weeds into the wheelbarrow.

Warning: some handfuls will probably end up on you, the toddler, or other passing siblings.

6. Harvesting
Is there anything more rewarding than picking your fruits and vegetables after weeks of hard work? Get your little guys used to that joy and excitement by letting them help with the fun stuff, not just the work.

Obviously, some plants are less-suited to toddler harvesting than others. Plants that could be damaged by rough pulling are probably not a good bet for independent gathering. Toddlers should also be supervised to make sure they only pick ripe fruits.

7. Fall clean up
When the summer has passed and all that’s left of your garden is dried vines and stalks, it’s time to put your beds to bed. Toddlers are easily amused by the idea that gardens go “nighty night” for the winter and need to be tucked in, so let them help.

Have them wear those cute little gardening gloves (or snow mittens, if that’s easier) and yank up all non-perennial plants. I recommend using gloves because some common plants like squashes, cucumbers, and pumpkins, have very prickly vines.

Once everything’s out of the ground, have them help put compost on the beds. Fall is a great time to add nutrients to your garden because weeds won’t immediately grow and deplete them. Plus, the cold weather gives your compost time to fully break down and mix into the soil.

Have your little tike help you shovel 2-3 inches of fresh compost onto your beds. This job is ideal for toddlers because it requires no accuracy, serious muscles, or dexterity. If your kid can chuck their dinner off the table, they’ll do just fine with compost.

As a bonus, they get messy! (Ok, maybe that’s not a selling point…)

This post originally appeared on Homegrown Hillary.

Hillary is a former high school teacher who went rogue and became a freelance writer. She's also a certified doula and yes, she'd love to hear your birth story. When not offering support and advice to families, she tends to her garden, two tiny humans, husband, and cat.

   

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: baseball season! As Spring Training heats up, it’s time to get your game face on and stock up on the gear you’ll need to get you through the 162-game season.

Not only can mom and dad sport the look, but the kiddos can too! We’ve done all the scout work for you and found some of the cutest tiny MLB gear for babies and kids. Play ball!

WubbaNub

It's a paci and lovey all in one and it's here for your #1 fan. Pick from 16 of the hottest team and get your cheer on!

Available at wubbanub.com, $19.95

Cubcoats

Plushie and hoodie combine in this adorable new offering from Cubcoats! Take your fave pal to the game and when it gets chilly, transform into a team-winning jacket.

Available at cubcoats.com, $50+

chewbeads MLB Teethers

Drool in team style with chewbeads! Coming in your fave team's colors, even baby can get in on the spirit.

Available at buybuybaby and chewbeads.com, $18+

Franklin Baseball Glove

Can you go to a game without your own glove? Sure, but how will you catch those foul balls! Snag a team-colored glove and keep your eye on the ball.

Available on Amazon, $20.

Pacifiers

As if babies with paci's could get any cuter, these take it to the next level. Choose from a handful of teams and let the soothing begin.

Available at fanatics, $13

Personalized Crib Sheets

Send your babe into baseball dreamland with customizable sheets! Pick your own pattern and let the crafty peeps on Etsy do their thing.

Available on Etsy, $27

Tervis Tumbler

Save the planet and cheer on your team with a Tervis. Made to last, they make the perfect cups for kiddos.

Available on tervis.com, $16.99

Jersey Romper

It's a jersey, it's a romper––it's ultimate babe style. Let your little show their team spirit in this adorable outfit.

Available on mlbshop.com, $40

Musical Mobile

Complete the ultimate look for you mini sports fan! It comes loaded with 12 songs, but we're not sure if "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" is one of them.

Available at buybuybaby.com

Bandana Bib

Yes, drooling can be cute when you're sporting an MLB inspired bib! They're made to be reversible and come with easy snaps for simple on and off.

Available on Etsy, $6

––Karly Wood

All photos: Courtesy of retailers

 

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Crate and Barrel has recalled their Kids Danish Tall Bookcases because the legs can break and cause them to collapse when fully loaded. This recall involves Crate and Barrel Danish White and Natural Tall Bookcases (SKU 325982) and Danish Walnut and White Tall Bookcases (SKU 325943). Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled bookcase and contact Crate and Barrel to receive a full refund.

Danish White and Natural Tall Bookcases

The bookcases have four shelves and measure 60 inches tall by 32 inches wide.  The bookcase has a two-tone white and wood finish.  There is a label underneath the bottom shelf with Crate and Barrel, the SKU number and the name of the product.

The bookcases were sold at Crate and Barrel stores nationwide and online at www.crateandbarrel.com from June 2017 through January 2020 for about $300.

Crate and Barrel has received five reports of the bookcase’s leg breaking.  No injuries have been reported.

Consumers can contact Crate and Barrel at 800-451-8217 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT Mon. through Fri., 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT Sat. and Sun. or online at www.crateandbarrel.com  and click on “Recalls” located at the bottom of the page for more information.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of Crate and Barrel

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Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble, the witches over at Hershey’s have conjured up a new candy bar. KIT KAT Witches Brew adds a little bit of magic to your Halloween candy bucket. This has to be the tastiest treat to ever come out of a cauldron. 

KIT KAT Witches Brew

Loaded with marshmallow flavor, the iconic KIT KAT wafers are covered in an eerie green creme. KIT KAT Witches Brew follows other recent KIT KAT launches including Apple Pie and Birthday Cake.

Available nationwide, for a limited time, a standard 9.8 ounce bag will retail for $3.89.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Hershey’s

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Looking for something fun to do tonight? Pop some popcorn, because Dolittle is now available on Digital. Watch never before seen behind the scenes, secrets on the making of the film, cast interviews and more. 

Dolittle

The digital release of Dolittle was announced in a post on the movie’s official Twitter page, which says, “Bring home the movie all the animals are talking about! A fun epic adventure for the whole family, Dolittle is loaded with behind-the-scenes, cast interviews, and more! Digital 3/24 & Blu-ray 4/ 7.”

The film, starring Robert Downey Jr., includes the voice talents of Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, Selena Gomez, John Cena, Tom Holland and more. The film is directed by Stephen Gaghan and produced by Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Universal Pictures

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