Summer in the garden: 5 fun water games for kids

When we say "water slide", we usually think of the large slides we see in water parks. However, you can quickly build a water slide in your own garden that’s just as fun!

You need:

• Plastic tarpaulin (e.g. general-purpose tarpaulin from the hardware store)

• Garden hose

How it's done:

Take the tarpaulin and lay it down lengthwise. To turn it into a water slide, you can either pour water over it or directly attach the garden hose to the starting end of the tarpaulin. Ready? Slide away!
Depending on the age and stability of your kids, you can spread a little soap over the tarpaulin to make it more slippery. Be careful not to make it too slippery – we don’t want anyone to get hurt!

This game is about skills! The task is to tackle an obstacle course with a filled water balloon between your knees. Suitable obstacles for your course might be a slalom track made of toys or a broomstick converted into a limbo pole. Whoever finishes the course without losing their water balloon wins the game!

You need:

• Balloons or water bombs filled with water

• Obstacles such as a broomstick, a rope, toys or similar objects

Tip: The game can also be played in teams where two players try to balance a water balloon between their heads and tackle the course together.

On your marks, get set, go! This game is all about team spirit!

You need (for each team):

• A large bucket full of water

• An empty bucket

• One cup

How it's done:

The empty buckets and the buckets filled with water are placed up in a row a few meters apart from one another – they mark the course. Each team starts next to the full bucket. In the relay race they now try to fill the empty bucket at the other end of the course using only the cup for help.
The first player of each time scoops water into their cup at the start and runs over to the empty bucket as quickly as possible to dump the water in. Afterwards, they run back and pass the cup onto the next player and it goes on. The team that has filled more water into the empty bucket after 5 minutes time wins.

Tip: It becomes a little more difficult if the teams are equipped with sponges instead of cups and have to wring them out over the empty buckets!

Which boat will reach the edge of the pool first?

You need (per player):

• Half a walnut shell

• Some playdough

• Optional: A toothpick and a triangle piece of paper

That's how it's done:

Each player gets half a walnut shell and puts a little playdough in it. If you want to personalize your “boat”, make a sail out of a toothbrush and a triangle piece of paper and write your name on it.

All players put their boats into the pool and let them sail all the way to the edge of the pool. To move them forward, the players can use their hands to create waves and move the boats forward. No touching the boats though! The player whose boat reaches the edge first, wins.

Attention, water bomb approaching! In whose hands will it burst?

You need:

• Balloons or water bombs filled with water

How it’s done:

Two players face each other – with more players, you can either play in several teams of two or in a large circle. The players then alternately throw the water bomb(s) at each other taking a step back after each toss so that the gap between them gets bigger with each toss. After a few rounds, things are starting to get though: the larger the distance, the more power you need to toss the water bomb – until it happens! The bomb bursts and the player in whose hands it happens loses the game.

We wish you lots of fun trying these games and remember to use sunscreen and drink enough water!