I am typically not one to complain about the summer weather, because our winters up north are so cold. But people…IT’S HOT!!! Now, I will absolutely take hot over cold any day, but I do not remember it being so hot growing up over the summers. Since we spend so much of the winter cooped up inside with my babies still being young, I want to be outside as often as possible throughout the rest of the year! And during the summer that means, a whole lot of water play!
But, water play can add a whole other element of work into an otherwise pleasant day. Please tell me I’m not the only one who dreads the necessary baths, extra laundry, sunscreen applications, and messiness that water play generally brings? Ugh, I’m tired just thinking about it!
What if there was a water activity that didn’t require many of those extra steps AND kept your littles entertained for over an hour? I’d say, SIGN ME UP!!! Lucky for you (and me!) I’ve found the perfect outdoor water activity without the extra hassle. Let’s break it down:
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Materials
- Teddy bear counters
- Sensory bin or large container
- Pots and cups
- Scoops, ladles, eye droppers
How To
This simple set up will have you relaxing in the sun in no time!
- Grab a large container to make the soup in. We use our sensory bin which is a large, but shallow bin from Target.
- Fill it half way with water.
- Add the teddies.
- Set out a variety of cooking supplies: pots, cups, scoops, spoons, ladles, etc.
- If you have them, add some eye droppers for a great fine motor element!
- Set up somewhere in the shade (so you don’t have to worry about sunburns and fussy kiddos).
- Add eager kiddos and watch the magic unfold.
Enjoy!
Seriously, this bin is pure magic in our house. My 5 and 2 year olds played for an entire hour before I made them go inside due to the heat. AND it took 30 minutes before the first argument occurred; that has to be a record!
I set our bin up on our waterproof patio foot rests so the boys could stand while they played. For some reason, they always play better when they are standing! We had it under the gazebo so they had plenty of shade while they played. If your yard is pretty sunny, you could always try setting out an umbrella or even sitting under a covered patio. If you must play in the sun, be sure to reapply sunscreen often and protect those babies with hats and sunglasses.
Related: Love simple water play that promotes fine motor skills? Check out this simple and engaging activity!
My two littles had a blast scooping, pouring and dumping while they played. And the best part with this type of water play is that no swim suits were required! Of course you could always use swim suits, but I find that my kiddos are less apt to dump the water on each other if they are in regular clothes (wink, wink).
It was especially fun to watch my 2 year old engage with this bin. He has just entered the stage of playing with his brothers instead of simply throwing their toys around to get a reaction, haha. He copied everything his big brother did. From scooping up teddies and water to dumping it all back in the bin and doing it again. It was the first time I have seen him play so deeply with another child. Definitely a fun moment to experience!
This activity would be great for any kiddos out of the mouthing stage (these teddies are small and therefore a choking hazard, so watch closely!). If you don’t have counting teddy bears, you could always substitute another water-safe toy like letters, plastic animals, or gems.
Whatever kind of water play your littles engage in this summer, I hope that it is wet, wild and less work for you! Thank you so much for reading sweet friend. As always, you can find us over on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Give us a follow to see what is enriching and engaging my kiddos!
Looking for another simple and engaging water activity? Check out one of our favorites; Wash the Alphabet for some enriching alphabet fun!
