As summer approaches, that heat index starts to rise as well. What better way to keep cool and inspire some backyard play than to break out the kiddie pool and set up for an afternoon full of fun in the sun? The setup and clean-up are a breeze for you and the playtime is magical for your kiddos! There are a ton of water games where your students will get soaked, but since kiddie pools are versatile, we’ve also included some activities that replace water with rice, water beads, dirt, sand, and more. Check out our list of 34 thrilling games that are sure to have your kids begging for more splash time!
1. Sponge Run
The sponge run is a great way for your kids to cool off and keep their little bodies active! All you need is a pool with water, a bucket, and some sponges to set up a fun wet relay race. The first one to get enough water squeezed from their sponges to fill their bucket wins!
Learn More: Play Party Plan
2. Toe Diving
Toe diving is a fun take on a ring toss that we bet your little ones will love! Simply, fill your inflatable or plastic pool with water and toss in the rings. Challenge your kiddos to go head to head to see who can gather the most! The trick is that they have to pick them up with their toes and no hands are allowed!
Learn More: Play Party Plan
3. Floating Books
Who doesn’t love reading a book in the pool? Fill up a baby pool with water and toss in some floating, waterproof books for your tiniest of tots to enjoy. Let your little ones get carried away in this literacy-based kiddie pool adventure!
Learn More: Educatall
4. Sponge Ball Target Game
This is a great game to play around the kiddie pool with 3 or more kids. All they’ll need is a sponge ball and a person to be “it”. The kids that are “it” will soak the ball by dunking it in the pool and then do their best to throw it at other players to tag them. Whoever gets hit with the wet ball becomes “it” next!
Learn More: Fun Loving Families
5. Muddy Trucks Play
We love the versatility of the kiddie pool! Instead of filling it up with water, why not try mud? Let your youngins romp their cars around and play in the dirt! After some fun and muddy sensory play, let them turn their kiddie pools into a car wash station and go from messy to clean in a heartbeat!
Learn More: Busy Toddler
6. Alphabet Scooping Game
Place sand or beans in the bottom of the kiddie pool to create a base for this sensory activity. Next, bury some foam alphabet letters and then, give each of your kids a net before challenging them to find and scoop them out. Up the ante by asking them to say the letter name or sound it makes or simply utter a word that begins with that letter.
Learn More: Busy Toddler
7. Rice Pool
Skip the sand and opt for rice with this playful activity. Your children will enjoy the sensory play as they use containers to move the rice around or use cars, scoops, and jars as creative instruments to do with what they please.
Learn More: Busy Toddler
8. Water Gun Tag
Water gun tag works with any kiddie pool and water guns. You could use super soakers, small water blasters, or even pool noodle water guns. Just like the game of tag, your kids will run around trying to tag one another; returning to refuel their water guns at the kiddie pool while having a blast!
Learn More: Family Education
9. Drip, Drip, Drop
Here’s an activity that’s much like duck, duck, goose- the only twist is that you’ll need to give a bucket of water to the person that’s it! Your kids will anxiously await as the person who’s it roams around the outside of the pool whilst the ones inside never knowing who will be picked- that is until drip, drip, drop, and the water is dumped over their head in a surprising soak! They’ll then have to get up and chase the person who soaked them before their seat is stolen and they become it.
Learn More: Family Education
10. Fairy Garden
During those cooler months, make use of your kiddie pool by transforming it into a cute fairy garden! Add soil, plants, and flowers, and let your kids choose their favorite small figurines to toss in at the end. Alternatively, you could opt for creating a dinosaur garden if your little one doesn’t love fairies. Let the imaginative play begin!
Learn More: Pinterest
11. Colored Ice Pool Play
Colored ice will add a fun twist to any kiddie pool play session! Simply freeze ice with food coloring in it to create a variety of colored ice cubes. Then, let your kids melt the colored ice in the pool; changing the color of the water and experimenting with color mixing along the way!
Learn More: Lemon Lime Adventures
12. Splash Dance
Who doesn’t love to dance? Let your little ones have a splash dance in their kiddie pool! Turn on some cool summer tunes and let them boogie in the water as they splash and play. You could even pause the music to play a round of musical statues!
Learn More: Pure Wow
13. Jumbo Water Beads
Here’s an enjoyable sensory play activity for the kiddie pool! First, fill the pool with a shallow amount of water. Next, throw in a load of colorful water beads. Once they’ve swelled up, we bet your kiddies will have a ball exploring the texture with their hands.
Learn More: Toddler Approved
14. Pool Noodle Boats
With a pool noodle, pencil, and a foam board, your kids can design boats to float in their kiddie pools! Once the boats have been built, equip each participant with a straw and let them blow their sails from one side of the pool to the other; competing with their friends in a classic boat race!
Learn More: See Vanessa Craft
15. Toe Jam
I bet you’ve never thought to add slime to your kiddie pool! Kids of all ages will enjoy feeling the slime slide between their toes. Ramp up the fun by adding a few small objects for your kids to pick up with their toes! Tons and fun and lots of laughs are guaranteed with this activity.
Learn More: Stuff You Can Use
16. Bobbing for Apples
Float mini apples for your students to bob for in the kiddie pool- using only their mouths, just like the classic game. No hands allowed! Encourage a splashing good time as they challenge each other to pick up the most apples in the shortest amount of time.
Learn More: YouTube
17. Sink the Ship
Here’s a little physics lesson that your kiddos can enjoy in the water. Your little pirates can float “ships” (either a bowl or container will do) in the kiddie pool and take turns sending “cannonballs” (marbles, rocks) in to sink them. They’ll learn all about trajectory, force, and submersion whilst engaged in this thrilling game.
Learn More: Amazon
18. Pool Art
Ignite creativity by providing liquid watercolors for your littles to squirt into their kiddie pools. Then, let them swirl the colors into mesmerizing designs using brushes, sponges, or their hands to create striking works of art along the edges.
Learn More: My Small Potatoes
19. Kiddie Car Wash
Do your kids have toys that could use a little scrub? Here’s a great idea to try out on the next sunny day! Imaginative play meets summer fun as your kids give their toy cars and tricycles a trip through shallow water while using sponges, brushes and spray bottles to scrub them squeaky clean.
Learn More: YouTube
20. Slip ‘n’ Slide Kickball
Slip ‘n’ slide kickball is a super creative spin on the classic game- it uses four kiddie pools as bases instead! Set up your inflatable bases and connect them with wet tarps. Become a spectator or join in on the fun as you watch your kiddos whiz base to base on their tummies like a turtle!
Learn More: The House House
21. Excavating with Ice
Your kiddos will have an exciting time becoming ice excavators! Prepare by creating iceberg-like blocks by freezing containers of water. Don’t forget to add in some small trinkets like toy dinosaurs for your little ones to discover as the blocks melt in the pool. Using a hose and some small shovels or spoons, they’ll be set for hours of play as they excavate away!
Learn More: Jennifer Perkins
22. Frozen Feet
Need to cool your toasty toes off on a hot day? Toss some ice cubes into the kiddie pool and have your young ones race to pick up the most cubes! Here’s the twist…they can only grab the ice with their feet!
Learn More: Children’s Ministry
23. Sleepover
Grab some blankets and pillows to make a comfy lounging pit for your kids and their friends. Once inside, they can play their favorite board game or watch a movie. It’s the perfect size for contained play…just don’t forget to bring the snacks!
Learn More: Oh So Lovely Blog
24. Spaghetti Noodles
This idea is an exception to the no playing with food rule! Dump some boxes of spaghetti or angel hair into the kiddie pool and let your kids have oodles of fun wading through the noodles. They can also imagine that they’re in a lifesize bowl of noodle soup!
Learn More: Having Fun At Home
25. Sandbox Treasure Hunt
We’ve all seen kiddie pools transformed into sandboxes, but don’t stop at the sand. Take it one step further by burying shells, faux gems, and maybe even some money for your treasure-hunting little pirates to uncover!
Learn More: Love and Life Cards
26. Seashell Sensory Play
Don’t have time to go to the beach? Bring the beach to your kids! Simply fill one kiddie pool with sand and seashells while creating a mini ocean in the form of another water-filled kiddie pool. Throw in some sea salt to make it like the real deal, and your little beach-goers can then relax and enjoy as if they’re on vacation.
Learn More: A Little Pinch of Perfect
27. Sink or Float?
Mix in some science for your young learners with this fun experiment called “sink or float”! Grab a variety of objects and have your children predict which will hover on the water’s surface compared to those that will descend toward the bottom.
Learn More: Having Fun at Home
28. Pool Noodle Name Recognition
For this pool idea, cut up some foam noodles and write letters on each piece. Your young learners can sort through the letters scattered in their kiddie pool to spell their names! This would also be a fun idea to practice their sight word lists!
Learn More: Preschool Inspirations
29. Water Balloon Stomp
Water balloon stomp is an active sensory play idea that will excite any energetic kiddo! Line the floor of your kiddie pool with water balloons and then…ready, set, go! Watch as the water balloons burst like fireworks from the little feet stomping away at them!
Learn More: Sunny Day Family
30. Duck Tape Boat Races
This is a fun, personalized craft that can quickly turn into a competition. Using an array of patterned duct tape and paper, your kids can design decorative sailboats. Then, they’ll place them in the kiddie pool and use straws to blow them to the finish line!
Learn More: Mess for Less
31. Water Chalk Art
If your kiddie pool is on a paved surface, break out the colored chalk and let your little artists create dusty masterpieces around the water. When they’re done, a dip in the kiddie pool will not only clean them off, but they can splash around to turn their chalk art into watercolor art!
Learn More: My Small Potatoes
32. Kiddie Pool Bubbles
Pour some bottles of soapy bubble solution into your kiddie pool and break out those hula hoops and bubble wands. Amaze your little ones by helping them create a life-size bubble around their body!
Learn More: Project Nursery
33. Rainbow Corn Bin
I’ve always loved the idea of a sensory corn bin, but the one at the pumpkin patch is always so germy and crowded. Create your own rainbow version by filling a kiddie pool with dyed corn kernels. Using jars of vinegar and food coloring, you will have the pumpkin patch beat with this homemade colorful version.
Learn More: Fun A Day
34. Duck Game
The rubber ducky game was my favorite carnival game growing up. Create your own by writing a one, two, or three on the bottom of each duck. The numbered duck that is picked corresponds with a certain prize! Who will be a lucky ducky? P.S. Have your kids add up their duck numbers to practice their math facts!
Learn More: Carnival Savers
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