Keep your toddler cool and happy this summer with these cute toddler water play ideas!
Where we live it gets in the high 100’s in the summer, so having water activities is a must for my kiddos.
There are so many creative and easy water play ideas, some that just take a household item or two.
What does water play do for toddlers?
Water play is actually very beneficial for toddler’s development, allowing them new ways to grow and explore.
Educator’s agree that water play offers calming sensory experiences and helps them learn early math and science concepts. Playing with water also encourages growth in their language, creativity, and social skills.
Activities like splashing, spraying, and scooping are all things that are shown to help them with their gross motor skills as well.
#1 Water Play Color Sort
Colorful, cloudy water makes this a cute sensory activity that introduces your toddler to science concepts like sink or float.
This activity is easy to set up for hours of fun!
Supplies Needed
Instructions
- fill the clear tub about halfway with water
- add a few drops of food coloring (any color)
- add about 1/2 cup of corn starch to make the water cloudy
- add sinking and floating toys
- give your toddler spoons and scoops to play with
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#2 Soap and Water Painting
Let your toddler and the big kids too run around and paint the patio, fence, and patio furniture with soap and water.
I love this creative idea that is really affordable and is sure to keep them entertained for a while.
Supplies Needed
- Beach Buckets
- Dawn Dish Soap
- Foam Paint Rollers (Love these toddler Textured Paint Brushes… SOO CUTE!)
Instructions
- Fill beach bucket with water and soap
- Give your toddler a foam paint roller and paint brushes and let them go crazy on the patio while you read or catch up on shows!
#3 Rainbow Water Play
If you already have a water table or mud kitchen this is the perfect addition!
So simple too! You just need some soap dispensers, water, and food coloring.
Supplies Needed
Instructions
- Fill each soap dispenser with water and a drop of food coloring.
- Put in your toddler’s mud kitchen, sandbox, or water table. You can even give this to them with their water sensory bin outdoors.
- Use muffin tins, cups, and scoops for rainbow water play!
#4 The Lemon Squeezer Activity
Here’s another sensory bin activity that’s perfect for summer.
This one is great for motor skills because your toddler will use their hands to squeeze the water out.
Supplies Needed
- Sponges cut into small pieces
- Clear sensory bin, water table, or mud kitchen
- Lemon squeezer
Instructions
- Cut sponges into small pieces
- Put sponges into water bin
- Give your toddler lemon squeezer to squeeze out water
- This is perfect for water tables, mud kitchens, or sensory bins. You can give them plastic cups or muffin tins to squeeze water into.
#5 Magical Mermaid Water Play
Does your toddler love mermaids? This is the perfect water sensory play idea for them!
Turn your water play into a sparkly magical experience. You can change the color of the food color and dust to make it dinosaur, princess, or dragon themed!
Supplies Needed
Instructions
- Fill your sensory tub with water halfway
- Add a few drops of food coloring and sprinkle some edible lustre dust stir until it has the color you want
- Add sea shells, scoops, and mermaids toys for your toddler to play with
#6 DIY Driveway Stream
Grab some tinfoil and toys to make a fun makeshift stream all your kids will love this summer.
Your toddler will be introduced to early science concepts like cause and effect with this easy affordable activity.
Supplies Needed
Instructions
- make a makeshift stream with tin foil on your driveway or a sloped surface
- give your toddler a bucket of water or hose and floating toys and let them experiment with making things float down the stream
#7 Fish Tank Water Table
You don’t need real fish to set this one up… don’t worry! 😅
But, this is a really cute idea if your toddler loves fish.
Supplies Needed
Instructions
- Put some fish gravel and plants at the bottom of the water table or sensory bin
- Put your electronic fish in the water
- Give your toddler some scoops and a toy net for sensory play
#8 Pouring Activity
Give your toddler things to pour with and pour into!
You can use things you already have around the house for this activity.
Supplies Needed
Instructions
- Give your toddler lots of things to pour with like pitchers and watering cans while they play with their water table/sensory bin. Provide lots of cups and things to pour into as well. Make sure you do this in an area you won’t care if things get wet. ;)
#9 Ocean Animal Rescue
For kids who love ocean animals try this ocean animal rescue activity on a hot day.
I love this ICY activity for extra hot days!
Supplies Needed
Instructions
- Fill a large bowl with water, ocean toys, and blue food coloring.
- Freeze overnight
- Put frozen block in a sensory bin
- Fill squeeze bottles with warm water and let your toddlers melt the ice and rescue the ocean animals
#10 Magna-Tile Targets
If you’re toddler loves magnet tile play then this activity is for them!
It’s so easy to set up in your backyard or patio for hours of outdoor fun.
Supplies Needed
- Magnet Tiles
- Metal Laundry Rack
- Squirt Gun or garden hose
Instructions
- Hang magnet tiles from laundry rack and let your toddler squirt them off with a squirt gun or the garden hose!
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