Water Carnival Kids Party Games
More Activities to Support Your Water Themed Birthday Party
Use the outdoors & summer weather to host a wet & wild party for your kids. Centered around a theme of water and games, the Water Carnival marries two favorites of kids!
So, you’ve decided to take advantage of the last few weeks of summer weather and create a Water Carnival Birthday Party for your youngsters. You’ve read the first article in this series, but need more ideas for water-based, kid-friendly activities. Well, read on for fantastic games and water-theme based activities to round out your Water Carnival Kids’ Birthday Party.
Activities
- Water Balloon Toss: Create a supply of small water balloons and pair the guests up. Run this game in the same manner as any good old-fashioned egg toss. As teams successfully toss the balloon to one another, increase the throwing distance until there is only team remaining. It will be obvious when a team is disqualified, just by watching the balloons splash open and listening to the players’ squeals!
- Sprinkler Jump: Use an oscillating sprinkler with a fan-shaped water distribution pattern. Set up the sprinkler in the middle of the yard, connect it to the hose, and turn on the water. The object of this activity is for the kids to race from one side of the sprinkler to the other. The fun of this simple game is evident by watching the faces of the kids just prior to and during the point of contact with the frigid water!
- Backyard Pool Bonanza: Assuming that your backyard does not have a full –size swimming pool, take advantage of the end of the summer specials by purchasing reduced inflatable water toys and swimming pools. At a recent jaunt to a local discount store, a series of inflatable pools with a slide and an iceberg and penguin theme was reduced to $20! Grab items like this and set them up for a series of fun, splash-through activities for your guests. If no inflatable options are available in your area, create an old-fashioned Slip and Slide with a heavy duty tarp and a garden hose with a solid stream of water. Have an adult monitor this area and make suggestions for creative slides. For instance, challenge the guests to do a “Surfer Dude Slide,” a “Belly Flop Slide,” or a “Rotational Slide.”
Post-Dry Off and Beyond
Once the water activities have been exhausted, be sure to provide towels and a drying off area for the guests. Inevitably, some kids will be cold, so be prepared to warm them up with a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies and a fluffy towel. At this point, you can gather the kids and cut the birthday cake or depending on their age, gather them for a read-aloud book. Just let them dry off and unwind for 15 minutes or so, before their parents pick them up --- and you will be thanked profusely by their parents!
© Text by Janice Benoit. [August, 2007]. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized use will constitute an infringement of copyright
