Water Play Activities

Idle hands are the devil’s handiwork…or something like that.  Sometimes my girls just need some times to get their hands moving.  If I’m not careful, their need to use their hands turns in to poking, pushing, grabbing, hitting, and all other kinds of mischief.  It’s times like these that I try to occupy my girls with something productive or at least something that uses their brains and not just their hands. 

Water play is an incredible sensory and learning activity, especially when it has a purpose.  While all these activities can be done outside, they can also be done indoors on a cold day, a rainy day, a sick day, or a lazy day.  Turn any day into a water fun day!

We have a set of play dishes.  Add some soap and water and suddenly, your little one is learning how to do the dishes.  My daughter can spend a good hour washing every single plate and utensil, leaving it on the drying towel, and then finishing up by drying them all and putting them away.  It’s a great time for us to talk about the how and why of dishwashing.  Plus, she feels like a million bucks and a big girl to boot.

This same principle works with bath toys.  When we lived in Arizona, there was no such thing as mold.  Since moving here, however, our bath toys have become covered and filled with nasty black mold that really grosses me out.  But instead of tossing them all, why not turn bath time into cleaning time.  Arm each child with an old toothbrush (please don’t use daddy’s!) and instruct them to fight grime on all their toys.  By the time your kids are clean, your toys will be too.

Another activity for the bath that is great for 12 months and up is playing with water and cups.  You can use regular plastic cups, measuring cups, tablespoons, slated spoons, turkey basters, funnels, pitchers…whatever.  Let your little one fill up the cups with each utensil.  They learn quickly what fills them up the fastest, which is the slowest, and which is the most fun.  Just remember to have those cups lined up on the BACK side of the tub…accidents happen!! 

Hopefully Kerri will post about her summer time idea for a water fun filled car wash.  Until then, enjoy a little warm water indoors!