Perfect for summer: Fun at the pool and water spots! Water play games
When it comes to summer childcare, water play is a must.
Here, we’ll introduce fun games and activities that kids can enjoy at the pool, the beach, or the river.
There are plenty of ways for children who can’t swim to have fun, too—like games with water balloons and races using swim rings.
There are lots of activities that make for wonderful summer memories when enjoyed with friends.
Even kids who aren’t fond of water may grow to love the pool by the end of summer if they get used to it little by little through play.
Use this as a guide and be sure to try these ideas when you head to the beach or the river!
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Perfect for summer: Have fun at the pool and water spots! Water play games (41–50)
Fish fishing game
How about trying a fishing game that even little kids can enjoy and that’s fun with mixed ages too? You can easily get a fishing set at 100-yen shops or variety stores.
It would also be great fun to make your own using milk cartons and chopsticks.
You could even create it together with the kids while drawing and decorating.
Assigning points to the fish and competing for the highest total would make it exciting, and it’s nice that you can play it over and over again.
Surface Tension Game
It’s a simple activity you can do with just water and cups, but it’s a super exciting game—let’s play the Surface Tension Game! Prepare two cups: one to serve as the base and another filled with water.
Put a little water in the base cup as well, or use a base cup that’s smaller than the one with water.
A paper cup might be easier to hold for the cup you’re pouring from.
You’ll add water to the base cup, and the person who makes it overflow is out.
To avoid spilling, transfer the water little by little—even drop by drop—and pass it to the next player!
obstacle course
This game takes the classic obstacle race you often see at sports days and tries it underwater.
Most games you can play on land can also be played in the water, but obstacle races seem a bit tricky, don’t they? Set up obstacles in the pool and adjust their difficulty according to age.
For example, sink balloons and have players pop them underwater, place cones to weave through in an S-shape or swim around, or set up things to dive through.
Tasks that are easy on land become a bit harder underwater, and that challenge is exactly what makes the game exciting.
Imitation play
The classic imitation game popular in nurseries and kindergartens is also great fun for kids during water play.
Try walking through the water while becoming a duck, a crab, or a crocodile.
Even children who can’t put their faces in the water at first may get used to it if you take it step by step: start with a duck with no face in the water, then a crab with just the mouth touching, and finally a crocodile with the whole face in.
Simply putting a face in the water can be scary, but pretending to be an animal might make it surprisingly fun.
Once they’ve mastered the duck, crab, and crocodile, let them pick their favorite creature and swim like that!
Super Ball Scooping Showdown
Let’s fill the pool with lots of super balls and try a super ball scooping game! Once you’ve got a poi (the scoop used for goldfish scooping) and a container to hold the balls you scoop, you’re all set.
At the start signal, begin scooping balls and compete to see how many you can scoop within the time limit.
Unlike the super ball scooping you see at festival stalls, the fact that you’re also in the water makes it even more exciting! Let’s count the balls together, one by one, after you scoop them!
Breath-Holding Contest
A very simple game: a contest to see who can hold their breath underwater and stay submerged the longest.
You often see it on TV variety shows, right? It’s something both adults and kids can play together, and you don’t have to worry much about the size of the pool, so you can do it anytime, casually! Someone who isn’t diving can time it with a stopwatch, or you can just say whoever stays under the longest wins—that works too.
It’s not necessarily an advantage for adults, and it’s a game that can help build lung capacity.
Floating Island Dodgeball
Dodgeball is a game that gets both kids and adults excited—so why not try it on the water? You play on a large floating platform, but just standing on it is hard because it’s so tricky to keep your balance.
Doing dodgeball on top of that means you’ll need some serious balance and core strength.
Let’s set the rules like this: getting hit twice means you’re out, and if you fall into the water, you’re out immediately.
The team with the last players standing wins.
The game probably won’t go smoothly—and that’s part of the fun (lol).