Let’s get wet and messy

August 5, 2024

Pat Tomlinson, PACEY Advisor

Water play is so much fun, especially when it’s warm outside, but can be done all year round. Don’t let the grey skies put you off – water play is still fun and can take on different dimensions in our ever-changing weathers.

I’ve found that children of all ages love playing with water and will use it in different ways – we just need to make the resources available, and children will decide what they are going to do with them. I have found that the favourite resources are those found around the house – everyday articles such as a washing up bowl.

I love water play so let’s have a look at some activities.

Activity ideas

Outdoor painting

All you need is a bucket or bowl of water, some household paint brushes and/or rollers and invite the children to paint the garden or house walls, the patio and paths.

This is especially great if the sun is shining – quite often the water dries quickly which sparks conversations about where the water has gone.

Car wash

Line up the outdoor ride on toys, provide buckets of soapy water, sponges etc and get the children to clean the cars. Watering cans or the hose pipe (under supervision) can be used to rinse off the vehicles.

Bubbles

This comes in all different forms, depending on the age/stage of development of the child.

It’s quick and easy to squirt a small amount of washing up liquid into a bowl of water and provide a whisk. A baby I cared for used to love a bowl of bubbles, picking them up and putting them into a small bowl or onto a tray. This had a calming effect as well as being fun.

The 3-year-olds liked to keep whisking up the bubbles and playing with the foam they made. I had different size whisks so the children could test out which whisk made the best bubbles and the quickest.

The bubble activities can be done indoors and outdoors – it’s good, clean mess.

Home made bubble mix can be made by the children and then usually used outside (bubble mix can make the floor slippery and sometimes leave watermark type stains on furniture).

There are many plastic wands around, but you could make your own from pipe cleaners – get the children to make their own in any shape they want and then see which is most successful. A plastic funnel makes a good bubble blower – dip the large end in the solution and blow through the narrow funnel bit.

Mops and buckets

Lay out a large piece of plastic – a shower curtain would be ideal, outside. Give the children buckets of soapy water and a variety of mops – the sponge ones and the old-fashioned mops.

The children have great fun mopping the floor, creating more foamy bubbles, making patterns with the foam and generally having fun.

When this activity has been exhausted, how about tipping the soapy water onto the patio and with brushes clean the paving stones? Some of the children are likely to want to help with this and you’ve yet another activity.

Risk assessment

As with all activities, you need to risk assess, considering the ages/stages of development of the children, the space you are using and the resources.

Some things to consider

Are the children appropriately dressed? In warm weather, ordinary clothes (with a spare set available) will be sufficient but if the weather is cool or cold, children may need wet weather gear such as waterproof coat (and trousers), wellies or other suitable footwear.
Water temperature – many of the suggested activities need warm water, so ensure it’s at the optimum temperature for the children.
Water safety – consider the containers used and supervision. According to RoSPA children can drown in as little as 5cm of water.
Slippery surfaces. – Soapy water can make surfaces slippery, so ensure there is close supervision.