If your kids love to play outside, or if you’re looking for ways to get them out into the fresh air more often, try some of these ideas.
Squirters
Save squirt bottles such as those that ketchup, mustard, or other condiments come in and wash them out. Remove the labels and write your child’s name on a bottle with permanent marker. Give each child one and let them fill the bottles with water. They make great squirters and your children will have fun chasing each other around and getting wet. You might want to fix one up for yourself, since they will probably try to squirt you too.
Sidewalk Art
One of the simplest and cheapest ways to have some outdoor fun is to grab some sidewalk chalk and start drawing. Pick up several colors so kids can really get artistic. Let them go nuts coloring the sidewalk, the driveway, or maybe even the patio. Teach them to play hopscotch too. Chalk will wash away easily with the hose and your kids won’t mind cleaning up, since it will give them another opportunity to squirt each other.
Sprinklers
What better way to water your grass and your children at the same time? There are lots of cute styles of sprinklers available that are designed just for kids. Some come with favorite trademark characters, but you can also pick up a simple, low cost, lawn sprinkler that will work just as well.
Water Balloons
Water balloons are so much fun that you might even want to play along. Look for kits that have lots of colorful balloons and a little tip that screws right onto the garden hose for filling balloons. Play games, have relays, or just attack each other.
*NOTE: If small children are present, make sure all broken balloon pieces are picked up and thrown away, as little ones can easily choke on balloon remnants.