Wet Games for Hot Sunny Days

Help your preschoolers stay cool this summer with a little slip, slide, and sprinkle.

Slippery Slide

Make your very own slippery slide! Purchase a large role of heavy plastic from a hardware store - at least 4' wide and about 12' long. Find a large enough area to accommodate the length of the slide, plus some running room. Rake the area of debris. Role the plastic out and spray the entire surface with water. You can even add a few drops of non-toxic soap to make it super slippery. Standing 2'-3' from the front of the slide, children run towards it and then dive on it to see how far they can slide.

(Keep the slide wet by placing the running hose on slide, so that the water is flowing in the same direction the kids are sliding.)

Sprinkler Statues

Set up a sprinkler in your garden, but don't turn it on. Have children stand within the perimeter of the sprinkler's reach. Players then dance, jump, hop, etc. around the sprinkler's area. When the sprinkler is turned on, they must freeze in place. Anyone who moves is out. When the sprinkler is turned off, players start moving again. The game continues until one person is left standing.

By Rochelle Strauss