Water Balloon Games
During the heat of the summer, what can you do to stay cool? You can stay inside in the air conditioning or venture out for some family fun. These activates are an awesome way to stay cool in the great outdoors.
Materials needed
100 water balloons (more if want to play all the games)
Hose
Container or mesh bag to hold water filled balloons
Optional water balloon filler adaptor
Water Balloon Toss
This one probably comes to mind most often when we think of traditional water balloon games
Divide the players into teams of two and give each team a water balloon.
Line the teams up an equal distance apart (three feet to start is good).
Have the one player toss a balloon to her partner.
If their partner catches it they take one step back.
The players keep tossing the water balloons back and forth having the “catcher” take one step back for each successful catch.
Any team that drops or breaks their balloon is out.
The game continues until only one team is left with an unbroken water balloon.
Back to Back Water Balloon Relay Race
You will laugh out loud watching the kids as the try to gently hold a water balloon between their bodies without breaking it while racing to the finish line. The kids will love the race.
You will need two containers for this game. Establish a start line and land an empty container about 20 feet away.
Divide the kids into two teams and have each kid pair up with someone on their team.
Have the first pair of kids from each team stand back to back with their arms locked at the start line.
Place a water balloon between their backs
On the word Go, they must transport the balloon between their backs to the finish line. Then they have to maneuver themselves so they can deposit the balloon into the empty bucket.
If any pair breaks their balloon, they return to their group
The game can continue till every pair has a turn or till the balloons run out.
The team with the most unbroken balloons in their bucket wins
Water Balloon Hot Potato
Before you inflate a balloon, poke a small hole in it using a safety pin.
Then fill it with water and tie the end to create a “time bomb” with a slow leak.
Players sit (or stand) in a circle and pass the balloon around the circle.
When the balloon runs out of water, start another one going around the circle.
You can even have several balloons going around at one time.
Add the rule that anyone holding the balloon when it runs out of water (or breaks) is out.
Pass the Water Balloon
Divide the kids into teams of two.
Mark the beginning and the end of the course.
On the word Go the first player on each team puts a water balloon under his chin and races to the end of the course and back.
When he gets back to his team, he has to pass the water balloon to the next player without using his hands
If the balloon breaks, the player has to get a new balloon and start over.
If the balloon falls but doesn’t break, the player can pick it up, put it back under his chin, without using his hands, and keep going.
The first team to finish wins.
Volley Ball
You will need a few more items foe this activity
A volleyball or badminton net (or tie a rope between to trees)
2 old sheets (4 players) or 2 large towels (2 players)
Make sure you have a lot of water filled balloons and best if not overfilled
Set up the volleyball net.
Divide the kid into two teams and have each team stand on either side of the net.
Give each team a bed sheet.
Have each team surround their sheet on all sides and hold it open.
Put a water balloon in one team’s sheet and have them try to flip it over the net.
It really helps if the players do a count down (“one, two, three… Up!) for each toss.
The other team must try to catch the water balloon in their sheet and flip it back.
If one team misses, drops or breaks the balloon the other team gets a point.
For an extra challenge, put multiple water balloons in the sheet at one time.
This game also is great fun played without the net or a rope.
Even More Balloon Games
Place a box on the floor on the other side of the room. See if you can hit the balloon across the room so that it fails into the box. You can hit it as many times as you like to get it into the box.
Toss your balloon into the air. See how long you can keep it up by hitting it only with your head and shoulders. If it touches the ground, pick it up and start all over again.
Set the balloon on the back of your hand. See how long you can keep it balanced there. You can move around as much as you want to keep it balanced
Suggested Conversation Starters (these are just ideas and can be altered depending on the ages or developmental stages of your kids)
Talk about team work as you work together filling the balloons and playing the games
Ask the kids to think of other water games you could play in this hot heat. Encourage their creativity to make up their own game.
Suggested Movie Titles
Surf’s Up
Shark Tale
Free Willy
These movies are just suggestions. If you would like additional information about the story or the content, you can visit www.kids-in-mind.com.
Suggested Bed Time Stories/Reading
Wide Mouthed Frog by Rex Schneider
L is for Lobster by Cynthia Reynolds
The Little Fish that Got Away by Bernadine Cook
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