There’s nothing like cooling off with some fun-filled water balloon goodness when those summer temperatures heat up! Water balloon games and activities simply bring fun and joy to any summer day. Whether your kids are toddler-aged or big kid-aged, water balloons are sure to bring smiles, laughter, and all sorts of silliness to your backyard. Water play is not only a fun way to cool off, but important for engaging in sensory play. These 12 super fun and silly water balloon games and activities are guaranteed to make your hot summer days a little cooler and much more fun!
RELATED: Water play is a great way to engage your kids in messy play that feels familiar!
What makes water balloons so great?
Water balloons are the best. They are fun to fill. They are fun to hold. They are fun to throw. They are fun to pop. And they are fun to splash with. Simply put, water balloons are fun!
But for some kids, especially young toddlers, water balloons can be a little tricky to manage (physically and emotionally). When my boys were young, they would get frustrated when they would slip out of their hands and, frankly a bit upset when they got splashed. But in time, they got on the water balloon bandwagon and now love them!
If you’re on the fence about introducing water balloons to your child, know that after a little time to warm up (and cool down), your child will learn to love this fun and silly summer play.
What will your kids DO this summer?
Take the guesswork out of your days with the Summertime Bundle.
- Startup Guide creates your summer routine.
- Activity cards have easy activities.
- The PDF calendar puts your plan in place.
Water balloon play makes learning fun!
Water and sensory play is important. Experts recommend exposing children to new and different sensory experiences to help develop sensory-motor awareness and curiosity through interactive play-based learning.
There are so many ways to play with water balloons:
- Bouncing
- Popping
- Pouring
- Squeezing
- Squirting
- Stirring
- Throwing
RELATED: Is summer making you a little crazy? Find the Good with this 30-day summer challenge!
What are the best kind of water balloons?
As great as water balloons can be, the mess they create can be every parent’s worst nightmare. Truthfully, I dreaded the idea of water balloon games and activities. The thought of little pieces of latex scattered all over my backyard can almost be enough to avoid the idea of water balloon games and activities altogether.
But there’s good news! Cooling off with water balloons doesn’t have to be a mess. I recently discovered a better option!
Days with Grey participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and LTK, affiliate advertising programs. As an Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.
Reusable Water Bomb Balloons
Who doesn’t love something reusable? Instead of using latex balloons that leave a mess, these reusable water balloons are less wasteful on the environment and better for your wallet in the long run too!
12 water balloon games and activities
Summer activities for toddlers and summer activities for kids can help to keep your kids busy, learning, and growing. Water balloons can be the highlight of any child’s summertime memories. Make memories with these wet and silly water balloon games and activities with your kids this summer!
Note: Any of these water balloon games and activities can be used with the reusable water balloons we recommend above or regular latex balloons.
Reusable Water Balloon Sensory Play
Have you tried reusable water balloons? We put them to the test with our favorite plastic counting bears for a winning water-play combination you must try!
Alphabet Game with Water Balloons
(Teaching Mama)
Developing and practicing alphabet awareness and letter recognition can be fun with this water balloon play-based activity.
DIY Toy Water Balloon Parachute Steam Activity
(Fantastic Fun and Learning)
A fun way for your toddler, preschooler, and even big kids to experiment with weight and gravity using water balloons to create a parachute.
DIY Water Balloon Flip Flop Craft
(About a Mom)
Let’s talk fashion! Use up all the leftover water balloons this summer with these adorable water balloon flip flops make the perfect craft and accessory.
Frozen Dinosaur Eggs Sensory Play
(The Imagination Tree)
Strengthen fine motor skills with these simple and adorable frozen dinosaur eggs as your kids crack away at the eggs to reveal mini dinos!
Water Balloon Basketball
(Fun Learning for Kids)
Cool off with a reinvented basketball game by using water balloons instead of balls to practice number recognition and counting!
Water Balloon Launcher
(Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls)
Work together as you build this fun and exciting water balloon launcher that will keep everyone cool from the summer heat!
Water Balloon Math
(No Time Flash Cards)
Looking for ways to keep up the counting and math practice this summer for your preschooler or big kids? Use water balloons to make math more fun with a splash!
Water Balloon Painting
(Parenting Chaos)
Combine water balloons, art, mess, and a lot of fun with this creative outdoor arts and crafts project that will produce a vibrant and colorful masterpiece!
Water Balloon Phonics
(Mess for Less)
Practice letter recognition and early reading phonetic awareness using water balloons to play and learn this summer.
Water Balloon Pinata
(Red Ted Art)
Hang those water balloons and take a whack with this fun, wet, and silly take on the classic pinata game.
Water Balloon Target Practice
(Water Balloon on a Dime)
Develop hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills with this fun water balloon target game that will keep your kids active and cool.
Water Balloon Yo-Yos
(Inner Child Fun)
Create simple and fun water balloon yoyos for your kid to play with as they practice hand-eye coordination.
Make summer a splash with water balloon fun!
Bring on the smiles, joy, and laughter this summer with water balloon games and activities! Treat your toddlers, preschoolers, and big kids to good old-fashioned summertime fun on the next super hot day. Sit back as your kids fill, squeeze, pop, and splash with water balloons all afternoon!
So we know that water balloons are fun, but did you know they offer so many great benefits to kids?
- Hands-on sensory play (Importance of Sensory Play)
- Increases hand strength
- Improves gross motor skills (Gross Motos Skills for Kids)
- Increase hand-eye coordination
- Widens sensory awareness (Sensory Bin for Kids)
- Strengthens fine motor skills (Fine Motor Skills)
Frequently Asked Questions
Water balloons are a great way for kids of any age to explore their natural curiosities of learning through sensory-motor play. Sensory play helps kids to learn through interactive, hands-on, play-based learning.
There are so many ways to play with water balloons. Kids can pour, squeeze, squirt, and throw water balloons. They are a great source for developing and strengthening fine motor and gross motor skills.
Water balloons are so versatile. Kids can play different types of friendly games and activities to engage in learning and development. Art, competitions, and counting are some of the activities kids can play.
